Turning Farmland into a Habitat Bank: Step-by-Step
Converting underutilised agricultural land into a habitat bank through BioGains enables landowners to generate long-term income while delivering a measurable environmental net gain. Habitat banks are specially designed areas where habitats are restored, enhanced, or created to provide biodiversity units for developers under the UK Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) framework.
Assess Suitability and Ecological Potential
The first step is a detailed ecological assessment of your land. This determines:
The types of habitats that can be created (e.g. species-rich grassland, woodland, wetlands, hedgerows)
The biodiversity units that the land could generate
Whether the land meets eligibility criteria, including a minimum size (typically 20 acres) and absence of protected site status like SSSI
This assessment identifies how much environmental net gain the land can realistically deliver.
Design the Habitat Bank
BioGains creates a bespoke habitat bank plan aligned with DEFRA’s Biodiversity Metric. The plan sets out:
Target habitats and planting/management schedules
Legal requirements for long-term stewardship
Verification and reporting processes to demonstrate ongoing environmental net gain
Landowners review and approve the plan, ensuring their objectives are incorporated.
Secure Legal Agreements & Management Obligations
To formalise the habitat bank, BioGains arranges:
A long-term lease agreement (typically 31 years)
A management plan specifying habitat creation, monitoring, and reporting requirements
Contracts outlining responsibilities and annual guaranteed rent
This framework guarantees both ecological compliance and predictable income for landowners.
Implement Habitat Creation
Habitat creation or enhancement begins with careful site preparation:
Soil preparation where required
Seeding or planting new habitats such as species-rich grasslands, woodlands, or hedgerows
Enhancement of existing watercourses
BioGains coordinates ecologists and contractors to ensure all works to meet best practice and contribute to verifiable environmental net gain.
Monitor, Verify, and Report
Qualified ecologists conduct regular monitoring and verification, submitting reports to local planning authorities or the Responsible Body that regulates habitat banks. This ensures that the habitat bank continues to deliver environmental net gain over its 30-year lifespan.
Landowner Benefits
Landowners receive:
Guaranteed annual rent (with interest applied for inflation)for the agreed lease period
Retained ownership of the land, which returns after 31 years with restored, thriving habitats
Contribution to biodiversity, improved soil health, flood resilience, and overall landscape enhancement
Success Through BioGains Partnerships
Many farmland sites have been successfully converted into habitat banks with BioGains, turning low-productivity land into a valuable ecological and financial asset. These projects deliver measurable environmental net gain, providing a sustainable solution for landowners and supporting national biodiversity targets.
Discover more about habitat banks and environmental net gain with BioGains.