Fisher German’s new online service which pairs those looking for areas to site natural capital schemes with parties who have land available has seen a successful start, with more than 50,000 acres of land now available across the UK.
The Green Offset has been live for two months and has proven to be very popular, with the website attracting thousands of visitors. It already has land available across the UK, and the Green Offset team is working with a number of parties who are looking for land to site natural capital elements.
The Green Offset website enables ‘Offset Seekers’ – firms or individuals looking for land for environmental requirements - to search for suitable sites and is able to contact landowners, or their agents, once a match is made.
Landowners, referred to as ‘Offset Providers’, can easily register their land on the website, showing that they are open to discuss the potential of siting environmental schemes on their land, without committing them to anything.
The platform has been created to help develop the market for natural capital schemes which are being driven by the proposals in the Environment Bill. The Bill is currently making its way through parliament, and if it passes, developers will not only be required to avoid a loss in biodiversity but deliver a 10 per cent biodiversity net gain as part of any planning consent. While the preference will be to deliver this within the development site, if this cannot be achieved developers may need to deliver this off-site in the local area through biodiversity offsetting.
Several local authorities have already implemented net gain requirements and some utilities companies are already voluntarily providing it as part of projects.
Fisher German is now calling on even more landowners and developers to visit the website to find out more about how it can support them. David Merton, Head of Rural at Fisher German, said: “We are delighted to have already seen a very positive response to our Green Offset platform from both landowners and developers.
“We not only have more than 50,000 acres of land available throughout the UK, but we are also supporting developers with their requirements. The Environment Bill proposes introducing a mandatory requirement for development to show a net gain in biodiversity of at least 10 per cent as part of any planning consent.
“This will have a huge impact on developers who will need to demonstrate how biodiversity net gain will be achieved in relation to all developments. The Green Offset website will not only make finding sites easier for Offset Seekers, but provide a simple tools for Offset Providers looking to diversify and market their land without committing to something upfront.”
For further information about the service, visit the website here
