Welcome to the habitat bank
In its simplest terms biodiversity net gain (BNG) seeks the measurable improvement in biodiversity through the development process. The delivery of BNG starts on-site but where this cannot be achieved is reliant on local off-site credits that can be secured through habitat banks - its all in the name!
Our aim at The Habitat Bank is to simplify the delivery of biodiversity offset credits to developers, planning authorities and landowners in the East Midlands.
We are a local business that brings together decades of experience in the environment, land management, development and finance. Our knowledge and understanding of the East Midlands allows us to work closely with our clients to identify high quality offset solutions either through our existing bank sites or the creation of new sites.
Central to The Habitat Bank is our high level of transparency and self-regulation in the delivery and monitoring of our sites. We work closely with planning authorities, developers and landowners to secure biodiversity offset credits that you can rely on.
At The Habitat Bank no opportunity is too big or small, we are capable of securing strategically located offset sites that can feed into major growth areas in the East Midlands or smaller sites designed to meet local need. If you are a land owner with questions about BNG, a developer looking for offset credits in the East Midlands, or a planning authority wanting to understand the scale and nature of bank sites in your area, we would love to hear from you.
Beacon Hill Country Park, Charnwood
Egleton Reservoir, Rutland
Land Owners
If you are a landowner thinking of creating a habitat bank there are often lots of questions:
- Which land is the best for creating a habitat bank?
- Can I still farm my land?
- Will I retain my Agricultural Property Relief (APR)?
- What is the value of a BNG credit?
- How long will I have to maintain the habitat bank?
- Will the maintenance require specialist input?
We can answer all of your questions and are more than happy to visit you to advise on the creation of a habitat bank. If you decide to proceed we will work on your behalf and liaise with the relevant planning authority and county council to agree the bank site and secure your BNG offset credits.
Credits are secured through a legal agreement between the land owner and planning authority. We will carryout annual inspections of your bank site and report back to all relevant parties to ensure compliance with the agreed management plan.
The Habitat Bank is already working with a number of the planning authorities in Leicestershire in the delivery of offset sites to feed the growing demand from the development industry.
Please get in touch to see how we can help delivery your habitat bank.
Planning Authorities
Central to The Habitat Bank is our relationship with planning authorities. In the absence of any formal regulation we were early to recognise the need for a high level of operational transparency and self-regulation.
Our working systems have been designed to provide planning authorities with access to our bank sites, information on the habitats we are aiming to create, and the number of credits available. We also provide access to a suite of key documents relevant to each of our bank sites that includes annual monitoring reports so that you can review progress and ensure we are meeting our targets.
In the emerging environment of BNG and credit offsetting, operational transparency and self-regulation is essential to the delivery of high quality credits that planning authorities and developers can rely on.
Our aim is to secure a range of bank sites throughout the East Midlands, with strategic sites capable of feeding into high growth areas of development, and smaller sites that will feed local demand.
Working with planning authorities we hope to secure the right sites in the right places with associated benefits such as natural network recovery and the delivery of priority habitats.
A healthy and positive working relationship with our planning authorities is key to The Habitat Bank. If you would like to talk to us, or see a demonstration of our working systems please let us know.
Bradgate Country Park, Charnwood
Eyebrook Reservoir, Rutland
Developers
Our aim is to seamlessly deliver BNG offset credits to the market that developers can rely on.
If you buy credits from us then it is important that you know your money is safe, where it has been spent, and how your investment is performing.
We will let you know the location of the bank site you have purchased credits from and provide you with an annual monitoring report so you can watch your investment grow.
The Habitat Bank will also work with developers to bring forward bank sites to suit their needs, and help feed the strategic growth. We can also advise on capturing credits through your developments that can help to feed the demand for local offsetting.
If you need offset credits, or you would like to explore options to secure strategic credits that can feed your business then please contact us.