BNG for Abel Homes Housing Development
For over 30 years, Abel Homes has led the way in energy-efficient housebuilding in Norfolk. Their "Three Squirrels" development in East Harling is no exception—featuring EPC ‘A’ rated homes with solar PV and air source heat pumps.
However, delivering the second phase of 17 high-specification new homes on the edge of the Norfolk Brecks brought a significant requirement for Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG).
Here’s how Abel Homes partnered with Wendling Beck to deliver high-quality housing alongside landscape-scale restoration.
The Challenge: Balancing Value with Compliance
As a large-scale developer, Abel Homes required a BNG solution that offered:
Fixed-Cost Value: Competitive pricing to protect the project's viability.
Legal Certainty: A streamlined process to satisfy Breckland District Council without delaying the on-site programme.
Measurable Quality: A partnership that aligned with their own high standards for sustainability.
The “Three Squirrels” housing development in East Harling required a significant BNG contribution.
The Wendling Beck Solution: Beyond the Metric
While many providers offer "paper units," Wendling Beck provided Abel Homes with a tangible, high-integrity partnership. By securing off-site units from our habitat bank with hundreds of hectares of habitat already established, Abel Homes achieved:
Commercial Efficiency: A straightforward, "good value" transaction that bypassed the need for high-maintenance on-site habitat creation, which can often be difficult to manage in a residential setting.
Legacy Additionality: Unlike isolated on-site patches, Abel Homes’ investment supports one of the UK’s most ambitious nature recovery projects.
Social Additionality: Provided through volunteering, academic partnerships, educational and community engagement initiatives, as well as creating connected ecosystems supporting important Norfolk species like the Stone Curlew, Skylark and Tree Sparrows that are carefully monitored over time.
Simplicity: A clear contract and transparent process allowed managing director Paul LeGrice and his team to focus on what they do best: building award-winning homes.
Wendling Beck partnered with Abel Homes to provide BNG units that were efficient, simple and provided legal and social additionality.
The Result
The BNG requirement for Three Squirrels was resolved swiftly and cost-effectively. By choosing Wendling Beck, Abel Homes didn't just "tick a box"—they became a key partner in a legacy project that will benefit Norfolk’s environment for the next 30 years and beyond.
| Project Spotlight | Details |
|---|---|
| Developer | Abel Homes |
| Site | Three Squirrels, East Harling |
| Scope | 17 Energy-Efficient Family Homes |
| BNG Strategy | Strategic Off-site Units via Wendling Beck |
| Key Benefit | Landscape-scale environmental & social legacy |
"Working with Wendling Beck has been a refreshing experience in the new landscape of Biodiversity Net Gain. They provided a high-integrity, good-value solution that allowed us to progress the final phase of our Three Squirrels development in East Harling with confidence.
“Beyond the commercial efficiency, we value the fact that our BNG requirements are contributing to a significant landscape project right here in Norfolk. The scale of what is being achieved at Wendling Beck is exceptional, and we are delighted to have partnered with Wendling Beck on this scheme. It’s a straightforward partnership that delivers both for our business and for the local environment."
— Paul LeGrice, Managing Director, Abel Homes
BNG Partnerships for housing Projects
If you're delivering a housing development and need a reliable Biodiversity Net Gain solution, Wendling Beck offers a straightforward pathway to secure high-integrity off-site units. Our habitat bank supports large-scale nature recovery in Norfolk while helping developers meet planning requirements with clarity and confidence.
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