The BNG Industry: “Bloody Brilliant”

In July we published the first-ever BNG Industry Report - which shows how our fledgling industry is forecast to be worth £3 billion by 2035.

So in this behind-the-scenes blog with our founder Ian Hambleton, we get his take on the insights gathered from 33 different habitat banks across England.

To download a copy of the report - free - click here.

Why the First BNG Industry Report Was Needed

Ian explains the driving force behind this inaugural report: "We feel pretty strongly at Biodiversity Units that we're part of an industry, and it's a new fledgling industry. I should say it's a bloody brilliant industry as well right. It is re-wilding and restoring nature across England."

The motivation was clear – to demonstrate where the industry is heading.

As Ian notes: "We felt quite strongly it was important to showcase the progress and everything that's been done over 17 months and actually where it was going, so that people could see how this fledgling industry is growing pretty big."

We were uniquely positioned to produce this report, working with habitat bank operators ranging from those with single sites to those managing 30 or more locations. "We felt that we were in quite a strong position to ask them all for their insights and combine that data and showcase it," Ian explains.

Key Industry Insights: The Numbers That Matter

The report, compiled from data collected from 33 different habitat bank operators, reveals some impressive statistics. 

The headline figures include 21,000 acres set aside for nature restoration and 91,000 BNG units being created or in the process of creation, contributing to an estimated £3 billion market valuation by 2035.

However, Ian finds the industry structure equally compelling: "If you looked at it as an industry and as a functioning market, you've got big players, you've got big nationwide players – 5 or 6 of them, some bigger than others – but you've got some regional players and then you've got some great examples of independent landowners and farmers doing it themselves and selling those units out to the market."

This diversity in market participants is crucial for industry health. As Ian puts it: "That shows actually an industry developing. There's not just one player."

A Lifeline for British Farmers

One of the most significant findings relates to the opportunities for farmers, Ian observes: "Some of the insights we found around farming and farmers and revenue for them, I think, is pretty powerful particularly at the moment where I think they're having a bit of a hard time for various reasons."

The BNG market offers farmers "a potential additional revenue stream and actually quite often an additional revenue stream out of unproductive land." 

Crucially, this doesn't require choosing between farming and conservation: "It doesn't even need to become farming to create food or rewilding. It can be a combination of those things."

For farmers to commit their land to BNG schemes, certainty is essential. "They're gonna be committing their land to do this and they wanna know that there's gonna be actual revenue," Ian explains, highlighting why our report's findings are so important for building confidence in the sector.

A Call to Government: Back This Industry with Certainty

Our report reveals £325 million of private investment has already flowed into the market, demonstrating significant confidence in the sector's potential. 

However, Ian identifies a critical requirement for continued growth: "The thing that everyone in the industry is looking for is certainty and security."

While current consultations around the micro end of the market for small house builders represent "fine-tuning," the fundamental need remains unchanged. "Everyone knows that to run a business you need certainty and security so everyone wants to just know from government that this is here to stay," Ian states.

Our message to government is clear: "If you want investment into an industry you've got to back it and support it with certainty." 

The BNG industry has proven its worth with £3 billion in market potential and genuine environmental benefits. What we need now is unwavering government commitment to provide the regulatory stability that will unlock further investment, economic growth and accelerate nature restoration across England.

Looking Forward: A Maturing Industry

Reflecting on three years working in BNG, Ian acknowledges the industry hasn't developed exactly as initially expected, but "actually the way it's maturing is really positive and exciting." The transformation from "almost no supply to loads of supply" has been great to see.

Our report includes a Beautiful Natural Glorious campaign showcasing the actual conservation work being undertaken, emphasising that this industry creates tangible environmental benefits while generating economic value.

As Ian concludes, this remains "quite a nascent market," but one with enormous potential. 

Our first BNG Industry Report provides crucial evidence that this fledgling industry is thriving, creating opportunities for landowners, farmers, and investors while delivering genuine environmental restoration across England.

The BNG industry represents something unique – a market-driven approach to environmental restoration that benefits both nature and the economy, supported by legislation that recognises the importance of biodiversity in our planning system.

To download a copy of the report - free - click here.