For most people who lead across Western Sussex aquatic fields, a piece of muddy land spread with complex trees will not call for a second overview. But these previous agricultural lands are granted a new rent for life as part of a government plan to enhance wildlife.
Ardingly Habitat Bank is one of the experimental sites of the Net Net Net scheme (BNG). According to the legislation that entered into force in February 2024, new roads, homes and other construction projects should be achieved A 10 % net profit in biological diversity If nature is damaged on the site. So if the forest is listed to make way for a block of apartments, the developer must re -create a similar habitat, in addition to 10 %.
But there are fears that politics may not achieve what it promised. After one year, the evaluation indicates that it has yet been connected less than half the amount of expected habitats. Can work be?
Finding a space for nature is supposed to be a priority for developments, but if this is not possible, habitats must be created elsewhere, perfectly in the local area. This is where habitat banks come: developers can buy biological diversity units of these banks, which are located throughout England, to meet their BNG conditions. Habbitant banks can be placed in the main areas to help build environmental networks through the entire landscape, allowing nature to recover and prosper.
Matthew Dodz, an environment scientist at the Environment Bank, says everything is fine to stand filled with wildlife.
This bank covers 40 hectares (99 acres). On a tour of the fields, Lee Duds and his colleague, an environment colleague, Sam Nolls, showed where every blessing, herbal lands or meadows will be. There was a small patch of old forests in the middle. Nearby, there was a large crop of early purple orchids, until recently, contained the forest area. These and other types of old forest indicators are expected to spread and expand their population.
A year after the legislation that enters into force (to England only at this stage) said, the Environment Bank said that since the beginning of 2025, the demand has flourished, as sales in January of this year were identical to all sales from the second half of 2024, and inquiries Live stands at a value of 210 million pounds.
There is a selection of sites throughout England, including areas in Oxfordshere, Strobchire, Firdity and Norethamberland.
Nols said that half of the Ardingly website has already been sold: “Once all the units are purchased on this bank, if there is a need to meet the demand in this field, another bank bank will be placed, and we hope that the dream is that the dream is nearly A starting point for habitat banks in the region.
The Environment Bank said that it was keen to search for lands that were not fruitful as it could be – a land like Ardingly, which was heavy clay, making it difficult to farm. “We are always looking at the least productive lands such as those who are struggling to obtain an income in itself and not as much as possible,” Dodz said.
But there were also concerns about the system. Wildlife Reantryside Link, an alliance of environmental organizations in the United Kingdom, issued data earlier this month that showed that the BNG plan provided only 50 % of the minimum expected habitats and 13 % of the amount that is considered “possible” creation ” .
Six hundred and eighty hectares of land were secured to establish habitats outside the site and enhance them by the local authorities, with 93 hectares of habitats in the site reported under the requests of freedom of information. Ministry of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) estimated 5,428 hectares are probably created annually by BNG, and the minimum estimate was 1551 hectares.
“This year has made the regime with some wonderful projects, but in other regions, weak gaps and enforce Local communities by closing gaps, enhancing planning resources and local organizer, and enhancing gains that exceed 10 % to provide more forests, wet lands, wild flower promoters and wildlife.
This is a matter of general confidence as well as better rules. More investment in the local authorities and organizers is needed to ensure the delivery of the promises of developers already. “
“For a long time, nature and development have been incited to each other. Societies and the environment deserve better than this broken situation. This is why this government is working closely with the sector to make BNG work effectively to protect our natural world,” said a DEFRA spokesman.
Divra also said that the number of external units that were created did not necessarily indicate that the policy was not successful, because it did not explain the gain of biological diversity on the site.
But who will keep the tabs on these banks? Emma Tuvivi, director of the environment in a bank environment, said that the regulations by external bodies will hold her responsibility for her pledge in biological diversity for 30 years. Each site owned by the company is binding through a legal agreement between the landowner and a third party – either the local authority or another responsible body – will verify the progress of the site.
“We have seen a major change in the past year,” said. “We have seen a significant increase in capabilities and skill in both local government developers and the pieces themselves, large and small, and operators like us. We are at some point, after a year, as no one of us expected to be very successful.”
