All biodiversity gains that contribute to a development's BNG requirement must be secured and maintained for a minimum of 30 years. This applies whether the gain is delivered on site, off site, or through the purchase of biodiversity units that are generated by a landowner's habitat creation project.
The 30 year period ensures that habitats have enough time to establish, mature, and deliver real ecological value. It also creates long term certainty for the planning authority and local communities. The requirement is supported by legal agreements such as Section 106 obligations, conservation covenants, or long term management plans that clearly set out responsibilities, monitoring schedules, and funding arrangements.
During this 30 year period, the responsible body or landowner must manage the habitat as described in the Biodiversity Gain Plan. This includes appropriate maintenance, ecological monitoring, reporting to the local planning authority, and ensuring that performance targets are met. If a habitat fails to deliver the expected gain, further actions may be required to restore or replace ecological value.
Because long term management is a core part of compliance, developers need confidence that their chosen habitat provider has the financial and operational capacity to maintain ecological outcomes over the full 30 year term. Eco Capital ensures all habitat creation projects and off site unit purchases meet the relevant legal, ecological, and operational standards so that gains are durable and fully compliant.
