Great Priory Wood - prospective units BNG Proposed offset site

Site description

Great Priory Wood extends to some 8 ha and is located approximately 6 km northwest of Hythe and just north of Sellindge in Kent.

Half of the site consists of ancient semi-natural woodland, meaning it has been continuously wooded for hundreds of years and has developed a unique species composition. Ancient woodlands are increasingly rare priority habitats in the UK, and many are in degraded condition due to lack of proper management.

The southern part of the site is a neutral grassland pasture, with a wet marshy area and dense scrub and reedbeds encroaching from the southernmost tip.

This open woodland edge grassland habitat provides ideal habitat for many bird, invertebrate, and reptile species, while the wetland provides breeding sites for flying insects which are favoured by swifts, swallows, and flycatchers.

Our proposals include enhancement of existing woodland to bring it to the best possible condition, while controlling scrub encroachment in the grassland and allowing the wetland to develop further into the landscape, by creating reedbeds and non-priority ponds and enhancing the other river and streams currently on site.

Species-rich native hedgerows will be planted on site and existing hedgerows will be enhanced to a better condition.

These BNG units are based on a desktop exercise. A full site survey would need to be undertaken to determine the current habitats on site to validate the current units/uplift.

Habitat Transitions