A bold new proposal could see more than £8 million unlocked for improving Swindon’s country parks, with funding coming directly from developers.
Councillors Dale Heenan and Matty Courtliff are pushing Swindon Borough Council to investigate the creation of a Swindon Country Park and Habitat Bank, following a model successfully implemented by Plymouth City Council last year. Under the scheme, developer contributions linked to biodiversity offsetting would be pooled into a dedicated fund to enhance and maintain the town’s green spaces.
In England, biodiversity net gain (BNG) is now a legal requirement under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, meaning developers must ensure their projects result in at least a 10% increase in biodiversity. If they cannot achieve this on-site, they must offset the shortfall elsewhere.
Cllr Courtliff highlighted the financial constraints facing the council, stating, “The council is spending £14 million more than it has this year, making funding a challenge across all services. Swindon is already a green town, and we’ve led the way with innovation, but this proposal would allow us to make it even greener without any cost to taxpayers. The money would come directly from developers as part of their planning agreements.”
Cllr Heenan added, “Every new home, office, or warehouse has an environmental impact. With the government increasing Swindon’s housebuilding target by 25%, we’re facing thousands of new homes over the next decade. Developers must increase biodiversity by 10%, and when they can’t meet that target on-site, offsetting comes into play. Think of it like planting a tree to balance out carbon emissions from a flight.”
Plymouth City Council has already established a biodiversity bank where developers can buy credits, with funds reinvested into local nature projects. Heenan and Courtliff believe a similar approach in Swindon could fund improvements to country parks, expand the ranger team, introduce more wildflowers to road verges and roundabouts, and support new footpaths and boardwalks in wetland areas.
“Nearly a decade ago, Swindon Borough Council launched the UK’s first Innovative Finance ISA, raising over £2 million from the public to fund the Chapel Farm solar farm,” Heenan said. “A similar model could be used to kickstart the biodiversity bank, ensuring long-term benefits for our green spaces.”
The proposal will now be considered by Swindon Borough Council, with further discussions on how best to implement the scheme. If approved, the initiative could provide a much-needed boost for the town’s natural spaces while ensuring developers play their part in protecting the environment.
