A 25-hectare biodiversity bank in Doncaster – the first of its kind in the city – has been shortlisted in the Biodiversity & Ecology category at the Landscape Institute Yorkshire & Humber Regional Awards 2026.
About the project
The Red House Farm Habitat Bank, part of the City of Doncaster Council’s wider Habitat Bank initiative, has transformed former arable land into a high-quality, nature-led landscape designed to deliver measurable biodiversity net gain. The scheme sits adjacent to Sandall Beat Wood, a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), strengthening ecological activity across the area.
FPCR was appointed to develop the landscape-led proposals for the site, which received planning approval in summer 2023. Since then, the project has progressed through grassland establishment, followed by woodland and scrub creation – forming a diverse mosaic of habitats including species-rich meadow, and early-stage woodland and scrub creation.
A defining aspect of the scheme has been its low-carbon, soil-led approach to habitat creation, developed in close collaboration with the City of Doncaster’s ecology team. Rather than relying solely on traditional planting methods, locally collected and commercially available seed was hand-broadcast across prepared land, with the areas divided into habitat quadrants. Species mixes were carefully aligned to site-specific soil conditions and implemented by stakeholder working group volunteers. This approach has reduced reliance on nursery stock whilst supporting more resilient and locally appropriate habitat establishment.
Early results have been promising, with species such as oak and hazel successfully establishing through direct seeding alongside targeted planting to ensure structural diversity across the site.
The scheme has been designed as a future community asset, with plans for carefully incorporated mown paths, orchards and accessible green space as habitats mature and biodiversity net gain income is reinvested into the site.
Simon Lawton, Landscape Architect and Director at FPCR, said: “Red House Farm Habitat Park demonstrates how landscape architecture can play a leading role in delivering biodiversity net gain in a meaningful and measurable way. It combines ecological science with practical, low-carbon delivery methods and explores the interface that lies within multi-functional places nature and people. We are monitoring seedling growth rates and are hopeful that the project will set a strong precedent for future habitat banks – not only in Doncaster, but more widely across the UK.”
More information: Red House Farm Habitat Bank & Awards Dinner
Winners will be announced at the Landscape Institute Yorkshire & Humber AGM and Regional Awards Dinner, taking place on 30 April 2026 at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Sheffield.
For more information about the project, please visit https://www.fpcr.co.uk/approval-for-doncasters-first-habitat-bank/
More information about the awards can be found here.
