Belmont Estate Becomes North Somerset’s First Offsite Biodiversity Net Gain Provider to Secure a Conservation Covenant
Belmont Estate has announced that it has secured a 30-year conservation covenant for Watercress Farm, a key site in its nature recovery journey. This achievement solidifies Belmont as the first offsite Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) provider in North Somerset that will soon be listed on Natural England’s national register, marking a substantial leap forward for the offsite Biodiversity Unit market.
To secure the conservation covenant, Belmont collaborated with TLT LLP & RSK Wilding, a BNG specialist branch of the ecological consultancy RSK Biocensus, one of the first organisations to be appointed by Defra as a Responsible Body with authority to grant conservation covenants to BNG providers.
Belmont is a regenerative business situated in North Somerset aiming to create positive environmental and societal change through nature restoration, climate action and community connection. Its work spans nature recovery, organic farming and food production, nature connection, community and corporate engagement, and natural capital solutions.
Henry Rossiter, Business Director at Belmont, commented: “Securing this covenant is a proud moment for our team and a testament to our long-term vision for nature recovery in the Southwest. Developers working with us aren’t just ticking a box – they’re aligning with a project offering enduring benefits for biodiversity and local communities.”
Natalie Bryce, Senior Legal Advisor at RSK Wilding, added, “We’re thrilled to support Belmont in establishing this conservation covenant. Their plans for the land go beyond the usual approach to BNG compliance, embracing a long-term vision for rewilding that includes the local community. It’s an inspiring example of how conservation can generate both ecological and social value.”
Watercress Farm offers 352 BNG units across a mosaic of habitats, including river, deciduous woodland, and lowland meadow. These units provide developers with a high-quality pathway to fulfil their BNG obligations as mandated by the Environment Act 2021.
The site has already become a biodiversity hub, with over 2,000 recorded species of animals and plants and a successful rewetting project that transformed degraded land into a thriving wetland ecosystem. Belmont also hosts community events, bringing people together over food, and runs a free Nature Connection program within the site that has welcomed over 6,000 young people to engage with nature.
From its 18th-century origins to the impact-driven organisation it is today, Belmont Estate has a 250-year history of restoration and reconnection. Since the Rossiter family arrived in 2012, they have been actively reassembling and restoring the estate. To maximise opportunities for national impact, the business has grown further than the original estate boundaries.
