How to Buy BNG Units
A step-by-step guide for developers looking buy BNG credits and BNG units
Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) is now a mandatory requirement for most new developments in England, meaning developers must demonstrate a 10% net gain in biodiversity as part of the planning process. But for many, the practical question remains: how do you actually meet that requirement? This guide walks you through how to buy BNG units, the options available to you, and why choosing the right provider matters.
Understanding the BNG Hierarchy
Before exploring how to buy BNG units, it helps to understand how the government expects developers to meet their obligations. The Biodiversity Gain Hierarchy sets out a clear order of preference:
- On-site BNG- delivering biodiversity improvements within the development site itself
- Off-site BNG- purchasing units from a register habitat provider away from the site
- Statutory biodiversity credits- buying credits directly from the government as a last resort
This hierarchy is important, because it directly influences both your options and your costs. On-site delivery isn’t always feasible, and statutory credits are deliberately expensive to discourage their use. That leaves off-site BNG units as the most practical and cost-effective solution for many developers.
How to Buy BNG Units: Your Step-by-Step Guide
1. Establish your BNG requirement
You can calculate how many BNG units your development needs to deliver by using the Biodiversity Metric. This figure is based on the habitats present on your site before development, the habitats lost or impacted and the 10% uplift required by law.
Once you have this number, you’ll know exactly how many off-site units you need to source.
2. Find a registered off-site BNG provider
When it comes to where to buy BNG units, it’s essential to use a provider whose habitat site is registered on the Natural England’s Biodiversity Gain Site Register. This ensures the units are legally valid and will be accepted by your Local Planning Authority (LPA).
Look for a provider who:
- Owns and manages the land themselves, rather than acting as a broker
- Has a Section 106 agreement in place with the relevant LPA
- Offers a range of habitat types to match your project’s needs
- Can supply units at the fraction size you require
- Takes on the long-term habitat management and reporting obligations on your behalf
At BNG Units Ltd, we sell units directly to developers with no middleman, backed by a Section 106 agreement and a 30-year Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan (HMMP).
3. Match your habitat types
Not all BNG units are the same. Your Biodiversity Metric calculation will specify which habitat types need to be created or enhanced off-site. Your provider must be able to offer units that match those habitat types- whether that’s neutral grassland, ponds, hedgerows or woodland.
4. Agree terms and secure your units
Once you’ve identified a suitable provider, you’ll enter into a BNG Supply and Assurance Agreement. This legally transfers the habitat delivery and management responsibility from you to the provider, giving you and your LPA confidence that the obligation will be fulfilled. Your provider should also supply the documentation needed to discharge your BNG planning condition.
5. Register your Biodiversity Gain Plan
With your off-site units secured, your ecologist can complete your Biodiversity Gain Plan, which is submitted to the LPA as part of the planning process. Once approved, your BNG obligation is formally discharged.
Learn more: Understanding the Biodiversity Gain Plan
How to buy BNG credits- and why they should be the last resort
If on-site BNG isn’t possible and you’ve been unable to source suitable off-site units, you may be wondering how to buy BNG credits from the government’s statutory scheme.
Statutory biodiversity credits are purchased directly from Natural England via the government’s official credit sales service. However, they come at a significant cost- and that’s by design. The government has priced statutory credits at a deliberately high level to incentivise genuine habitat creation over a simple financial payment.
Where to buy BNG credits: you can purchase them through the government’s online portal, but before doing so, it is strongly recommended that you explore all off-site options first.
Off-site BNG units from a registered provider will almost always be more cost-effective than statutory credits, while also delivering far greater environmental value. If you’re struggling to find the right off-site solution, speak to a specialist provider early in the planning process- the earlier you engage, the more options you’ll have.
Why Choose BNG Units Ltd?
If you’re looking for where to buy BNG units in Cambridgeshire and the surrounding areas, BNG Units Ltd offers a simple, transparent and fully compliant off-site solution.
- Direct from the landowner
- Fully legally secured- S106 agreement with the LPA and registered on the Biodiversity Gain Site Register
- Flexible supply- units available from 0.01 upwards, across a range of habitat types
- End-to-end support- we handle delivery, management and 30-year reporting so you don’t have to
- Immediate turnaround- with units ready now, we offer same-day allocation
Whether you have a small infill development or a large strategic site, BNG Units Ltd can help you meet your BNG obligations efficiently and confidently.