6. Habitat Banks
Developers must achieve a 10% Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) on-site or secure off-site biodiversity units to offset their development impacts.
Off-site BNG and Habitat Banks
Off-site BNG can be achieved by purchasing biodiversity units from habitat banks, which are legally secured and registered sites managed to enhance biodiversity value. A?habitat bank?is an area of land managed to enhance its biodiversity value and the subsequent uplift in biodiversity value sold to help offset development impacts and fund the enhancement measures. The biodiversity value is determined using the Statutory Biodiversity Metric. More information is provided on GOV.
A formal process for the review and framework for the establishment of habitat banks was recently agreed at Cabinet on March 5th. The cabinet report and supporting appendices can be found in the links provided.
Screening
We will require habitat banks to deliver the best outcomes for Nature Recovery and any proposals will need to be of a high quality informed by suitably experienced ecological advice. Proposals will also be prioritised for those delivering the best outcomes for Nature Recovery and other benefits, such as public access.
Implementation and Challenges
The process for submitting expressions of interest to register a habitat bank will be undertaken through an advertised call for sites, expected to be launched in the spring (estimated April 2025) . Applications will only be considered following this process.
The call for sites will be advertised on our website and media channels.
Legal Agreements, Fees, and Monitoring
Legal agreements are necessary for securing habitat banks, and councils are responsible for monitoring these sites over a 30-year period. The Council is keen to facilitate the delivery of habitat banks to help remove barriers to the delivery of development but putting in place the necessary processes requires significant staff resource when our capacity is limited.
All submitted prospective habitat bank proposals will be subject to a non-refundable review fee. Should any proposals be taken forward following the screening process and proceed to signing a legal agreement they will also be subject to a monitoring contribution payment.
Legal agreement fees will be in addition to any monitoring contribution and calculated and payable separately.
Next Steps
Until a call for sites is launched, there is no capacity for officers to enter into detailed discussions or review prospective habitat bank proposals, Habitat Management and Monitoring Plans (HMMPs) or Section 106 agreements.
Any such proposals will need to be formally submitted when a call for sites is launched. Any submissions made outside of this will not be reviewed.