About Wychavon

Wychavon is located in the West Midlands region. The district covers 664km2 of the south and eastern part of the county of Worcestershire and is the largest of the six Worcestershire districts.

With a population of 135,000, the area is made up of the three towns of Droitwich Spa, Evesham and Pershore, and nearly 100 villages and hamlets.

The district’s natural beauty comes from its diversity of habitats.  Our ancient woodlands are home to brown hairstreak butterflies flying high in the canopy where once nightingales sang. Traditional management techniques like coppicing reveal sunny glades and grassy rides, perfect for butterflies and people alike.

The steep wooded flanks of the Cotswolds and Bredon Hill give way to gnarled ancient trees, hiding the violet click beetle beneath their bark and casting their shade over swathes of orchid filled grassland.

The horticultural heritage of the Vale has given us a legacy of traditional orchards, where the nationally rare noble chafer beetle still thrives amongst the tumbledown trees.  Through this working landscape, the River Avon meanders across its rich floodplain, dotted with marshy wet meadows sheltering lapwing and curlew and lone black poplars weep into the water where otters raise their cubs amongst their tangled roots.

By day, club-tailed dragonflies patrol the reeds along the river’s banks, but as dusk falls, bats emerge feasting on insects over the water and along hedgerows. Water voles, once common, have been pushed into smaller streams, only a small number remain in what should be a perfect place for them

Wychavon’s traditional flower meadows are a national treasure. Flooded meadows that bloom with summer scarlet pompoms of great burnet and frothy white meadowsweet dry to the explosion of colour of a heritage hay meadow, filled with knapweed and scabious. These relics of a centuries old farming system are alive with wildlife, from barn owls to bees.

Purple heather crowns the red sandstone in the far north of our district, mixed with acid grassland, where adders bask on sandy paths sliding beneath the prickly protection of golden gorse when danger threatens.

Many species have ventured into towns in search of safety. You’re as likely to see an otter or a bat in an urban environment as you are in the countryside.  Our gardens are havens for hedgehogs and slow worms, while parks, canal side towpaths and abandoned industrial sites offer sheltered spots for the grizzled skipper to sunbathe.

No matter where you are in the district, nature is all around and it is as threatened by climate change as we are. The natural environment also has a key role to play in reducing our carbon footprint and sustaining our wellbeing and way of life. When eco-systems are joined up and work as they are intended to, they have the potential to capture and store significant amounts of carbon. They also offer a host of other benefits that can alleviate some of the impacts of climate change such as flooding or drought

This report sets out what we have done and will continue to do to protect and enhance the rich biodiversity that makes our district so distinctive.  It confirms the Council’s consideration of actions it should take to conserve and enhance biodiversity across its functions, in accordance with the Environment Act 2021.

It provides:

• A summary of the strategies and policies enabling the Council to meet our biodiversity duty, and the actions subsequently carried out meet Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) requirements,
• The BNG outcomes arising from approved gain plans; and
• How the Council will continue to meet its biodiversity and BNG obligations in the next reporting period.

The actions are and will continue to be delivered through cross‑service strategies and policies including the We Are Wychavon Plan, the Intelligently Green Plan, and the South Worcestershire Development Plan (SWDP) Review as well as direct management of parks, open spaces and partnerships. 

The Council sets out its specific biodiversity commitments and actions in Section 2, reports the outcomes delivered in Section 3 and plans for future reporting period in section 4.

2.        Our Strategies and Policies

The Council’s biodiversity policies are embedded in existing corporate strategies including the We Are Wychavon Plan, Intelligently Green, our spatial planning policies, and service delivery plans.  In shaping our actions and objectives we considered relevant species conservation strategies and protected site strategies

We are Wychavon Plan

The We Are Wychavon Plan is our plan for how we will improve the district over the next four years to make it an even better place to live work and visit. 

The plan has been put together based on feedback from our residents' survey, young person's survey, Local Democracy Day event, input from staff and councillors and information about the local needs of the district.

There are 27 promises in the plan based on our three priorities of People, Place and Environment. The plan is reviewed every 12 months to remove completed promises and add in new ones. We will also publish updates on this page about the progress we are making towards achieving our promises.

Environment Promise

Vision: Boosting our natural environment, cutting carbon emissions and building resilience to climate change.

Our Environment promises are:

• Run a four-year engagement and information campaign to support residents to enhance biodiversity, respond to climate change and minimise waste by 31 March 2028.
• Restore and improve 28 hectares of priority habitats at Fish Hill, Broadway including semi-natural woodland and culturally significant landscapes by 31 March 2028.
• Increase biodiversity and natural assets in our parks and green spaces and increase their resilience to climate change while retaining their value for users by 31 March 2028.
• Continue to deliver actions in our Intelligently Green Plan to reduce our carbon footprint including significantly cutting emissions from our leisure centres by 31 March 2028.
• Develop and start to deliver an adaptation plan to make our services more resilient to the impacts of climate change by 31 March 2028.
• Support small businesses to access training, receive specialist support or grant funding to respond to climate change by 31 March 2028.
• Support communities to develop local plans to increase resilience to the impacts of climate change and prepare for emergencies by 31 March 2028.
• Pilot new bike hire schemes at Droitwich, Evesham and Pershore railway stations by 31 March 2026.
• Lead the creation of a health corridor for cycling, walking and wildlife following the route of the canal and river from Droitwich to Churchfields by 31 March 2028.
• Work with partners to develop a plan for reducing traffic congestion in Evesham and deliver a new cycling and walking route between the town centre and the surrounding areas by 31 March 2028

The detail in this report is drawn from previous Council Promise and Intelligently Green progress reports already published on our website or other publicly available information.

Intelligently Green Plan

Our Intelligently Green plan is our climate change mitigation and carbon reduction plan.

Since the industrial revolution, global temperatures have increased by one degree Celsius resulting in damaging climate change, the impact of which is already being felt across the world.

We recognise the need for urgent action to tackle the climate crisis at global, national and local levels.  This Intelligently Green Plan is our response to the climate emergency. 

The plan builds on our already strong leadership on carbon reduction and environmental stewardship and highlights what we’ve done to reduce carbon emissions over the last decade or so. 

We want to make the most of the opportunities that tackling climate change presents to further strengthen and grow our local economy.  We also want to increase and improve a range of habitats across the district to support carbon capture and biodiversity.

Natural Environment Actions in the Intelligently Green Plan

• Adopt the Worcestershire Local Nature Recovery Strategy.
• Proactively deliver the priority conservation objectives in the strategy, identifying actions that:
  • We can deliver on our own land and
  • We can support delivery of with partners

• Restore and enhance species and habitats making a positive contribution to the UK 30by30 target.
• Take an active role in a county wide Local Nature Recovery Strategy delivery group to work in partnership with other local authorities and stakeholders to deliver the priority objectives of the plan. This includes monitoring progress on delivery
• Invest in and manage our parks, nature reserves and open spaces so that they contribute to the delivery of the Local Nature Recovery Strategy, as well as being resilient and in the best possible condition to adapt to changing environmental conditions, while retaining their value to users.
• Restore and improve 28 hectares of priority habitats at Fish Hill, Broadway including semi-natural woodland and culturally significant landscapes.
• Consider opportunities to acquire land for habitat restoration that would help meet the objectives of the Local Nature Recovery Strategy.
• Support our communities, parish councils, partners and other landowners to understand the Local Nature Recovery Strategy and support the delivery of local habitat restoration and creation projects.

The South Worcestershire Development Plan (SWDP) Review

The revised SWDP is expected to be adopted at the end of March 2026. Biodiversity, green and blue infrastructure, landscape character and sustainable development and resource management are strong themes throughout this shared development plan for the South Worcestershire Councils of Malvern Hills, Worcester City and Wychavon.

The evidence base for the SWDP contains a review of the impacts of development on the Malvern Hills SSSI, particularly the potential for increase in recreational pressure on this sensitive site. Proposals for Areas of Informal Recreation have been sought to provide an attractive alternative destination for visitors and residents. Coupled with the Malvern Hills Regenerative Tourism Strategy, this will ensure the special qualities of the Malvern Hills National Landscape are protected and supported through appropriate alternative recreational provision across the South Worcestershire councils.

The policies contained within the SWDP will enable us to ensure that future development is sustainable, delivers for biodiversity and contributes to a high-quality environment for all our residents.

Key SWDP Policies that will support biodiversity enhancement through development:

• SWDPR 01 Climate Change adaptation and mitigation
• SWDPR 07 Green Infrastructure
• SWDPR 11 Health and Wellbeing
• SWDPR 16 Effective use of Land
• SWDPR 29 Biodiversity and Geodiversity
• SWDPR 30 Biodiversity Net Gain
• SWDPR 31 The Cotswolds and Malvern Hills National Landscapes
• SWDPR 32 Areas of Informal Recreation
• SWDPR 38 Management of flood risk
• SWDPR 48 Open Space
• SWDPR 55 Wychavon Town/Worcestershire Parkway
• SWDPR 57 Mitton

Neighbourhood Plans

The following neighbourhood plans were adopted during the reporting period.

Badsey

Childswickham

Fladbury

Harvington

Offenham

A full list of existing neighbourhood plans and those currently under consultation can be found here. Neighbourhood Planning in Wychavon - Wychavon District Council

Projects and Partnership working

Local Nature Recovery Strategy

We have supported the development of Worcestershire’s Local Nature Recovery Strategy as a Supporting Authority, contributing to specialist task and finish groups, being part of the steering group, providing data, taking part in the consultations and promoting those consultations to Councillors with support from officers to navigate the detail of the strategy.

Once the LNRS has been adopted by Worcestershire County Council, elected members of the Climate and Nature Panel have expressed a desire for Wychavon to adopt the LNRS.

Natural Networks

Wychavon District Council has funded the Natural Networks programme since 2018, through our own resources and UKSPF. Administered by Worcestershire County Council and delivered by Worcestershire Wildlife Trust, this long-running county-wide grant programme has enabled communities and businesses to get advice and guidance when planning biodiversity improvements as well as the funding to make them happen. 

Worcestershire Wildlife Trust has produced case studies based on projects across Worcestershire, those in the Wychavon district include:

Eckington Community Fields

The Leys, Honeybourne

Westall Park Natural Burial Ground

In Wychavon, Natural Networks delivered:

• 5ha of land enhanced for wildlife
• 25 Biodiversity Enhancement Assessments
• 13 grants to community groups
• Planted 369 trees/shrubs
• Created/enhanced 1.2ha of grassland 
• Created/enhanced 0.15ha of orchard 
• Created/enhanced 0.95ha of woodland 
• Created/enhanced 9.7ha of wetland 
• Created/enhanced 310m of hedgerow  
• Created/enhanced 4 ponds
• Created 4 hibernacula and/or log piles  
• Planted 20,251 native bulbs and plug plants  
• Installed 58 wildlife boxes 

Trees Call to Action Project

The Trees Call to Action Partnership project with Heart of England Forest, Stratford and Warwick District Councils finished in March 2025.

Part of the project legacy is a document that assesses the existing carbon capture and storage of trees in Wychavon, based on canopy cover. Wychavon's tree canopy cover percentage is 13.6%, Government target for all England canopy cover is 17.5% by 2050. This report shows canopy cover % by ward and will be useful in identifying areas where additional tree planting may be beneficial, support landscape character and provide wider environmental connectivity.

In addition, the Trees Call to Action project created 3 ha of woodland in its final year, planted or rejuvenated 1822 metres of hedgerow, given over 4000 trees to community groups and landowners and an additional 260 fruit trees to create new or bolster existing community orchards, supported through our UKSPF.  

Trees Call to Action Project | Heart of England Forest

Local Nature Partnership

The Council actively supports the Worcestershire Local Nature Partnership, attending all partnership meetings and hosting the group meeting in December 2024.

Local Wildlife Sites Partnership

The Worcestershire Local Sites Partnership restarted in 2025 with the launch of

Worcestershire Middle Severn CaBA group, Warwickshire Avon Caba Group

Managing our land for biodiversity

The council employs a Parks and Greenspace Team and a Wildlife Projects officer. They work closely with volunteer groups, including the Friends of Avon Meadows and Worcestershire Wildlife Trust.

We manage Avon Meadows Local Nature Reserve, Droitwich Community Woods, Stoulton Woodland for people and wildlife. We have also begun to restore limestone grassland on land that we own on the Cotswold escarpment, working with the Cotswolds National Landscape Glorious Grasslands team to restore grazing, improve the iconic drystone walls and manage the woodland sensitively.

We have trialled a pesticide free approach to parks and open space management and created numerous pollinator patches and wildflower meadows in our parks and open spaces across the district.

Parks - Wychavon District Council

About Avon Meadows - Wychavon District Council

Nature Reserves - Wychavon District Council

https://www.wychavon.gov.uk/park-and-open-spaces/wildlife

Biodiversity Net Gain

During the reporting period, the council employed 2 part-time ecologists to support the introduction and establishment of Biodiversity Net Gain, part funded through the Defra Biodiversity Net Gain additional burdens grant.

Biodiversity Net Gain Training for the Development Management Team was provided by the Field Studies Council through a bespoke course designed for our requirements.

RSK Biocensus act as Responsible Body for one habitat bank in Wychavon, Gain site reference number BGS-27022500

3.        BNG Delivery

Wychavon District Council has approved 33 Biodiversity Gain Plans since February 2024. We have approved plans totalling gains of 12.3191 area habitat biodiversity units, 10.986 hedgerow units and 0.725 watercourse units.

Area habitats

• Total predevelopment baseline habitat units: 92.9911
• Total post development onsite habitat units: 90.1902
• Total post development offsite habitat units: 15.12
• Total area habitat unit uplift: 12.3191
• Percentage uplift 13%

Hedgerow habitats

• Total predevelopment baseline hedgerow units: 23.987
• Total post development onsite hedgerow units: 34.9733
• Total post development offsite hedgerow units: 0
• Total hedgerow unit uplift: 10.9863
• Percentage uplift: 46%

Watercourse habitats

• Total predevelopment baseline watercourse units: 2.092
• Total post development onsite watercourse units: 2.867
• Total post development offsite watercourse units: 0
• Total watercourse unit uplift: 0.725
• Percentage uplift: 35%

4.        How we will continue to deliver our Biodiversity Duty

SWDP adoption will underscore the need and requirement for developments to deliver for biodiversity. Clear policies show how we expect development to deliver a high-quality natural environment that benefits residents and nature alike.

BNG delivery will be secured through planning conditions and obligations, monitored through developer reporting and site inspections, and supported by Council record‑keeping for both on‑site and off‑site units, including habitat bank arrangements.

The Council will continue to provide a specialist in-house ecology and BNG advice service to our development management team with one part-time and one full-time ecologist employed on a permanent basis.

The Wychavon Design Guide will be undergoing consultation in early 2026 and this is a landscape and natural heritage-led approach to settlement and development design.

Our Intelligently Green plan is undergoing its regular review and will maintain biodiversity as a core strand of delivery. This will include the continued conservation and restoration of habitats at Fish Hill, management of Stoulton Woodland for biodiversity and recreation and working with our local communities to improve and enhance the environment where they live.

Our emerging climate adaptation plan will demonstrate the role that the natural environment has in supporting not just climate mitigation but adaptation too. Restoring wetland habitats, re-naturalising watercourses, enhancing soil carbon and planting the right trees in the right places all feature as actions we can do on our own land or support other organisations and landowners to deliver.

Worcestershire’s Local Nature Recovery Strategy will be adopted by Worcestershire County Council in March 2026. We will play a full and active role in delivering the measures identified in the LNRS, whether directly on our own land or through supporting the actions of other organisations.

Wychavon District Council has confirmed that it will continue to support the Natural Networks programme over the next two years, enabling Worcestershire Wildlife Trust to continue providing advice and support to local community groups who want to enhance their local environment for wildlife.