Find and sell biodiversity
units with ease

2025 was a year of change and uncertainty for the Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) Market. Despite it being BNG's first full calendar year of being a regulatory requirement, there has been caution amongst developers, landowners and the wider industry as the sector awaited outcomes of Government consultations. Following the announcement at the end of 2025 that exemptions will apply to smaller sites of up to 0.2 hectares, it is recognised that while this change avoids a more severe impact on the BNG sector, it does still represent a setback for nature recovery and for incentivising private investment in nature markets. The government has, however, stated its intention to make offsite BNG easier to deliver, which will be critical to achieving nature restoration at a national scale. How this commitment is translated into practice over the coming year will therefore be of particular interest. Despite this, clarity from the announcement has brought some stability back into the market, and with the potential inclusion of NSIPs into BNG regulation this year, there are new opportunities on the horizon to be excited about. This is the first full year that we have published the BNG Dashboard, which provides open insights into how the BNG Market is evolving. As the year has come to a close, some of the key trends and highlights are: ✅300% increase in registered BNG units since January 2025 ✅190 total registered BNG sites ✅4,263 hectares of land have been registered for BNG as of the start of January 2026 ✅96% of BNG units are habitat units, the majority being grassland (69%), followed by heathland (14.7%) and woodland (11.7%) units. ✅Over 12% of LPAs are currently registered with BNG units We asked our colleagues, Nina Hees, Senior Sustainability Consultant and Chris Fry, Managing Director, to reflect on the past year in BNG, and how they see the future evolving. Why is BNG such an important planning regulation? Nina: Development is inevitable, and as we have already stripped England of much of its wildscapes, aligning the two to ensure not only no net loss, but net gain for nature, is critical. Mandated BNG policy addresses the UK's nature decline by enhancing ecosystems, and given the way the metric is set up, it helps encourage habitat corridors and networks, enhancing fragmented habitats, and connecting us to nature. And you might ask - well why is biodiversity important? That's a question for another time, but in essence biodiversity underpins so much! What sets BNG apart as a market mechanism? Nina: BNG puts the mitigation hierarchy into action - principles which are already embedded in global frameworks and agreements (For example, Environmental Impact Assessments, CSR standards, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework). Additionally, BNG provides a measurable mechanism and accounting method to flow private finance into nature and, being backed by government, provides more security. It creates a regulatory market - one which encourages adequate supply, demand, and accountability. Importantly, it brings together ecologists, developers, local government, landowners, NGOs, and investors within one framework - something that doesn't always happen in nature conservation. What's also exciting is that it is one of the more advanced, mandated global biodiversity markets, one which sets a precedent for other nations who may approach similar systems, and a mechanism to learn from. How have you seen the evolution of the BNG market in the past year? Nina: If I consider 2024 to 2025, the BNG market has transitioned from a theoretical policy framework to a live, growing market. Since early 2025, scaling has been rapid with the increasing uptake of habitat banks and BNG-dedicated land. Currently, supply is generally outstripping demand, especially for easier to establish habitats like grasslands. There is a risk that England turns into a monoculture of 'other neutral grassland' - so to speak. However, demand and pricing is strongest for rare or harder to replace habitats (For example, water related units, higher distinctiveness habitats) and I expect that to continue, especially where those units are hard to source locally. Chris: The completion of many Local Nature Recovery Strategies around the country in 2025 is also positive for informing where and what kinds of offsite habitat creation and enhancement can achieve the greatest impact. How are Accelar & BNG Finder driving the BNG market? Chris: We recognised that the BNG market was complex and wanted to play our part in helping our clients large and small, on the supply side as well as developers and infrastructure bodies, to navigate it successfully. BNG Finder is in a unique position firstly as it is a curated service that recognises that different parties will have different priorities (to achieve social, climate or other environmental co-benefits from high integrity offsite BNG provision). Nina: Also, we are providing the service as an extension of our advisory work to help to accelerate the green transition. That means we have insight into the supply and project development side through our work with farmers and land managers like nature conservation charities, as well as the demand side through our engagement and contacts with buyers of units and investors. We also monitor unit prices, trades etc. and model BNG revenue/ cost for projects so have insight into where the risks lie and what a project could look like over 20-30 years. We have an adaptive business model, which is important given an evolving policy landscape. We can respond to changes in regulation, price and support clients in this. How do you see the impact of the recent small development exemption on the evolution of the BNG market, and on nature more widely? Nina: Whilst there are benefits to making the system more efficient and lowering costs by limiting exemptions to very small sites, we may miss out on some private-sector investment that would otherwise go to nature. In the current market, demand for small sites account for most of the BNG demand. With the small sites exemption, I would expect a reduction in private sector demand for smaller, fractional units, which could affect the speed or viability of some nature restoration projects. And, from nature's perspective, everything is connected and small contributions can add up! What is exciting about the next year or few years in BNG? Nina : The expansion of the BNG mandate to Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) is likely to be a significant demand trigger. I'm also curious about the shift towards digital BNG. Moving away from Excel can make the system more transparent and efficient to navigate but may also come with its own challenges. Chris: The expansion of BNG into NSIPs arises at a time when the UK’s pipeline of investment in infrastructure projects is rising again. The National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) was formed last April and has already published a new 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy that is backed by at least £725 billion of government funding. Whether associated with NSIPs or slightly smaller scale asset upgrade projects, the potential demand for offsite BNG has already been illustrated in lots of recent procurement exercises by utility companies. As we head into BNG’s second full year, and emerging shifts to the regulatory landscape come into play, BNG Finder will continue to monitor and report on how the market evolves. Stay up to date by following us on the BNG Finder LinkedIn , checking our dashboard for its monthly updates, and feel free to get in touch with our team via bngfinder@accelar.co.uk.

Happy birthday Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) - it is now a year since the mandatory regime went live in February 2024. The year has flown by with: Heroic habitat healing, Forward-thinking farmers forging nature-based resilience for their estates, Dynamic data-driven approaches, Bold bank building (habitat banks that is), Guidance galore, and Multiple marketplaces. It is still relatively early days for BNG to really make its mark and there is no doubt plenty more scope for innovation. To celebrate the anniversary, the ever-resourceful analytics team at BNG Finder have come up with a one page dashboard to provide a monthly snapshot of the national picture. We get it, BNG is pretty complex and keeping track can be challenging. So we thought that the dashboard could be useful to provide a concise overview of how the BNG market is progressing and some of the key trends. We hope it is useful and would be delighted to hear your feedback and we can’t promise but do shout if you have any requests for developing it a bit further in future months. Please get in touch .

August marked the six-month milestone since Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) became mandatory for most planning applications under the Town and Country Planning Act. Drawing from Natural England's recent reflections and our own expertise with our BNG Finder service, we'll explore how this first half year has gone.

In the quest for sustainable development, the concept of biodiversity net gain has emerged as a pivotal strategy, aiming to leave the environment in a better state than before a development has taken place. Recent updates to the Statutory Biodiversity Metric and the introduction of a formal appeal process for biodiversity gain plans mark significant milestones in this journey. This article looks into these developments, shedding light on their implications for developers and landowners.

From today, 12 February 2024, all major developments in England are required to deliver at least a 10% benefit for nature (biodiversity net gain). This legislation is the first of its kind in the world, making England a frontrunner in legal requirements that give back positively to nature. 

We've put this blog together that will explore the key aspects of biodiversity net gain that developers should know before it comes into force, so you can understand how it works and how you can successfully integrate it into your development projects.

Welcome to the first edition of Accelar’s new Nature Finance Deep Dive series, where we take a regular look at the latest topics in green finance and nature recovery. With a constant influx of new policies and tools, this series aims to cut through the technical jargon and break down the key takeaways and impacts for each topic. Our first article focuses on Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG), a concept that will become particularly significant in the next few months as it has been recently announced by the Government that legislation to bring in BNG as a standardised and mandated policy will be published in November. This feature looks at what developments and opportunities are happening in the BNG space, and what it will mean for landowners and developers. What is BNG all about? BNG in its simplest form is a planning requirement that is targeted at new developments, so that nature doesn’t lose out [1] . It places a requirement so that if a loss of habitat is expected a result of a development, other habitat must be created. Preferably on-site, but if that is not possible then off-site (on-site meaning the land being developed, and off-site meaning land away from the development site). BNG seeks to enhance the overall value of natural capital as part of Defra’s long term nature ambitions. It is introduced to help protect nature and continue the flow of regulating services. It acknowledges the value of the natural environment through the lens of improving wildlife, cleaner air and water, natural flood management, educational opportunities. These are all ecosystem services that are introduced when biodiversity is created. The aim of BNG is not only to increase the amount of biodiversity in England, but also to enhance existing habitats. There has been a 13% decrease in average abundance of wildlife in the UK since the 1970s according to the State of Nature Report [2] . The UK government has introduced new policies under the Environment Act 2021 for mandatory BNG. The Government has said that BNG will become mandatory for all planning permissions in England from January 2024, and for small sites from April 2024. The Act will require that all biodiversity be not only replaced but increased by a minimum of 10% post-development. On completion of the development, the habitat enhancement will be required to be maintained for at least 30 years. The National Planning Policy Framework [3] (NPPF) also sets out the government’s planning policies and guidance on how these should be applied, which incorporates the delivery of BNG policy. Biodiversity units are calculated through the Biodiversity Metric 4.0 [4] tool from Natural England, the Government’s advisor for the natural environment in England. The units represent a measure used to evaluate the amount of biodiversity in a specific area. The metric uses various factors such as habitat type, size, quality, and location to determine value. It is important to note that area habitats are measured differently to linear habitats (such as watercourses and hedgerows), therefore these must be dealt with individually within three separate ‘modules’ of the metric. Units located on-site are the preferred approach and may be generated by local enhancement through means such as habitat creation and green infrastructure. Off-site units may be required if there is an insufficient natural capital opportunity within the development to meet BNG requirements. Statutory credits come into play if a developer is unable to meet mandatory BNG requirements through on-site or off-site units. Defra recently released the guide prices and information on calculating costs for developers buying statutory credits [5] . These credits are valued by habitat type and distinctiveness. The credits range from £42,000 to £650,000 (e.g., for peat lakes) per credit.

Over the past nine months, Accelar has been working with Groundwork North East and Cumbria on its ‘Revitalising our Estuaries’ project, focusing on the restoration and sustainable finance elements of six estuaries in the northeast. Working alongside JBA Consulting to analyse data from a range of estuary interventions, Accelar has developed a bespoke financial model to help attract sustainable investment. Read the press release below to find out more about the project, and to get a copy of the investor portfolio.