Hampton Estate Habitat Bank

High quality BNG units available from within Guildford Local Planning Authority and the North Downs National Character Area. 

• Neighbouring LPAs = Waverley, Mole Valley, Rushmoor, Surrey Heath, Woking, Elmbridge.
• Neighbouring NCAs = Thames Basin Lowlands, Wealden Greensand, North Kent Plain, Hampshire Downs.

BNG units available: 

• Lowland Calcareous Grassland
• Lowland Mixed Deciduous Woodland
• Other woodland; broadleaved
• Mixed Scrub
• Hedgerow
• Rural Tree

The Hampton Estate Habitat Bank is a flagship nature recovery project, transforming low-diversity farmland into a rich mosaic of priority habitats that support local wildlife and landscape resilience.

Former grass and clover leys are being restored to vibrant lowland calcareous grassland, managed through light cattle and sheep grazing to maintain the open, species-rich sward that supports butterflies, pollinators, and rare chalk grassland plants.

Extensive hedgerow enhancement and new planting will create vital wildlife corridors, connecting grassland and woodland areas while providing shelter and foraging opportunities for birds, bats, and small mammals.

Existing woodlands are being carefully improved through selective thinning, traditional coppicing, and native tree planting to build resilience against ash dieback, enhance ground flora, and ensure a healthy succession of veteran trees.

With long-term management secured and strong alignment to Surrey’s Priority Habitat restoration targets, the Hampton Estate Habitat Bank offers developers access to high-quality, locally relevant biodiversity units that deliver genuine ecological uplift — backed by a trusted landholding and expert stewardship.

Why Hampton Estate? 

We have already embarked upon a nationally significant heathland restoration project, and a chalk downland restoration project, alongside our day-to-day habitat management. We are local leaders in prioritising and restoring biodiversity and believe in high integrity habitat restoration. Please see below for our principles for nature restoration.

In 2021, we partnered with ecological consultancy EPR to create a Biodiversity Net Gain strategy for the estate, highlighting multiple opportunities to restore and create new habitats across our landscape and create positive outcomes for biodiversity. The state of nature in the UK is declining alarmingly rapidly, and we believe, as environmental stewards, that it is our responsibility to take every opportunity we can to restore our precious habitats and the ecosystem services that they provide.

If you are looking to purchase BNG units for development please send your metric and requirements to Molly Biddell at mollybiddell@hamptonestate.co.uk.

A strategic location for biodiversity

We are located in the Surrey Hills National Landscape, in between Farnham and Guildford, on the southern slopes of the Hog’s Back.

We are in a strategically important location for habitat restoration, sitting within a BLine (national pollinator highways), with several priority habitat types. Our estate also spans three of Surrey Nature Partnership’s different Biodiversity Opportunity Areas (BOAs).  We manage a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a Site of Nature Conservation Interest, and several areas of ancient woodland.

Our varied geology creates a fantastic mosaic of different, nationally important habitat types. This diversity of habitats has the potential to support very important and diverse species of flora and fauna, critical to a fully functioning ecosystem.

Biodiversity partnerships

We are actively seeking businesses and organisations that are looking to contribute to biodiversity uplift and nature-based solutions. Whether that is through an innovative partnership, sale of biodiversity units or the opportunity to volunteer with us to support nature restoration, please do get in touch. We are particularly keen to work with local organisations and businesses, as we believe in creating connected local landscapes.

For more information, please contact Molly Biddell, Nature Based Solutions Manager at Hampton Estate at mollybiddell@hamptonestate.co.uk or call 01483810465.

Our principles for nature restoration

Our landscape is one that has been shaped by humans and nature for thousands of years, and we take our responsibility as its current custodians very seriously. When it comes to knowing what to do where, we have a few principles that help us ensure our nature restoration projects are done properly:

• We consult and collaborate with as many experts as possible.
• We engage with the public and ensure that our projects deliver benefits for everyone.
• We look at the history of the land and all its previous uses to help us inform the best future.
• We think about the wider landscape and how habitats connect and join up.
• We work with NGOs and charities to collect important ecological data to record and evidence environmental impact.
• We believe in sensitive nature restoration, focusing on the right thing in the right place.