See answers to previous information requests

1. Are you bringing forward your own habitat bank for the purposes of offering offsite biodiversity units?
Wokingham Borough Council has generated a number of off-site BNG units that are available for purchase. Currently, these consist of medium distinctiveness grassland units and other broadleaved woodland units. The Council is continuing to work on identifying opportunities for biodiversity projects on Council owned sites for the purpose of providing offsite biodiversity units intended to be available on the open market.

2. If so, at what stage of development is it?
Two projects were implemented between March - April 2024 on Council owned sites that will be delivering biodiversity units. Another two sites are expected to be delivered over the next year.

3. Have you decided methodology for pricing units yet?
Forecasts for biodiversity unit prices vary widely however, based on costs of implementation and projected long-term management and maintenance costs (over a 30-year period), the Council is currently pricing medium distinctiveness grassland and woodland units at £50,000/unit. River units would need to be looked at on a bespoke project basis.

4. If the answer to Q3 is yes, what is it and is it expected to cover the long-term cost of habitat delivery?
The pricing of units is intended to cover implementation and long term (30 years) management and monitoring of biodiversity units.

5. Please supply a full, redacted or template version of any s106 agreement for such an LPA habitat bank, if it is exists.
This work is currently ongoing, so we are unable to provide a s106 agreement.

6. Please supply copies of all completed section 106 agreements for other habitat banks in your LPA area.
Copies of S106 can be located on our website under the relevant planning reference number or requested from land charges for a small fee

7. What is the total value of biodiversity offsetting contributions paid to the authority over the previous two years?
There is currently £154k of S106 biodiversity contributions available. Contributions that have been received for non-mandatory BNG £17,000

8. Of the total value given in Q7, how much has been deployed into habitat creation, enhancement and management and how much remains unspent?
There is currently £154k of S106 biodiversity contributions available and it is expected that £130,000.00 will be spent towards the enhancement of biodiversity and biodiversity features within the Council's administrative area over the next 3 years. S106 biodiversity funds spent already over the past two years £17,000 and none remaining unspent