An arable farm in Kent has been converted into a "nature-rich independent Habitat Bank", with developers calling it a UK-first.
As part of the move, Chalksole Farm, which extends to 33-hectares, has been added to the Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) register.
It was achieved through a collaboration between Habitat Bank owner Biodiversity and Habitat Solutions Ltd, environmental consultancy Biodiverse Consulting and Dover District Council.
According to them, Habitat Banks aim to help balance the demand for new housing and infrastructure, while enhancing the natural environment.
They explain that the initiative could represent a "scalable model", with hopes it could be used to unlock similar opportunities on farmland across the UK.
Vicki Mordue, founder of Biodiverse Consulting, said: “By creating these nature-rich spaces, landowners can diversify their income while ensuring communities benefit from well-planned, sustainable developments.
“Chalksole is a flagship project that, if replicated across the UK, could go a long way in addressing BNG compliance challenges.
"With strong collaboration, we can add more nature-rich sites to the BNG register.”
John Newbury, founder of Biodiversity and Habitat Solutions, said he was "keen to create a space for local species to flourish" when converting the former farm into a Habitat Bank.
“The site will play a key role in the responsible delivery of new developments across the South East," he explained.
"I give thanks to the teams at Biodiverse Consulting and Dover Council, whose support has been integral to its successful delivery.”
It follows a concerning report released earlier this week revealing the loss of over 1,700 farms near English towns and cities since 2010.
A total of 56,000 hectares of farmland has been lost, an area comparable to the size of Leeds, countryside charity CPRE warned.
