Protecting Sandwell’s Wildlife Sites

Protecting Sandwell’s Wildlife Sites

Protecting Sandwell’s Wildlife Sites
16 January 2025

TEP was appointed by Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council to assess 18 locally designated wildlife sites within the borough to inform their new Local Plan.

We conducted a habitat survey at each site, followed by evaluations using the Birmingham and Black Country guidance for local site selection. These evaluations were informed by our habitat surveys, local species records, and historical survey data where available. All 18 sites were already designated as Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC) or Sites of Local Importance for Nature Conservation (SLINC) and the purpose of the surveys was to determine whether the sites still meet the criteria for their respective designations.

In collaboration with Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council, Birmingham and Black Country Wildlife Trust, and EcoRecord (the local biodiversity records centre), we produced evaluation reports for each site. These reports included the necessary data to support any proposed changes to site designations and provide a valuable ecological record for the area. Local designations play a crucial role in protecting biodiversity-rich sites that lack statutory protections. Periodic assessments ensure these areas truly reflect their designated ecological value, ensuring that key habitats are both recognised and preserved.

This project was a rewarding opportunity for our team, allowing us to contribute to the protection of biodiversity in Sandwell for future generations.

If you require assessments of locally designated sites to inform Local Plans, identify biodiversity net gain opportunities, or conduct habitat surveys, we would be happy to assist. Please get in touch using EcoQuotes@tep.uk.com.

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Our Grant has supported several environmental projects which are raising awareness of important environmental issues and furthering the environmental profession.
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We were commissioned by East Suffolk Council to prepare an updated Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan (CAAMP) for Halesworth, replacing the previous appraisal from 2006. The update was needed to reflect changes in the town over time and to provide a clearer, more accessible framework to support effective planning and management decisions. Halesworth’s historic character is rooted in its medieval origins, still evident in the narrow streets of the town centre, the triangular Market Place, and the routes linking the Thoroughfare, Bridge Street and Chediston Street. Together with the Church of St Mary the Virgin, these spaces form the historic core of the settlement and provide a strong sense of continuity in the town’s development. 
11 March 2026
Our Grant has supported several environmental projects which are raising awareness of important environmental issues and furthering the environmental profession.
11 March 2026
We were commissioned by East Suffolk Council to prepare an updated Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan (CAAMP) for Halesworth, replacing the previous appraisal from 2006. The update was needed to reflect changes in the town over time and to provide a clearer, more accessible framework to support effective planning and management decisions. Halesworth’s historic character is rooted in its medieval origins, still evident in the narrow streets of the town centre, the triangular Market Place, and the routes linking the Thoroughfare, Bridge Street and Chediston Street. Together with the Church of St Mary the Virgin, these spaces form the historic core of the settlement and provide a strong sense of continuity in the town’s development. 
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