The Ferals is a 250-acre registered habitat bank providing off-site Biodiversity Net Gain units to developments across Dorset, BCP, and neighbouring planning authorities.
Dorset Council currently has three registered habitat banks within the county where developers can purchase off-site BNG units: Purns Mill near Gillingham, The Ferals at Tarrant Keyneston, and Canada Farm in Handley. The Ferals is the largest of these at 250 acres and offers the widest range of habitat types.
As a registered biodiversity gain site on the Natural England register (reference BGS-180925001), The Ferals provides fully compliant off-site BNG units backed by a 30-year Section 106 agreement with Dorset Council. Units are available now and can be allocated to your development within weeks of agreement.
Under the BNG spatial risk framework, the proximity of a habitat bank to the development site affects the number of units required. Developments closer to The Ferals benefit from lower spatial risk multipliers, making our units more cost-effective.
Same local planning authority. No spatial risk penalty. The most cost-effective option for any development within Dorset Council boundaries.
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole fall within the same Dorset LNRS area. Under 2026 spatial risk rules, no penalty for purchasing from The Ferals.
Adjacent county. Standard spatial risk multiplier applies. We regularly supply units to developments across Hampshire.
Adjacent county, with shared National Character Area (Cranborne Chase). Standard spatial risk multiplier applies.
Neighbouring county. Standard spatial risk multiplier. Available for developments that cannot source units locally.
Units are available to developments across England, subject to spatial risk multiplier assessment. Contact us to check feasibility for your location.
Not every development can deliver its full 10% biodiversity net gain on site. Common reasons developers need off-site BNG units include:
Dorset has been at the forefront of BNG delivery since the mandatory requirement came into force in February 2024. The county benefits from a strong network of habitat banks, experienced planning officers, and an established Local Nature Recovery Strategy that guides where biodiversity investment delivers the greatest ecological benefit.
The Ferals is located in the Tarrant Valley, adjacent to the National Trust's Kingston Lacy estate where an 850-acre rewilding project is underway at Bishop's Court Farm. Together, these projects contribute to a landscape-scale nature recovery area that amplifies the biodiversity value of every unit delivered at The Ferals.
Ecological surveys at The Ferals have recorded nine bat species including rare barbastelle, alongside declining farmland birds such as yellowhammer and corn bunting. The site's biodiversity baseline demonstrates the ecological significance of the Tarrant Valley corridor.
The Ferals currently offers four habitat unit types, all verified under the statutory Biodiversity Metric 4.0:
For full details on our available units and how to purchase, see our BNG units for sale page.
Send us your Biodiversity Metric and we will confirm availability, pricing, and spatial risk for your development.
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