2026: The Year BNG Firmly Takes Root

As we welcome 2026, I wanted to take a brief moment to look back on 2025 and share my outlook on Biofarm and the BNG market as we embark on an exciting year ahead.

No one can deny that the backdrop of 2025 was challenging. Uncertainty around the BNG consultation, the implications of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, and the macroeconomic impact on farming and development, all tested the resilience of the industry. Headwinds that should have stifled progress. 

And yet, the opposite happened. We saw a significant shift in market maturity with BNG becoming established as a vital consideration within the design and delivery of development schemes. An outcome critical to nature, the communities it serves, and the economy that depends on it.

The Government’s December announcement in the House of Commons on mandatory BNG within wider planning reforms reinforced this. Introducing a 0.2ha minimum threshold for developments requiring BNG is a pragmatic step. One that empowers SME developers to unlock smaller housing projects while safeguarding nature restoration at scale. The reforms signal a commitment to delivering practical and viable solutions that enable symbiotic growth within construction and natural capital markets. It will provide the confidence needed to accelerate investment within both sectors. 

2025 proved to be a transformative year for us at Biofarm too.

We were proud to register 2 new habitat banks, bringing 70 hectares of land into long-term nature restoration. Even more encouraging, our 2025 bird surveys at our flagship BNG habitat site in Bath and North East Somerset recorded 9 red-list and 17 amber-list species, including Bullfinch and House Martin. This highlights the vital role BNG sites will play as havens for wildlife and their importance in supporting species recovery in England.

None of this would have been possible without your partnership and ongoing support - thank you. 

So, what’s in store for 2026?

We’ve hit the ground running, with the opening of two new habitat banks - Cornwall and Stratford-upon-Avon - and another 8 BNG sites on track to soon follow. We remain committed to helping developers hit their biodiversity targets while unlocking fair, sustainable returns for our landowner partners and we will continue to collaborate with industry leaders to shape best practice for BNG, ensuring outcomes are measurable, reliable and accurate. And as demand grows, expect to see more exceptional talent joining our team too.

Here’s to growing together in 2026!