Cherwell residents are set to benefit from healthier green spaces and richer wildlife habitats as work to enhance biodiversity progresses.
Published: Thursday, 19th March 2026
With the UK one of the most nature-depleted countries globally, Cherwell District Council’s executive has approved the council’s first Biodiversity Duty Report.
Demonstrating how the council is seeking to meet its duties under the Environment Act 2021, the report covers everything from ponds to support frogs and newts, to community orchards and farm visits for school pupils.
Councillor Tom Beckett, Portfolio Holder for Greener Communities, said: “One in six UK species is at risk of extinction and habitat loss. Our council is proactive and its work to reverse this trend – not only because we recognise the intrinsic nature of plant and animal life – but because of the role nature plays in our mental health and our resilience in the face of global heating and extreme weather events.
“We’re clear that efforts to conserve and enhance biodiversity need to be woven into all our decision making and future planning. We’re already seeing very encouraging results across a range of different areas of the council’s work, whether it be new sites set aside for habitat creation or support for local partners who make it easier for people to spend time in nature.
“I’m also delighted to announce that we’ve set up a dedicated Biodiversity and Climate Resilience service which will further strengthen our work towards a greener and more biodiverse north Oxfordshire.”
As the local planning authority, Cherwell works to mitigate the effects of new housing and other development by making sure that developers make up for the harm they cause to nature, under new rules known as biodiversity net gain.
In 2024-25 biodiversity plans for 11 development sites were approved, with 9 achieving net gain onsite and the remaining two funding habitat creation elsewhere in the district or in a neighbouring local authority.
The sites delivered an average 15.5 per cent net biodiversity gain, beating the statutory target of 10 per cent. This rose to a 63 per cent gain in hedgerow habitats.
A scheme to support great crested newts and other amphibians has resulted in nearly 130 hectares of new or restored habitats, including 24 ponds.
In November Cherwell joined a pilot of the NatureSpace Priority Species Scheme which aims to protect and enhance habitats for linnet, skylark, hedgehogs and yellowhammer through the planning process.
Community groups and projects recognised in the report include Burnehyll Community Woodland, Kidlington Open Spaces and Wild Banbury, to name just a few.
The report also outlines progress in integrating biodiversity into council strategy and operations, including partnership work to support nature recovery and the Local Nature Recovery Strategy.
Work is now underway on a Community Biodiversity Plan, which will guide future actions for nature recovery.