Pipers Hill – Hemel Hempstead
BNG MITIGATION SITE
Located within Dacorum Local Authority and The Chilterns NCA, the site extends to 70 acres and is located only 3 miles from Hemel Hempstead. The land is ideally placed to mitigate development throughout Dacorum and the wider Chiltern area.
Being in the Chiltern Hills AONB and well known to the local community, with several footpaths on the site which benefit from outstanding views all round and which feature as part of the walking routes promoted by the Chiltern Society.
Originally forming part of the Gaddesden estate, which can be seen on the opposite side of the valley with its parkland setting. Historical records going back to 1883 show the land as currently set out, with historic hedges marking the field boundaries. They also show a traditional orchard on the upper part of the land adjacent to Pipers Hill. Our plans for enhancement include planting a new orchard in the same location and restoring this long-lost feature to the landscape.
Immediately adjacent and to the South of the land is Highpark Wood, a local nature reserve, recognised as ancient woodland and again shown on the early maps of the area.
On the Eastern side and abutting the land is the Great Gaddesden Water Meadows, another local nature reserve containing the River Gade. This river continues Southwards and runs through the centre of Hemel Hampstead and is recognised locally as a very important chalk river.
These rivers are becoming increasingly vulnerable to modern agricultural techniques and by taking the land out of high intensity arable farming we are doing a small part in maintaining the integrity of these very important local nature systems.
For these reasons we believe that the land is very suitable for biodiversity enhancement and was why it has been purchased to form our Chilterns Habitat Bank. Overall, the site is located within 2km of 29 existing local nature reserves and as such is perfectly located for use as a BNG mitigation site.
The site is now formerly identified within the Hertfordshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy with a number of our proposed improvements on site targeted within the new strategy. This highlights the suitability of the site for this project.
Pipers Hill is a prime example of our commitment to large-scale biodiversity restoration.
Our plans include:
Planting specialist wildflower and herb seed mixes to enrich grassland biodiversity,
Reintroduction of traditional orchards, originally onsite at turn of the 19th Century,
Planting of individual trees in a park like setting, extending the existing woodland areas,
Planting of mixed scrub field boundaries to support local flora and fauna.
The overall scheme has been designed with careful consideration to the restoration of the land and improving its connectivity to the adjacent areas of locally important biodiversity.
In due course the aim is that the site at Pipers Hill will link up the Great Gaddesden Water Meadows and the River Gade, with Highpark Wood and that the whole area will be seen as one connected parkland setting of nature restoration, open for the pubic to enjoy.
This regionally significant project highlights our ability to transform monocultures into thriving, interconnected ecosystems that support both wildlife and community engagement.
BNG Unit Availability:
Other Neutral Grassland Medium Distinctiveness
Mixed Scrub. Medium Distinctiveness
Traditional Orchard. High Distinctiveness
Other Woodland Broadleaved. Medium Distinctiveness
Rural Trees. Medium Distinctiveness
Native Hedgerows. Medium/High Distinctiveness
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