18 THE CLIMATE CHALLENGE
Tackling the myths around off site BNG delivery
Nathan Jenkinson of Environment Bank explores some of the myths around achieving biodiversity net gain off sets, and puts the case for wide usage of Habitat Banks.
O
ffsite biodiversity net gain (BNG) is a much misunderstood subject. The most cited issues, expense
and lack of local supply, aren’t diffi cult to refute, but beyond that, offsite offers more options and advantages than people might think.
Through our work, we’ve established the nation’s largest network of Habitat Banks across the length and breadth of England, and in so doing, developed market leading insight into just how effective offsite BNG can be for biodiversity and developers, when used properly.
The regulatory changes that have come about since BNG was launched in February 2024 mean that with regard to balancing biodiversity outcomes and enabling prompt development consenting and delivery, it has only become more important to ensure that biodiversity requirements (in the case of BNG now termed the ‘biodiversity gain objective’) are being fulfi lled in the most effective and effi cient way. In most cases, this is best done offsite.
THE MAJOR MYTHS
If we examine the two most cited diffi culties when looking at offsite BN cost and lack of local supply they don’t hold up under scrutiny.
First, lack of local supply it shouldn’t be surprising that it took time for good national coverage of Habitat Banks to progress, and now the number of Habitat Banks is increasing rapidly. There are currently more than a hundred Habitat Banks on the biodiversity gain sites register, and many more are still in development. Viewed as a whole, these sites are found across England, from Cornwall to Northumberland, ensuring that developers will be able to buy Biodiversity Units within a reason able distance of their building site in most cases.
Second, cost. While it’s true that Biodiversity Units don’t come cheap, the pricing depends heavily on the habitat
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type, and for smaller projects, fractional Biodiversity Units can be purchased from pragmatic unit providers to ensure that the purchase remains relative to the site size and BNG costs don’t become a viability issue.
ONSITE VS OFFSITE Since February 2024, it has been mandatory for developments to demonstrate a minimum 10% net gain for biodiversity delivered by the scheme (note there are a few exempt development types).
It can be challenging to create habitats that meet BNG requirements within development sites, particularly those that are spatially constrained, or where underlying site characteristics, such as soil chemistry and hydrology, mean it will be diffi cult to establish habitats of benefi t to biodiversity. Integrating as much BNG onsite as possible can also have unintended consequences, such as sterilising future developable land. When we consider offsite BNG as the alternative, these potential issues are reduced. The developer can look at a selection of nearby Habitat Banks, and we’ll provide them with a market ready solution that suits their requirements, whilst staying as local to the scheme as possible.
Establishing Habitat Banks for offsite BN isn’t simply a matter of fi nding parcels of land that are already primed for rewilding; in fact, thanks to the aptitude of our ecology, land, and habitat delivery professionals, we can turn various types of low-yielding farmland into rich cradles for biodiversity.
Even when a developer can’t purchase Biodiversity Units within the same local planning authority (LPA) or national character area (NCA) as their construction project, there are mechanisms in place to help look for the next best option in neighbouring LPAs.
THE CLIENT RELATIONSHIP The other question that offsite BNG raises
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