Land Agent in Essex: Understanding Biodiversity Net Gain

Essex has a varied rural landscape, shaped by productive farmland, historic estates and land on the edge of growing towns. With continued pressure for development alongside changing environmental policy, the role of land agents in Essex has become increasingly important. A land agent is a rural property specialist who supports the management, sale and future use of land. While the role was once centred on agriculture and estates, modern land agents now also work across conservation, diversification, environmental projects and strategic land use.

Land agents play a key role in helping landowners respond to emerging opportunities such as Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG). These schemes allow landowners to create new income streams while improving biodiversity and supporting long-term environmental outcomes.

At Collington Winter Environmental, we work with landowners and developers across Essex, helping them understand how their land could support biodiversity. Our team assesses habitats, calculates biodiversity unit potential and supports landowners in supplying those units to developers through habitat banking.

For many Essex landowners, BNG offers a valuable alternative as traditional agricultural subsidies continue to decline.

The role of a land agent in Essex varies depending on the land and the client’s objectives. However, the core focus remains the same: helping landowners make informed decisions about how their land is managed and used.

Land agents provide advice on valuation, sales and acquisitions, and often work alongside estate agents on rural and strategic land transactions. They also support property management and estate planning, helping landowners manage land efficiently while protecting long-term value.

Many land agents now offer services that overlap with planning consultancy, particularly where land has future development or environmental potential. This includes advising on land use strategy, planning constraints and opportunities linked to environmental policy.

Biodiversity Net Gain is one of the most significant recent changes affecting rural land. Introduced under the Environment Act 2021, BNG requires most major developments to deliver at least a 10% increase in biodiversity compared with the site’s condition before development.

Where this uplift cannot be achieved onsite, developers must secure offsite biodiversity units. This has created a growing market for Essex landowners who can enhance land for wildlife and deliver measurable biodiversity gains.

Eligible BNG sites can be registered on the BNG Market Register. Providing a transparent and regulated framework for the sale of biodiversity units. For landowners, this offers long-term certainty and clear recognition of environmental commitments.

A habitat bank is land that is managed specifically to create or enhance biodiversity over a minimum period of 30 years. This often included lower-grade farmland or areas that can be improved through habitat creation.

The biodiversity uplift is measured during DEFRA’s Biodiversity Metric and converted into units that can be sold to developers to offset environmental impacts elsewhere.

Land agents now play a central role in delivering BNG. At Collington Winter Environmental, our land agents support landowners and developers by providing:

• Site assessment and feasibility advice
• BNG agreement negotiation and coordination
• Biodiversity unit valuation and market insight
• Planning and compliance support in line with DEFRA and Natural England guidance

Our approach is shaped by years of experience working across rural land, development and environmental projects.

Collington Winter Environmental supports landowners and developers across Essex with ecology-led land agency services. We assess land using the latest DEFRA metrics and prepare clear, site-specific Biodiversity Net Gain plans.

Whether you are a landowner exploring habitat creation or a developer seeking BNG support, our team can guide you through every stage of the process.

To speak with a land agent in Essex, contact info@collingtonwinter.co.uk, complete the contact form below, or call 01204 939608, and a member of our team will be in touch.