Steane
This site is in the Cotswolds National Character Area and supplies units to developments across Midlands & Central. We own it freehold and protect it in perpetuity.
Exact location and grid reference shared on enquiry.
- Planning authority
- West Northamptonshire
- Developments supplied
- 61
- Tenure
- Owned freehold
- Protection
- In perpetuity
About the site
Gently undulating farmland at Steane, near Brackley, between two hilltop plateaus and cut through by a small stream with springs and wet ground along its valley. The fields were in arable use with grass margins, ditches and pockets of wetland, bracken, scrub and woodland. Some of the hedgerows are species-rich and probably older than enclosure. Steane Park, 43 hectares of ancient wood pasture and parkland with veteran trees and a Local Wildlife Site, lies just across the A422.
The arable fields are becoming species-rich neutral grassland, lowland calcareous grassland on the higher ground, a traditional orchard and mixed scrub. The existing pond is being enhanced to a priority wildlife pond, the hedgerows enhanced to species-rich hedgerow with trees, and new hedgerows planted.
Managed under a habitat management and monitoring plan, with condition surveyed in years one, two and five and then every five years, and reported to West Northamptonshire Council.
Recorded on site
Some of what our team has found at Steane.
Habitats at Steane
Availability changes as units are allocated, so tell us what you need and we’ll confirm.
- Calcareous grassland
- Lime-rich grassland supporting specialist flora.
- Neutral grassland
- Species-rich neutral grassland, the workhorse habitat for area-based units.
- Traditional orchard
- Priority habitat combining fruit trees, grassland and deadwood.
- Mixed scrub
- Structurally diverse scrub providing nesting, shelter and forage.
- Individual trees
- Standalone and veteran trees carrying their own unit value.
- Ponds
- Priority-habitat ponds supporting amphibians and aquatic invertebrates.
- Hedgerow
- Species-rich native hedgerow with trees, generating hedgerow units.
Location
Neighbouring areas are in lighter green. The dot shows the general location.
Which developments this site can serve
No multiplier in the home area and a reduced one in adjacent areas.
Home area, no multiplier
- Cotswolds
Adjacent areas served
- Avon Vales
- Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire Claylands
- Bristol, Avon Valleys and Ridges
- Dunsmore and Feldon
- Mendip Hills
- Northamptonshire Uplands
- Severn and Avon Vales
- Upper Thames Clay Vales
- Yardley-Whittlewood Ridge
Local planning authorities
- West Northamptonshire
Neighbouring authorities
- Cherwell
- Buckinghamshire
- Milton Keynes
- North Northamptonshire
- Harborough
- Rugby
- Stratford-on-Avon
How this site is secured
What your authority will examine
Who owns the land, what binds it, and who is responsible if the habitat fails.
Here
We own the land freehold and a conservation covenant or planning obligation protects it permanently, with condition independently monitored throughout.
Who stands behind the obligation
- The land
- We own the land freehold, with no lease and no third-party landowner.
- The covenant
- A conservation covenant or planning obligation protecting each site in perpetuity, registered against the title.
- Responsible Body
- An independent Responsible Body or the local authority can step in if we ever fail to deliver.
- The endowment
- Long-term management is funded by an endowment set aside at allocation.
- Financial strength
- We have £56.5m of capital for land and habitat, and are rated Very Low Risk with an international credit score of A. That capital lets us buy land and create habitat before your programme needs it, and fund its management for the long term.
Check availability at Steane
Send us your metric and postcode and within a day we’ll confirm what is available here, any multiplier and the price.