The Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) has completed the purchase of 26 biodiversity units from Leeds City Council to enhance two woodland sites near the railway in east Leeds.
The work at Barnbow Woods and Barnbow Hall Woods will cover 8.32 hectares of woodland habitat, an area equivalent to around 11 football pitches. TRU said the investment forms part of its commitment to deliver 10% Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) across the programme.
Long-term habitat management
The sites are approximately 500 metres from the Transpennine route and 3km east of Cross Gates station. A 30-year habitat creation and management programme, funded by TRU, will include enrichment planting and tree veteranisation to improve species richness, diversity and abundance.
Work began in May 2025 and is scheduled to continue until at least 2055. The woodland is also accessible via public footpaths, with the project expected to provide improved access to nature alongside potential benefits including carbon capture, flood-risk reduction and natural filtration of air and water pollutants.
Simon Hughes, TRU East environment and sustainability lead, said the purchase was the programme’s first delivery of biodiversity units and would support future biodiversity agreements.
He said: “This is a really exciting milestone for us in our journey to deliver Biodiversity Net Gain across our route. This significant purchase of biodiversity units from Leeds City Council, is the tenth largest biodiversity purchase to date in England.”
Leeds City Council’s Councillor Katie Dye, chair of its Climate Emergency Advisory Committee, said the project would support and sustain the woodland areas for decades, while delivering wildlife benefits and helping to reduce flood risk and support carbon capture.