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Housing association urges sector to step up on biodiversity
A housing association has urged social landlords to step up their efforts to improve biodiversity, saying it is “in the sector’s interest” to invest in nature recovery.
Housing association urges sector to step up on biodiversity #UKhousingBromford Flagship LiveWest (BFL) called for a “sector-wide push for nature recovery” as it hosted a meeting of 50 housing and environment professionals in Suffolk.
Daniel Salliss, biodiversity and land manager at BFL, said: “It’s in the sector’s interest to keep backing nature recovery. It helps create stronger communities, supports people’s health and makes places more resilient to climate change.”
He continued: “Housing providers manage enormous amounts of land. If we get the green spaces around our homes right, we can make a real difference to wildlife, help manage climate risks and improve people’s well-being.
“But this needs the whole sector pulling in the same direction, and it needs policy that treats nature as part of the solution, not something to be traded away when it’s inconvenient.”
BFL’s Nature in Housing summit, held in Stowmarket, Suffolk in April, brought together social landlords including Clarion and Southern Housing, and groups such as Suffolk Wildlife Trust, CPRE Norfolk, and the Norfolk and Suffolk Nature Recovery Partnership.
Consultancies and sustainability specialists including Garden Organic, Greengage, Tranquil City and Wendling Beck were also present.
BFL cited recent warnings from scientists that Britain has 20 years to halt a “spiralling decline” in wildlife, with 2050 described as a “point of no return” for dozens of native species.
A study published in March 2026 by the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology warned that decisions on climate and land use over the next 20 years will determine the fate of dozens of native birds, butterflies and plants across Britain. The researchers said that without strong action, more than 200 species could become extinct.
The UK has lost more than half of its natural biodiversity and is now one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world.
BFL aims to create wildflower meadows across 1,200 sites by 2030 and manage its green spaces in more nature-friendly ways.
Mr Salliss added: “Networks like the Biodiversity in Housing Network show just how much good work is already underway. The question now is how we all scale it up fast enough to match the pace of the crisis.”
Biodiversity net gain became mandatory for most new developments in England in February 2024. It requires developers to demonstrate at least a 10% increase in biodiversity value, secured and managed for a minimum of 30 years.
In December 2025, the government announced that smaller housing sites under 0.2 hectares would be exempt from biodiversity net gain requirements.
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