RammSanderson can help you appraise low yield land and advise how it can be utilised to fulfil biodiversity net gain requirements in a way that will meet planning approval.
Most farmers, land owners and developers will have some areas of what they might consider to be low yield land as part of their portfolio.
It may be classed as low yield because soil fertility means crop yields are low or perhaps its location means it is susceptible to flooding or sun scorching which means crops often do not flourish and cultivating it has become a waste of money.
If you have areas of your estate that fall into this category we may be able to help you realise some value or benefit.
The latest update of the Environment Bill, discusses how the in-coming bill will mandated that all future land developments must deliver a 10% net biodiversity gain.
However, what many do not realise is that this gain does not necessarily have to be within the boundaries of the actual development, and this is where these areas of low yield land can be considered and become of value, even if not in a monetary way.
Whilst it is always preferred to keep biodiversity within a development site in many circumstance it may not make sense or be viable to deliver the biodiversity net gain within the development. Therefore there have been instances whereby as long as the biodiversity net gain is delivered somewhere nearby and steps have been taken for a similar habitat to be created with a means for wildlife to migrate to the new area, planning has been approved.
At RammSanderson, we have been working with our farming, land development and house building clients to identify nearby low yield land in order to claim it back to nature to meet the biodiversity net gain requirement of their proposed development. As part of the Environment Bill, there will be a need for Local Nature Recovery Networks within the development strategies.
We can utilise low yield land to add to this network. If you’re a land owner you could potentially sell this to developers, equally as a developer with a land bank you could use some of your sites as a Nature Recovery Network.
As ecologists, arboriculturists and flood risk consultants we have helped to appraise low yield land and have devised ways in which you can design your scheme to use this land to create habitats that will provide natural homes for wildlife and therefore gain planning approval and meet the biodiversity net gain requirements.
If we can help provide advice to help you assess the viability of any plans you might have or you have low yield land that you think might be suitable to use, please get in touch.