Frequently Asked Questions

It depends on where your land is and what the existing habitat is, but on average landowners can earn between £15,000-£30,000 per Biodiversity Unit (sometimes also known as a ‘BNG Unit’).

A Biodiversity Unit is essentially an area of habitat, and it is calculated using a metric that takes into account the size of the habitat, its quality and location. When selling units, the price is negotiated between the landowner (seller) and the developer (buyer).

Things to consider when determining price are unit demand in your local authority, the types of habitats you will be managing (some are more expensive than others) and if you have already begun restoration work, as units that already exist can be sold for a higher price.

Brokers can be hired to help with unit sales and handle negotiations.

Land that is used for BNG will need to be managed for nature for a minimum period of 30 years.

This timescale is necessary for a natural habitat to begin to fully establish and for species to recover.

From a landowner’s point of view, it can seem like a long time to tie up land, but conversely, the benefits of this are that it provides a secure, predictable income from a piece of land over a long period of time.

It can be a good option for a piece of land that is not particularly valuable or productive.

Land that is enrolled in other environmental schemes can also be used for BNG in some circumstances.

Government guidelines state that you can sell BNG units and nutrient credits from the same piece of land by stacking them.

You cannot sell a habitat enhancement funded by an agri-environment scheme as a BNG unit.

However, you can use the same land to create further habitat enhancements on top of an existing agri-environment agreement.

The first step is to have a BNG site assessment on your land.

This will determine how many Biodiversity Units (sometimes called BNG Units) your land could deliver, and how much income this could generate.

This ecological assessment will also provide you with information on what types of habitat you could create.

Yes, you can still register your land on the portal for BNG payments. First, you will need a BNG account. If you don’t have an account, you can register here.

However, as it is not located in a strategic area, it will not be a first preference site for offsetting by the local authority. This doesn’t mean it cannot be selected for unit sales, but it does make it less likely.

However, it may fill other criteria. For example, if it ends up falling nearby to a development site.

No. However, there will be diminishing returns the smaller your site is due to a limit on the number of units you will be able to create.

We recommend 5ha as a minimum size. However, there is no minimum size requirement to register for the portal.

For a limited time following the initial launch of Net Gain Staffordshire, it is free for landowners to register their land.

For developers (or ecologists working on behalf of developers) it will always be free to help ensure BNG funds are used in the best places for nature.

For local authorities to have access to Net Gain Staffordshire, there is an annual fee. Please get in touch to learn more.

You can learn more about registering for an account here.

Yes, they will be when they are sold.