Six sites in Bury have been identified to create off-site biodiversity net gain for developers on council-owned land. This week, Bury Council is set to agree the use of land at Old Kays, Chesham, Hollins Mount, Springwater Park, Outwood and Philips Park as receptor sites for biodiversity net gain (BNG).
Last year, the government introduced a mandatory requirement for all new developments to deliver at least a 10 per cent net gain in biodiversity value. To deliver this, developers must firstly look to achieve this on-site but if this cannot be done, they can provide BNG on sites elsewhere that have been formally registered.
If agreed, the six Bury sites will be submitted to the Department of Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) for inclusion on their register of biodiversity gain sites. A report to Bury council’s cabinet said the reasons behind the move were to ‘ensure that the benefits of biodiversity net gain from development in the borough are secured locally, as opposed to regionally or nationally’.
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The report said that to take no action would mean lack of opportunities for developers to deliver off-site BNG within Bury, meaning the borough would not benefit from biodiversity.
A map of the six sites in Bury identified (Pic- Bury Council)
The report said: “Off-site BNG provision can only be located on sites that have been registered with DEFRA. “The government expects a market of receptor sites to develop over time and ‘biodiversity units’ can be bought by developers to fund biodiversity gain on these registered receptor sites.
“As a major landholder, the council is well placed to provide receptor sites and benefit from the associated investment.” The report states that in Bury, 275 off-site biodiversity units are likely to be needed.
The report added: “Income from BNG could be maximised if the council delivered biodiversity enhancements on its own sites under a conservation covenant with a responsible body. “However, the council doesn’t currently have the capacity necessary to plan, deliver and maintain the enhancements and this approach would require the recruitment of additional staff.
“This is something that will remain under consideration as BNG is rolled out in the coming years. In addition, this approach would mean that the council would take on the risk of successfully delivering the BNG over a 30-year period.”