Broadfield and Vortal Homes have secured the first biodiversity net gain (BNG) habitat bank in Dorset that will unlock residential development whilst creating and preserving nature-rich environments in the county.

Site promoters Vortal Homes and Broadfield, following negotiation with Dorset Council, have secured permission for a Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan (HMMP) for 16 hectares of land at Purns Mill, Gillingham, Dorset, to be offered as a BNG off-site habitat bank.

Purns Mill is a mix of livestock grazing and hedging with two chalk streams. The HMMP will see the landowner create species-rich grasslands, ponds, mixed scrubland and improvements to hedging that will benefit wildlife whilst continuing to operate as a working farm.

BNG units will be sold by Vortal Homes to residential developers who are unable to meet the required BNG improvements on their own development sites.

The Residential Development and Planning Law teams at Broadfield created the legal agreements that underpin this BNG habitat bank and will draft the BNG agreements sold by Vortal Homes to residential developers.

The Broadfield team was led by Legal Director Chris Holmes (Planning) and Of Counsel Gemma Bullard (Property).