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Buying Biodiversity Net Gain

Introduction

BNG Units

NEC is now trading BNG units across Norfolk, working with habitat banks at Wendling Beck and Langley Abbey. 

Unlike nutrient neutrality, BNG units are not geographically restricted. Developments located anywhere within Norfolk can purchase these units. Where a development lies outside the habitat bank’s Local Planning Authority (LPA) or National Character Area (NCA) or outside the relevant catchment when purchasing watercourse units, a Spatial Risk Multiplier will apply.

If you are interested in purchasing BNG units with NEC, please complete the registration form below.

  • NEC can supply BNG for both small and large volume requests
  • Many habitat types available – from medium to very high distinctiveness

Supplying through habitat banks located in:

  • LPA – Breckland
  • LPA - The Broads Authority
  • LPA - South Norfolk
  • NCA - Mid Norfolk
  • NCA - The Broads
  • NCA - South Norfolk and High Suffolk Claylands

Find the National Characteristic Area (NCA) for your development

NCA Map

Langley Abbey

Langley Abbey is a 600-acre developer funded nature reserve spanning South Norfolk and The Broads seeking to reverse biodiversity loss, conserve peatland and improve water quality through the Yare Valley. 


Langley Abbey website

Wendling Beck

Wendling Beck is a 2,000-acre nature recovery project in Norfolk, creating habitats and enabling nature-led processes at scale through sustainable land management. They can provide mitigation for 35 distinct habitat types and are significantly advanced in the on-the-ground implementation.

Wendling Beck website

Getting started

Step 1: completing the statutory calculator

A completed Statutory Metric Calculator (or small site metric) is required to calculate exactly how many BNG units you require. This calculator must be done by a registered ecologist.

Once calculated you must ascertain as to whether you can achieve the 10% uplift onsite, and if not, you will need to consider an offsite alternative. 

For more information on the metric see the gov.uk website.

GOV.UK metric information

Register

Step 2: Registration form

After completing Step 1, if you are interested in purchasing BNG units from NEC, please complete the form below: 

Have you also registered your interest in purchasing NN credits with NEC? *

Current BNG units required:

Your details

Next steps

Step 3: Confirmation and quote

NEC will contact you once we have received your BNG requirements, offering a free, no obligation quote.

Once contacted by NEC, you will need to: 

  • Have the planning decision, BNG is only completed as a pre-commencement condition on outline planning applications. 
  • Provide the most up to date, completed statutory biodiversity metric, as this calculates the offsite units required. 
  • Provide your biodiversity gain plan, to allow for completion of relevant sections (section 7 as minimum)
  • Sign and return sales agreement. This will set out the BNG units being purchased and allows for the registration on the BNG register to commence. 

Final step

Step 4: Finalising the purchase

On receipt of your signed Sales Agreement, NEC will issue you with an invoice for the full cost of the units. 

Once the invoice as been paid, NEC will: 

  • Collaborate with the relevant habitat bank to assign the units to the central BNG register.
  • Issue you with an allocation notice confirming the registration of the units on the central register - including providing a unique BNG reference
  • Provide the completed documents needed to satisfy the BNG planning condition.