Developers
We help developers navigate Biodiversity Net Gain, ensuring compliance and maximising nature recovery.
BNG Consultancy
Offsite BNG Unit Supply
Long-term Habitat Management
What We Do
Supporting developers to achieve Biodiversity Net Gain.
We offer an end-to-end solution, from baseline assessments and scheme design to supplying off-site units and long-term reporting. As natural capital specialists with a focus on Biodiversity Net Gain, we’re uniquely positioned to help you navigate the new legislation, avoiding common pitfalls and ensuring your strategy is both compliant and effective.
BNG Consultancy
Support with baselining, optimisation & Gain Plan submission.
Habitat Banks
Secure off-site BNG units from our UK wide Habitat Bank portfolio.
Habitat Management
Delivering onsite habitat creation, management and monitoring.
The Challenge
Navigating the new Biodiversity Net Gain legislation can be time consuming and complicated.
Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) is a planning permission requirement in England which aims to encourage sustainable development and leave the environment in a measurably better state. This is achieved by quantifying the biodiversity score of a project site before development and simulating the development being completed. Biodiversity is quantified into “BNG units” using the Statutory BNG Metric.
To gain planning permission, a 10% increase must be delivered. The required 10% increase must be maintained for at least 30 years.
Developers can either produce this 10% increase onsite or can buy the required BNG Units from through a Habitat Bank. There are multiple types of BNG units, as well as ‘trading rules’ that must be adhered.
The Solution
Our end-to-end service streamlines your BNG process, allowing you to make informed decisions, that reduce costs and delays.
We provide an end-to-end BNG service, from baseline habitat surveys, creation of Biodiversity Gain Plans & the optimisation and sourcing of off-site BNG units through our network of habitat banks and affiliate partners.
We can provide support through site acquisition, early viability and planning submission stages to ensure you’re aware of your evolving net gain requirements and liabilities as your scheme develops.
We provide off-site solutions to enable you to discharge your BNG pre-commencement obligations. Further to this, we can provide regular updates on how your funding is delivering nature recovery, contributing to corporate goals and ESG targets.
Water Quality Regulation
Enhancing riparian zones and planting trees along waterways to reduce runoff, filter pollutants, and support aquatic ecosystems. These solutions can be incentivised through public and private payments such as from water companies.
Water Quality Regulation
Flood Risk Mitigation
Reconnecting floodplains to river channels enables natural water storage and reduces peak flows. Insurance providers are increasingly exploring partnerships with landowners to explore these approaches to lower flood damage risks.
Flood Risk Mitigation
Coastal Erosion Control
Restoring coastal habitats such as saltmarsh to provide natural sea defences and long-term erosion protection. These solutions are often delivered by landowners with the Environment Agency, being cost-effective solutions in the long term with many wider benefits.
Coastal Erosion Control
Meet Our People
Meet the team purpose built to provide you with the support you need.
Chris Cooper
Co-Founder
As a professional ecologist and a member of CIEEM, Chris’ career has included research at Cambridge University, reforming Natural England’s approach to environmental monitoring and reporting, and as a technical lead for the Environment Agency’s Natural Capital Team. At Natural Asset Partners, Chris leads the ecological arm, working closely with landowners and developers.
Chris Cooper
Co-Founder
Paddy Harlow
Co-Founder
Paddy’s background is in real estate investment and asset management. He launched Rosethorn Capital Partners, a specialist investment manager, in partnership with Long Harbour and the Ontario Teachers' Pension Fund. Before that, he worked with Brookfield and played a key role in its £3.4bn sale. Paddy has strong connections across real estate and development, focusing on BNG strategy and natural capital investment opportunities.
Paddy Harlow
Co-Founder
Developer Services
We work flexibly with developers.
We can offer a full in-house end-to-end solution or support with specific services as needed.
On-site BNG Assessments
Our ecologists conduct BNG assessments and gain plans, working with you to develop a bespoke BNG solution.
BNG Strategy & Optimisation
We help optimise your developments, improving efficiency and informing design throughout planning.
Off-Site Sourcing of BNG Units
If off-site units are needed, we leverage our landowner portfolio to provide a tailored solution.
Habitat Creation
With habitat management plans in place, we implement habitat creation and maintenance.
Compliance Monitoring
We monitor BNG habitats on-site and off-site, handle reporting, and liaise with the LPA on your behalf.
Long-Term Habitat Management
We provide 30-year management of on-site and off-site BNG habitats, overseeing creation and maintenance.
01
Pre-Application
Early Stage Viability & Baselining
Early assessment is key to successfully navigating BNG. We conduct early feasibility studies, forecasting draft scheme designs and potential BNG liabilities.
02
Pre-Application
BNG Strategy & Value Optimisation
We help developers optimise their BNG strategy, iteratively refining schemes, and advising how best to include on-site mitigation and when best to buy off-site units.
03
Planning `Submission
BNG Gain Plans
We prepare Biodiversity Gain Plans for planning permission submission, and work with developers in communicating with the LPA throughout the execution of conditions.
04
Planning Submission
Securing Off-site Units
If off-site units are needed, we provide appropriate solutions via our extensive and national habitat bank portfolio.
05
Post-Development
Habitat Creation & Management
With habitat management plans in place, our in-house asset management team can undertake habitat creation and maintenance, offering long-term (30-year) agreements.
06
Future Development Pipeline
Developer Habitat Banks
We work with developers to establish their own habitat banks, securing long-term unit supply, tailored to your pipeline, reducing reliance on the open market and lowering long-term costs.
The BNG Process
Our Products
We have three core routes for securing BNG units. Purchasing units with NAP result in no long-term liability for developers.
Habitat Banking
We manage a growing network of habitat banks, partnering with landowners to drive large-scale nature recovery.
These habitat banks enable off-the-shelf rapid unit allocation to developments. All banks offer fractional units with no minimum order size, with tailored allocation packs for planning submission.
For all units sold, we provide developers with regular updates and progress reports to demonstrate the impact your funding is having, and contribute to ESG goals.
Long-term Option Contract
The price and availability of BNG unit prices can fluctuate. To mitigate this, we offer long-term option contracts for future developments.
These contracts provide the right - but not the obligation - to buy specific BNG units at pre-agreed terms, securing fixed prices and future availability.
This reduces planning delays in an uncertain environment and enables accurate project costing.
Build-to-Order
If suitable off-site units aren’t available from the market, we collaborate with landowners to create bespoke habitats tailored to developers’ needs. This guarantees a suitable solution for any project across the country.
Build-to-order units require early engagement. Involving us early in the planning process ensures efficient BNG strategies and will result in long-term cost savings.
