Register a biodiversity site and allocate to a development
Find out what to do if you need to register a biodiversity gain site and record allocation of off-site biodiversity gains to a development with planning permission at the same time.
Applies to England
Who can apply
You can apply to register a biodiversity gain site, and record allocation of off-site gains to a development with planning permission at the same time, if you’re:
- an individual landowner or leaseholder
- an employee or representative acting on behalf of an organisation who is the landowner or leaseholder
An applicant can also appoint an agent to manage the application on their behalf.
If you’re an agent acting on behalf of the applicant
You must be authorised by the applicant which is either the landowner, leaseholder or another person, to act on their behalf. They will need to complete an ‘authorise an agent to act on your behalf’ form. You must upload this with your application.
If you are an employee or representative of an organisation, you do not need to complete an authorise an agent form.
Before you apply
You’ll need the following information about the biodiversity gain site:
- documents to prove who owns or leases the biodiversity gain site you’re registering
- a document or image showing the land boundary – this must not include any personal information, like a landowner’s name
- a legal agreement that secures the land for at least 30 years – this must be a planning obligation (Section 106 agreement) or conservation covenant
- a completed statutory biodiversity metric tool calculation that includes information about all the land secured by the legal agreement
- a habitat management and monitoring plan (this may be included within your legal agreement)
- a local land charge search certificate dated within the last 2 months of application
You’ll also need the following information about the development:
- your statutory biodiversity metric calculation for the development
- the planning approval notice from the local planning authority
Registration fees
It costs £639 to register a biodiversity gain site and allocate off-site gains to a development in the same application. You must pay within 28 days of submitting your application.
What happens after you apply
We will let you know within 6 weeks if:
- we need more information from you
- your application to register your biodiversity gain site and allocate units to a development has been accepted or rejected
If we accept your application, you will get an email with a gain site reference number. This is unique to your biodiversity gain site.
If we reject your application, we will let you know why.
Withdrawals and refunds
Once we have made a decision on your application you cannot withdraw it. Refunds will not be given.
You can read the terms and conditions for more information on withdrawals, refunds and how we approve or reject applications.
How to apply
You can use this service to register a biodiversity gain site and allocate units to a development with planning permission:
Signing into this service
You’ll need a Government Gateway account and a Defra account to sign into this service.
If you do not already have these accounts or wish to create new ones, you can set these up when you use this service.
You should use your own email address for these accounts, so we can contact you about your application. It can be either your personal email or your work email, if you are applying for an organisation.
Saving your progress
You can save your application and come back to it at any time.
Continue with a saved application
Get help with your application
Email: biodiversitynetgainenquiries@naturalengland.org.uk
We aim to reply within 10 working days.
Give feedback on this guidance by completing a short survey.
Updates to this page
-
Updated the page to reflect that applications are now submitted through an online service. Also updated information about who can apply and what documents are needed.
-
Removed the contact telephone number due to changes to the service. If you need help, you should now email biodiversitynetgainenquiries@naturalengland.org.uk.
-
Added that you will need to send us a planning application decision notice for the development project from the local planning authority, and clarified that you need to send us the statutory biodiversity metric tool calculation that has been reviewed with the development’s planning application.
-
Opening times to helpline has changed to Monday to Friday, 10am to 3pm during October and February.
-
First published.