What is a habitat bank?
A habitat bank is an area of land where habitats are created or enhanced to generate biodiversity units. Developers can purchase these biodiversity units to meet their Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) obligation. This aspect of BNG is part of the UK government's strategy to ensure development projects result in a measurable improvement in biodiversity. As well as helping developers, habitat banks are also therefore one way that landowners can realise an income from their land. Habitats are secured for 30 years, by legal agreement, ensuring BNG is additional to existing mechanisms, funding, and initiatives.
Habitat banks are intended to contribute to healthy local ecosystems and environmental sustainability by creating strategically located habitats in hand with the Dorset Local Nature Recovery Strategy.
Habitat banks in Dorset
Dorset Council has secured 3 habitat banks in the county. One is at Purns Mill near Gillingham, one at The Ferals Farm near Tarrant Keyneston, Blandford Forum and the third at Canada Farm, Handley. Biodiversity units from the banks are now available for biodiversity unit purchase on the national register.
Copies of the agreements are available to view below:
Dorset Council is working with other landowners to create habitat banks in Dorset. Currently, landowners can submit their sites for consideration by the Council using the call for sites process - Land availability - Dorset Council. Information for landowners and their agents on the Dorset Council selection criteria and process sets out how we will select which third party owned off-site habitat banks to progress and what steps are involved.
Other habitat banks are available and can be found by searching the national register. A copy of the Dorset Council habitat bank legal agreement template is available to view.