Stories from the ground

A round-up of what we've been building, enabling and restoring across the Biofarm network.

Philip Brainin, Biofarm CEO

2026: The year BNG firmly takes root

As we welcome 2026, I wanted to take a brief moment to look back on 2025 and share my outlook on Biofarm and the BNG market as we embark on an exciting year ahead.

No one can deny that the backdrop of 2025 was challenging. Uncertainty around the BNG consultation, the implications of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, and the macroeconomic impact on farming and development, all tested the resilience of the industry. Headwinds that should have stifled progress.

And yet, the opposite happened. We saw a significant shift in market maturity with BNG becoming established as a vital consideration within the design and delivery of development schemes. An outcome critical to nature, the communities it serves, and the economy that depends on it.

The Government's December announcement in the House of Commons on mandatory BNG within wider planning reforms reinforced this. Introducing a 0.2ha minimum threshold for developments requiring BNG is a pragmatic step. One that empowers SME developers to unlock smaller housing projects while safeguarding nature restoration at scale. The reforms signal a commitment to delivering practical and viable solutions that enable symbiotic growth within construction and natural capital markets. It will provide the confidence needed to accelerate investment within both sectors.

2025 proved to be a transformative year for us at Biofarm too. 4 fantastic new habitat banks were registered, 175 acres of land went into nature restoration and 15 red list species were introduced back to their natural habitat. None of this would have been possible without your partnership and ongoing support, thank you.

So, what's in store for 2026? We're set to launch 10 new habitat banks, helping developers hit their biodiversity targets while unlocking fair, sustainable returns for our landowner partners. Our commitment to collaboration remains strong and we'll continue working with industry leaders to shape best practice for BNG, ensuring outcomes are measurable, reliable and accurate. And as demand grows, expect to see more exceptional talent joining our team. Stay tuned, there's much more to come.

Here's to growing together in 2026!
Philip

Avon Meadows opens: a new habitat bank enhancing nature in Stratford-upon-Avon

Hot off the press!

Avon Meadows habitat bank (BGS-171125001) has officially opened in Stratford-upon-Avon, bringing 16 hectares of land into long-term nature restoration and marking a significant step forward for biodiversity and sustainable development in the area. It offers developers access to a diverse range of Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) units, helping to unlock development projects while delivering meaningful, measurable benefits for nature.

Located within the Severn and Avon Vales National Character Area (NCA 106), the site supports a variety of BNG unit types, including watercourse units. Carefully designed ecological enhancements will restore habitats, strengthen biodiversity, and improve the health of the land and river systems. The work undertaken will contribute to natural flood management, helping to slow water flow, reduce flood risk, and build greater resilience for the surrounding community.

Avon Meadows demonstrates how development and nature recovery can work hand in hand. By investing in this habitat bank, developers are not only meeting BNG requirements with confidence and integrity-they are also supporting a project that delivers lasting environmental and social value for Stratford-upon-Avon, its landscapes, and the people who depend on them.

Solutions-based BNG enables tech infrastructure development

BNG is often associated with the development of new homes, as the government strives to deliver its 1.5m target in a nature-positive way.

BNG however extends far beyond residential, enabling growth across all areas of construction - from commercial (offices, retail, hospitality) and industrial (factories, energy plants) to civil (roads, bridges, utilities) and institutional (schools, hospitals).

It enables England to build the modern infrastructure it urgently needs, while strengthening the natural systems beneath it.

Our recent partnership with nLighten, a digital infrastructure company that builds and operates a network of data centres across Europe, is one example of how offsite BNG can support the sustainable and responsible development of digital infrastructure. A partnership that serves to balance digital advancement with nature enhancement - our tech-enabled future being dependent on the strength of our natural ecosystems to sustain it.

Working collaboratively, Biofarm supported nLighten in meeting its BNG requirements through an offsite solution aligned to the needs of the project. This included delivering locally appropriate BNG units, minimising exposure to the government’s spatial risk multiplier, and managing the process end-to-end to reduce time and administrative burden.

At Biofarm, we recognise that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to BNG. We work with our customers to deliver the outcomes they need to grow their business.

Find out how we can help you.

Lesnewth habitat bank opens, restoring Cornwall's ancient Celtic rainforest

Last month, we celebrated the opening of our new habitat bank, Lesnewth, in Cornwall (BGS-221025001).

Boasting 27 hectares of grassland, heathland and scrub, this fully registered habitat site is perfectly situated to unlock development within the Cornish Killas (NCA 154), Bodmin Moor (NCA 153), The Lizard (NCA 157), Carnmenellis (NCA 155), West Penwith (NCA 156), Hensbarrow (NCA 152) and The Culm (NCA 149).

Development within this region will enable critical ecological work to be undertaken - protecting and restoring ancient and irreplaceable Celtic rainforest fast depleting due to pollution, climate change, improper land management and invasive species.

Through careful ecological land management, we will build scrub buffers around 1000 year old trees, rivers and genetically-important nationally-scarce species, and reconnect fragmented woodland parcels across the area to create corridors of life that protect what’s left and builds long term resilience back into this globally important natural habitat.

Chris Scott, Chief Commercial Officer on the Future Homes Hub Conference 2025: Progress, Partnership and the Road Ahead

Attending the Future Homes Hub conference was energising. The atmosphere, both in the main sessions and the breakouts, was charged with a sense of progress and partnership.

Day-to-day, my focus is on unlocking development through delivering biodiversity net gain (BNG). So, hearing first-hand about the broader challenges housebuilders face, particularly around building nature-positive homes and developing at scale, was invaluable.

What struck me most was the collective appreciation of nature as infrastructure. There's a real willingness to overcome these challenges together. But right now, that ambition is up against some tough misalignments in incentives.

Mortgage lenders aren't recognising the added value of super-efficient, nature-positive homes, or how much more desirable homes overlooking green spaces are to buyers. And despite record levels of renewable energy in the grid, the high cost of electricity means developers are almost incentivised to stick with gas heating. Now that's worrying.

One thing I didn't hear? Any suggestion that BNG is a blocker to development, as some sensationalist headlines and even parliamentary debates have claimed. From the presentations, discussions, and countless conversations over coffee, it's clear: developers want to deliver positive outcomes. They're navigating complexity, yes, but they're doing it willingly.

The challenge now is aligning incentives with intention. If we can do that, the future of housing can be both sustainable and scalable, and nature will be at the heart of it.

Find out how we can help you deliver BNG responsibly.

Did you know?

The Common Swift (Apus apus)

The Common Swift (Apus apus) has historically been a frequent summer visitor, migrating from Africa to nest across our British cities and towns. Since 1995 however, their population has plummeted drastically. For every ten swifts seen in the skies in the mid-1990s, there are now only about three.

The decline of swifts matters - for ecological, environmental, and cultural reasons. Their disappearing numbers serve as a significant indicator of broader environmental distress, particularly concerning insect populations and habitat loss.

Swifts are now classified as a Red List species - the highest conservation priority in the UK. While BNG habitat sites through developer investment are helping to create an environment where species can once again thrive, there are things you can do to help invite swifts back into your community.

By installing a swift brick or box in your home, you can provide these fabulous birds with safe nesting homes for breeding.