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SSSI Improvements - Chobham Common

National Highways

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

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20 Oct 2026 at 11:20

UK5 - Transparency Notice
Summary of the contracting process

National Highways Limited commissioned environmental improvement work at Chobham Common Site of Special Scientific Interest in Surrey. The project aims to improve heathland habitat, reduce wildfire risk and build resilience to flooding. It covers pruning woodland trees and removing fallen deadwood across 37.96 hectares to limit fire spread; establishing grazing across 84 hectares in the southern part of the common to improve habitat and reduce vegetation-related fire risk; and a feasibility study into restoring the site’s natural water function, using paleo-ecology. The work includes woodland and forestry management, tree maintenance and habitat management. Delivery is at Chobham Common, with grazing infrastructure improvements forming part of the wider site management work.

The procurement is complete and was awarded to Surrey Wildlife Trust. National Highways used a direct award, citing the Trust’s established role as land manager and the need to integrate work with existing conservation management and statutory approvals. The stated rationale was that an alternative supplier could not deliver independently without the Trust’s agreement and involvement. The award value is £231,000 excluding VAT (£277,200 including VAT). The contract period runs from 30 October 2026 to 30 September 2027; the planned signature date is 30 October 2026. The single lot was considered suitable for SMEs and voluntary, community or social enterprises. The requirement was for services, assessed in the context of the direct-award rationale rather than a stated competitive evaluation.

For comparable work at Chobham Common, a credible supplier would need practical capability in woodland management, tree pruning and deadwood removal, alongside experience reducing wildfire risk in sensitive heathland. The requirement also demonstrates the importance of coordinating grazing systems and infrastructure with habitat objectives and wider site management. Suppliers would need to understand how grazing can improve heathland condition while reducing vegetation that contributes to fire risk. The flood-management element calls for capability in assessing hydrological restoration, including use of paleo-ecology. Experience working on a Site of Special Scientific Interest, meeting conservation objectives and securing or working within statutory approvals would be particularly relevant. National Highways’ rationale placed substantial weight on the existing land manager’s site knowledge and integration with ongoing conservation responsibilities, so evidence of trusted site-level partnerships and delivery alongside land managers would strengthen a competitor’s case.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

SSSI Improvements - Chobham Common

Notice Description

The project proposes three interventions to enhance the SSSI Chobham Common heathland habitat; * Wildfire resilience woodland work - enhancement of 37.96 hectares of SSSI through pruning existing woodland trees to prevent fire spread through woodland understories and prevent fire spreading up into the tree canopy and removal of fallen deadwood to reduce fire risk. * Site wide grazing system - facilitate grazing across 84ha of the southern half of Chobham Common. Increased grazing would create better quality heathland habitat and reduce wildfire risk from a reduction in vegetation caused by grazing animals and subsequent reduced risk to the road network. * Natural Flood Management - conduct a feasibility study into restoring the hydrological function on the site using paleo-ecology to increase site resilience to flooding and wildfire.

Procurement Information

Surrey Wildlife Trust (SWT) is the established land manager for Chobham Common SSSI and is responsible for the site's ongoing conservation and management. The proposed works, including wildfire resilience measures, grazing infrastructure improvements, and natural flood management, must be integrated with existing site management activities and delivered in accordance with conservation objectives and statutory approvals that SWT already manages. A competitive procurement exercise would not provide additional value to National Highways, as no alternative supplier could independently deliver the works without SWT's agreement and involvement. A Direct Award therefore represents the most efficient and lowest-risk approach, enabling timely delivery of environmental improvements that support National Highways statutory duty under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 whilst providing confidence of successful delivery through an experienced partner with extensive site knowledge.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-078b9d
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/098885-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK5 - Transparency Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Direct award
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

77 - Agricultural, forestry, horticultural, aquacultural and apicultural services

CPV Codes

77211200 - Transport of logs within the forest

77211300 - Tree-clearing services

77211400 - Tree-cutting services

77211500 - Tree-maintenance services

77231000 - Forestry management services

77231100 - Forest resources management services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£231,000 £100K-£500K
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
20 Oct 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
30 Oct 2026 - 30 Sep 2027 6-12 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Complete
Awards Status
Pending
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
National Highways
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
BIRMINGHAM
Postcode
B4 6GA
Postcode Area
Birmingham
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLG West Midlands (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLG3 West Midlands
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLG31 Birmingham
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Birmingham
Electoral Ward
Ladywood
Westminster Constituency
Birmingham Ladywood

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

Surrey Wildlife Trust

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts.

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