Delivering Off-Site Biodiversity Net Gain for Developers

Biodiversity Net Gain
Written By Alex Begg

Since Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) became mandatory across England in February 2024, developers have been facing the challenge of measuring BNG units and delivering long-term habitats.

With on-site mitigation costing significantly more than off-site units, Wendling Beck is providing developers with a transparent and secure way to meet their biodiversity net gain obligations.

BNG delivery challenges for developers include:

  • A confusing landscape of brokers and platforms offering BNG credits.

  • Lack of expertise in measuring biodiversity.

  • Variable requirements and approaches of Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) in applying the mitigation hierarchy.

  • Limited habitat quality and compliance risks associated with on-site delivery.

  • The evolution of the government’s BNG policy bringing further change.

A wetland habitat surrounded by trees at Wendling Beck.

Wendling Beck and other habitat banks help developers meet the challenges of delivering on their BNG obligations.

Our Off-Site Biodiversity Net Gain Solution

With our nature restoration initiative covering more than 2,000 acres in Norfolk, we have 3,000+ BNG units available for developers.

So far, our project has:

  • Created 400 acres of new habitat.

  • Improved existing semi-natural habitats.

  • Provided 35 different types of habitat, including hedgerows, watercourses, grassland and woodland.

A path leads through flower-filled grassland at Wendling Beck.

The Wendling Beck nature restoration project is offering over 3,000 off-site BNG units for developers.

Offering BNG Units for Developers

We have registered our BNG units and allocated developer off-site mitigation on the official net gain register. This enables developers to meet their BNG obligations with ease, transparency and security.

With off-site BNG, developers also benefit from economies of scale, as Wendling Beck (and other habitat banks) can manage and monitor our project area significantly more efficiently per hectare than on-site schemes, reducing legal, governance and management costs.

Whether you’re planning a 500+ home development or an individual build, outsourcing BNG means you can focus on what you do best: building homes and infrastructure. While avoiding the inefficiency of purchasing additional land for on-site delivery, off-site BNG allows your development to contribute to landscape-scale ecological recovery for a greater long-term impact.



“Wendling Beck have made the process easy and painless to sort our BNG requirements, which is important given the numerous planning complexities we already have to manage.”

Developer

Alex Begg