Our aim is to provide a straight-forward transaction for developers who require off-site biodiversity net gain units within any Local Planning Authority in Gloucestershire.

Why purchase BNG units with us?

• We understand the need for good value. GNCF provides transparent, competitive quotes that will be benchmarked against the market.
• We take care of the details. We know that BNG can be a complex area and you need assurance that the detail will be taken care of. We are experts in our field, guiding you through every step of the process.
• Working with the GNCF makes good business sense. A nature-rich county brings many health and wellbeing benefits to businesses and their employees. By buying units with GNCF, you know nature will be enhanced within Gloucestershire, close to the site of development.
• We work strategically for nature. GNCF is delivering habitat creation and restoration within Gloucestershire’s mapped nature recovery network. This means that nature is being enhanced strategically within the county to ensure habitat connectivity and the expansion of the nature network across the county.
• We partner with key organisations in the county. We have a unique MoU with Gloucestershire’s Local Planning Authorities as a trusted supplier of offsite BNG units.
• You can be sure that legal requirements will be met. We work with Local Planning Authorities and Natural England to ensure legal requirements are met and the purchased units are registered. All of our BNG schemes are party to a habitat management agreement which defines the delivery, monitoring and reporting on off-site BNG units.
• We work to the highest standards. We follow the CIEEM, IEMA, CIRIA (2019) good practice principles for development, the latest guidance from Defra, and knowledge share with a country-wide BNG community of practice. GNCF aims to provide excellence in off-site BNG delivery, and your business can be proud to deliver through us.

What is the process?

• Request a quote. To purchase biodiversity units from GNCF, a developer can request a quote. The GNCF quote is valid for 30 days and can be secured with a 10% deposit payable to the landowner.
• Pay 10% deposit. This reserves the offsite BNG units for 12 months (or more, subject to agreement).
• Send a purchase order and sign the agreement. Once the deposit is paid, the Developer should issue a purchase order to GNCF for remaining 90% quoted and sign a BNG Unit Sale Agreement contract along with the land owner and GNCF.
• Take the quote to Planning Authorities. The initial GNCF quote should help to demonstrate to the LPA that there are offsite BNG units available, of the correct habitat type and that purchase of the required units is underway.
• Consider a Biodiversity Gain Plan. It is best to clearly demonstrate in the submission of a planning application how the 10% BNG obligation will be met. For example, the developer can submit a draft Biodiversity Gain Plan with their planning application, clearly showing the intention to secure offsite Biodiversity units, and showing that BNG costs and location etc have been worked into the development plan.
• Submit the final Biodiversity Gain Plan (BGP). Once planning permission has been granted the BGP can be submitted to the LPA. The BGP requires LPA approval before any development can commence. The LPA has 8 weeks to approve the BGP.
• Pay the balance. The remaining 90% balance for the BNG units being purchased from GNCF is due on submission of the Biodiversity Gain Plan.
• Development begins. Development on the site can commence once the BGP is approved by the LPA. Once the BGP is approved GNCF will allocate the units to the development site via the online Defra Biodiversity Gain Site Register.

Please get in touch to discuss how we can help.

To talk to us about your business needs please complete the ‘Contact’ sheet below, or send an email to enquiries@glosncf.com. We are happy to talk through the legislation and the process.