Britain’s environment is in dire need of revitalisation.
Almost 1 in 7 species are at risk of extinction from the UK, including iconic and much-loved species such as the hedgehog, turtle dove, and kingfisher.
Over 40% of priority habitats and 30% of priority species are in decline, with eight priority species lost entirely from the UK between 2002 and 2008.
In recognition of this crisis, the UK Government has put the principle of environmental net gain front and centre, with the emerging Environment Bill and Agriculture Bill set to mandate for the protection, restoration and creation of a healthy, high-quality environment – supported by public incentives and private investment.
Going forward, developers, landowners, and local authorities alike will need to act with the environment front of mind – whether their goal is to achieve planning permission, create supplementary income streams, or guarantee legal compliance.
This series of reports aims to address the concerns and needs of these key stakeholders and to guide them through the benefits and opportunities biodiversity and environmental net gain bring, as well as the strategies for achieving it.
The first report examines emerging biodiversity net gain requirements, and explains why house builders, urban designers and master planners must work with skilled ecologists to plan for net gain at an early stage in the design process to guarantee they add ecological and financial value to their projects.
The report explores the issues with relying solely on the current biodiversity metrics, and outlines what developers need to do to overcome these limitations and add real ecological value to their sites.
Finally, the report outlines how developers can increase biodiversity both on and off site, creating better spaces for wildlife and people whilst increasing the value of the country's housing stock.
The second report in our series examines the options available to landowners across all sectors seeking to make their land work harder for them and the wildlife that rely on it.
‘A business case for cultivating natural capital’ is a guide for landowners looking to deliver meaningful environmental net gain through their estates and benefit financially from the incentives and opportunities currently available - and emerging - thanks to legislation such as the Environment Bill and Agriculture Bill.
The report outlines and analyses the different pathways available to landowners to achieve their environmental ambitions, laying out a roadmap for navigating incentives successfully and combining multiple schemes effectively.
Watch this space!
