7 benefits of working with GNCF as a landowner

Biodiversity net gain is a new and untested policy. While a few counties have been running a local net gain policy for several years, the new biodiversity metric and rules will bring challenges that can only be worked out in collaboration. Local Planning Authorities in Gloucestershire, landowners, Natural England, Defra and developers need to work in a transparent and uniform way across the county. The Gloucestershire Nature + Climate Fund has been established to support nature recovery and help landowners and Local Planning Authorities successfully navigate this new opportunity in nature finance.

The benefits of working with GNCF as a landowner:

1. Help navigating new BNG policy
2. Competitive sales fees
3. Maximising landowner profits
4. Transparency and integrity
5. Relationships with developers and corporations
6. Sales and contract documents
7. Supporting nature conservation in Gloucestershire

1. Help navigating new BNG policy

All offsite biodiversity net gain (BNG) sales associated with the planning process will need to go through the Local Planning Authorities (LPAs). GNCF has a memorandum of understanding with Gloucestershire LPAs and has been working closely with them, providing training in onsite and offsite BNG and supporting the development of the new process. We will ensure each offsite BNG scheme is introduced to and signed off by the relevant Gloucestershire Local Planning Authority, easing the BNG procurement process. GNCF will also ensure that the registration requirements from Natural England are met and that the ongoing monitoring and reporting requirements are similarly met.

2. Competitive sales fees

GNCF doesn’t charge for our services supporting a site into a BNG ready scheme. We only take a fee on the sale of BNG units – this fee is added on to the base cost of the BNG units being sold and charged to developers. The landowner sets the price of their BNG units, and GNCF can advise on current sales figures across the county (and sometimes beyond, owing to being tied in to a close network of BNG brokers across England).

3. Maximising landowner profits

GNCF’s BNG schemes are set up in a way that enables continued land ownership and management. Some BNG models lease land from the landowner and pay a reduced annual rate for the land whilst selling BNG units at a much higher price. Instead, the GNCF model is designed around maximising the landowner’s profit. We believe this is essential to enabling the landowners to be the best environmental stewards for the 30 year BNG period.

4. Transparency and integrity

Working with GNCF gives the BNG scheme integrity. Being accountable to a not-for-profit, nature-focused BNG broker gives the buyer and the LPA confidence that the scheme will deliver on its commitments.

5. Relationships with developers and corporations

Working with a not-for-profit organisation with close links to nature conservation across the county is good PR for Developers. We expect to build and maintain good relationships with repeat customers. GNCF will also look to engage and build relationships with the Corporate sector who may also need to purchase high integrity biodiversity credits.

6. Sales and contract documents

GNCF provides all the necessary legal documents and offsite BNG contracts. The legal planning obligation documents that GNCF will use are being developed with the LPA legal teams. The landowner contracts (broker contract, habitat management plan and habitat management plan agreement) have been developed with a solicitor’s firm with legal expertise in biodiversity net gain. The documents have been tested and adjusted with an independent land agent and landowner.

7. Supporting nature conservation in Gloucestershire

• The Gloucestershire Nature + Climate Fund was established by the Gloucestershire Local Nature Partnership – a body that represents 40+ organisations supporting nature conservation in the county.

• The GNCF is the only not-for-profit biodiversity net gain broker established in the county. Any profits, surplus to business running costs will be given to a Trust to support nature recovery projects at scale across Gloucestershire.

• By using the GNCF as your BNG broker, you will be supporting wider nature recovery and conservation in Gloucestershire.

To find out more about working with us, please get in touch: enquiries@glosncf.com