For landowners
Put part of your farm to work for nature, and earn from it every year.
We're identifying the first sites in England now. Early conversations shape where we start.
The offer
- How much land
- Around 20 hectares of lower yielding land, and we're open to larger parcels.
- What you receive
- An annual payment per hectare, plus a healthy share of any surplus.
- Ownership
- Our preferred model leaves the freehold with you.
- How long
- At least 30 years, the legal minimum for this kind of habitat, with mutually agreeable arrangements designed to last beyond it.
These terms are indicative. Every offer is confirmed in writing after an ecologist has visited your land and we work together to understand what you need.
How it works, in four steps
- Tell us about your land. A short form: county, roughly how many hectares, and how it's used today.
- We look at it from the desk. We check it against habitat maps and your area's Local Nature Recovery Strategy, then call you to talk it through.
- Site visits. An ecologist will record what's there today, with you, so everyone agrees on the starting point and goals.
- We agree terms in writing. Once signed, habitat creation starts, and so do your payments.
Already have a registered habitat bank?
If you have biodiversity units on the Biodiversity Gain Site Register that haven't sold, talk to us. We bring buyers through the homes schemes we pair with habitat and through our wider developer network. We'll talk through how it could work for you.
Questions landowners ask
Can I keep farming any of it?
Often, yes. We all need local food, and many habitats need grazing or a hay cut to thrive. The management plan we create together for your site sets out what happens where.
What happens after 30 years?
Biodiversity Net Gain habitat must be secured for at least 30 years. We're designing the arrangements so the nature lasts beyond that, to mutual benefit, and we'll talk you through how that could work for your land and your legacy.
Do I keep ownership?
Usually, yes. Our preferred model keeps the freehold with you. The habitat is protected by a legal agreement attached to the land.
How does this fit with my existing schemes?
Land usually can't be paid twice for the same work. We'll check your current agri-environment agreements with you to make sure everything is clear and makes the best sense for you and your family.
What about tax?
Putting land into habitat can affect inheritance tax and other reliefs. We'll walk through what we understand as agreements are structured. Of course, you should always take advice from your own adviser.
Is the payment tied to BNG units selling?
We don't expect it to be. Our aim is an annual base payment set out in your agreement, independent of BNG unit sales. And, supplemental income that comes along with BNG unit sales. We'll confirm exactly how it's secured together.
Where are you looking?
We're identifying the first sites now, guided by where nature most needs restoring and where homes are most needed. If you're not sure if your land fits, just ask us.