UK’s first biodiversity offset sale imminent

The UK’s first biodiversity offsets scheme is to go ahead imminently in Oxfordshire – a landmark for the concept.

Taylor Wimpey is to buy offsets to create a meadow on chalk escarpment in South Oxfordshire. This will replace habitat lost while building a 98-home development in nearby Southmoor.

The new habitat will initially be 2.2 hectares in size, and cost Taylor Wimpey about £51,000 according to a 1 May letter outlining the scheme.