Register a biodiversity site and allocate to a development

Who can apply

You can apply to register a biodiversity gain site, and record allocation of off-site gains to a development,development with planning permission at the same time, if you’re: 

• an individual landowner or leaseholder  leaseholder
• an agent acting on behalf of a landowner or leaseholder  
• an employee or representative acting on behalf of an organisation who is the landowner or leaseholder  leaseholder 

Before

An youapplicant apply 

If you’re an agent acting on behalf of the applicant 

You must be authorised by the applicant,applicant which is either,either the landowner, leaseholder or another person, to act on their behalf. They will need to complete an ‘authorise an agent to act on your behalf’ form. You must sendupload this with your application form.  application.

If you are an employee or representative of an organisation, you do not need to complete an authorise an agent form.

HowBefore toyou apply

1.You’ll You will need tothe downloadfollowing andinformation completeabout the relevant forms to register a biodiversity gain site and record allocation of off-site gains to a development. These will need to be sent to Natural England to be processed.site:

2. When we email you back, we will ask you to pay the £639 registration and allocation fee. We will also ask you to send:

• thedocuments titleto deedsprove orwho leaseowns agreementor toleases provethe ownershipbiodiversity forgain allsite landownersyou’re or leaseholdersregistering
• a document or image showing the land boundary – this must not containinclude any personal information, like a landowner’s name
• a legal agreement that secures the land for at least 30 years -– this must be a planning obligation (Section 106 agreement) or conservation covenant
• a completed statutory biodiversity metric tool calculation that hasincludes beeninformation reviewedabout withall the development’sland planningsecured application
• aby planning application decision notice for the developmentlegal project from the local planning authorityagreement
• a habitat management and monitoring plan (this may be included within your legal agreement)
• a local land charge search certificate

You mustdated sendwithin usthe yourlast documents2 withinmonths 14 days of usapplication

You’ll requestingalso them.need Youthe shouldfollowing haveinformation theseabout documentsthe ready before you submit development:

• your applicationstatutory form.biodiversity Oncemetric wecalculation receivefor yourthe fulldevelopment
• the applicationplanning includingapproval yournotice documents,from wethe willlocal sendplanning youauthority

Registration an email with confirmation.

fees

3.It Youcosts will£639 need to payregister thea £639biodiversity applicationgain feesite withinand 28allocate daysoff-site ofgains sendingto usa yourdevelopment documents.in Oncethe wesame receiveapplication. yourYou payment,must wepay willwithin send28 youdays aof paymentsubmitting confirmationyour email.application.

4.

What Wehappens willafter checkyou your application. apply

We will let you know ifwithin 6 weeks if:

• we need more information from you
• your orapplication ifto youregister haveyour biodiversity gain site and allocate units to a development has been accepted or rejected.
  rejected

If we accept your application, you will get an email with a gain site reference number. This is unique to your biodiversity gain site. site.

If we reject your application, we will let you know why.

Withdrawals and refunds 

Once we have made a decision on your application you cannot withdraw it. Refunds will not be given.  given.

You can can read the terms and conditions for more information on withdrawals, refunds and how we approve or reject applications.

How to apply

You can use this service to register a biodiversity gain site and allocate units to a development with planning permission:

Start now

Signing into this service

You’ll need a Government Gateway account and a Defra account to sign into this service.

If you do not already have these accounts or wish to create new ones, you can set these up when you use this service.

You should use your own email address for these accounts, so we can contact you about your application. It can be either your personal email or your work email, if you are applying for an organisation.

Saving your progress

You can save your application and come back to it at any time.

Continue with a saved application

Get help with your application 

Give feedback on this guidance by completing a short survey.