How we used our initiative | Archive Titles

%22To achieve biodiversity within new urban areas, the guidance sets out a point score system. Points are awarded for any measure that contributes to the biodiversity within new development. Areas to be developed must score at least 100 points per hectare – so a 2.6 ha scheme, for example, must achieve 260 points. This can be achieved in different ways and the designer, with the advice of a qualified ecologist, selects the ecological features that make up the ecology strategy for the site. The options available to reach the full score are given in the table below.%22
Ingredient	Measure	Green point score
Provision of natural space: 1 (Enhancement of existing or creation of protected species habitat; enhancement of existing or creation of Biodiversity Action Plan species habitat; dry gardens – with plants requiring little water; wetland areas – such as ponds, lakes, reedbeds (with native marginal planting) as part of a sustainable urban drainage system)	Per 10 m2	1
Green roof	per 10 m2	0.5
Brown roof	per 10 m2	0.3
Bird boxes or other nesting provisions	per box	0.2
Bat boxes or other nesting provisions	per box	0.2
Walls covered with climbing plants	per 10 m2	1
Plants with good source of nectar, berries, seeds or nuts	per plant	0.01
Tree planting or retention of trees that are not protected by a tree preservation order	per tree	1


So, for example, the 2.6 ha scheme detailed above scores 260 points as follows:
Ingredient		Points
1170 m2 of natural space		117
850 m2 of brown roof		26
960 m2 of green roof		48
180 m2 of climbing plants		18
47 trees		47
10 bird boxes		2
10 bat boxes		2
Total		260