Land with BNG Units for Sale in the UK

Habitat Bank Considerations

Every habitat bank will be different, not only because each is individually owned, but because its biodiversity baseline, connectivity to other habitats and management will vary.

Here are some of the things to consider;

• Habitat bank registration: The habitat bank should be registered on the Natural England Registry. This ensures that the habitat bank is set up with the right documentation and is ready to sell biodiversity net gain units
• Proof of land ownership or a lease for a 30+ year period with explicit permission to create a habitat bank
• A baseline ecology assessment, condition assessment and a complete Statutory Defra Metric
• A Habitat Enhancement, Monitoring and Management Plan (HEMMP)
• A clear understanding of the net gain units being generated through habitat creation
• Financial modelling to ensure the long-term management of the site is viable, for 30 years
• A legal agreement with the local planning authority
• The location of the habitat bank: The habitat bank should ideally be located in the same local planning authority area as the development. This helps contribute to the local nature recovery strategy (LNRS) and keeps develop costs down
• The management of the habitat bank: The habitat bank should be managed by a reputable organization that has experience in managing similar projects
• The security of the BNG units: The biodiversity net gain units should be secure both in operation and in governance. There should be a clear mechanism for identifying allocated and non-allocated units, for managing the 30 years’ worth of finance required to instruct management and a clear plan in place to manage risk around floods/droughts/arson etc Some habitat banks may employ an insurance product to protect against these
• The cost of the BNG units: The cost of the biodiversity net gain units should be fair and should reflect the value of the biodiversity that is being created or enhanced. You can compare the cost of the units across different habitat banks in the area and with the statutory credit prices as a guide

CBRE are here to navigate this new market, identifying the best Biodiversity Net Gain units for your development.