For a major developer like Dandara, the path to a successful planning application is often an obstacle course. In the current landscape, BNG can be a significant factor slowing down progress. Faced with the challenge of securing high-quality off-site units without stalling their pipeline for 56 homes at the South Chailey development, known as 'The Cygnets' in the South Downs, Dandara needed more than a unit broker. They needed a strategic partner to take obstacles out of their path. BNG Partnership did just that.
“Having worked with BNG Partnership before, we were confident they would deliver — and once again they did. Their responsiveness, technical knowledge and ability to provide the right units locally made the process straightforward. We’re pleased to continue working with them on our schemes.”
— Richard Dennis, Dandara
At BNG Partnership, we stepped in as an extension of Dandara’s land and planning teams. We understand that for a developer, the real environmental bottleneck is not the nature itself; it is the legal and regulatory maze required to prove its value. We set out to change that by doing the heavy lifting, from deep dive due diligence to navigating Local Planning Authority standards, long before Dandara even hit a hurdle. Our role is to provide a turnkey solution so that when a developer reaches the point of need for a project like The Cygnets, the compliance work is already done.
The strength of our relationship with Dandara is best demonstrated through the Ote Hall Habitat Bank. Because we had already established the site’s infrastructure, secured the Section 106 agreement with Lewes District Council, and finalised the National Gain Site Register entry, the site was fully operational and ready for immediate use. Having already successfully partnered with us for a previous set of units at Ote Hall, Dandara knew they could rely on the site’s integrity. We did not just hand them a proposal; we provided a live, thriving habitat.
Our work at Ote Hall expanded on its 500-year legacy of stewardship under the Godman family. We transformed historic arable land into a diverse mosaic of meadows and scrub, featuring a standout traditional orchard. This new feature includes over 200 trees, including a mix of apple, pear, and plum. These are not just aesthetic additions; they provide a critical ecological service, offering early nectar for pollinators in the spring and vital fruit for wintering birds like Redwings and Fieldfares during the colder months.
The result for Dandara was a smooth discharge of BNG requirements for their development. Rather than getting bogged down in the legal complexities of land agreements or the uncertainty of ecological viability, they received a defensible, registered BNG solution that was already in the ground.
This allowed their team to stay focused on their core mission of building homes while we ensured their environmental compliance was robust and delivered to the highest standard. Today, while Dandara’s liability ends with the secured units, our oversight continues, ensuring that the nature recovery promised on paper becomes a thriving reality on the ground.
