Protecting and enhancing site biodiversity

As part of our ongoing strategy, we pledge to:

• Understand the existing biodiversity value at each site and how our activities may affect this. 
• Comply with prevailing regulation and site-specific planning conditions relating to biodiversity and use this as a foundation to build upon further, using good practice principles. 
• Set specific biodiversity targets with measurable performance indicators. 
• Achieve 10% Biodiversity Net Gain from all projects in England, developed after 2023 with the aim of voluntarily exceeding this target where possible.  
• Adopt an equivalent voluntary approach in Scotland and Wales, by implementing 10% Biodiversity Net Gain across all new 100% or majority-owned development projects. 
• Develop Biodiversity Management Plans for each Thrive-owned site, detailing specific approaches to minimise impacts, protect, maintain and enhance biodiversity. Encourage a similar approach from the projects we are lending to. 
• Assess environmental and biodiversity matters as part of the due diligence on new investment opportunities. 
• Engage with landowners, communities, and conservation organisations. 
• Adapt plans as required in response to measured results and desired outcomes. 
• Report our progress on biodiversity targets in our annual report. 
• Review our biodiversity policy and management plans annually or in response to changed regulation. 

We create individual Biodiversity Management Plans (BMPs) for each of our project sites, allowing us to tailor our strategy based on the site’s specific habitats, the technology involved and the ownership arrangements. It allows us to integrate voluntary measures and targets – for example, the installation of bird and bat boxes – in addition to mandatory regulations and planning requirements including protected species mitigation and invasive plant management.

We set biodiversity targets on a site-by-site basis as laid out in each site’s Biodiversity Management Plan and measure progress against performance indicators such as net gain targets and regional conservation priorities. We use our Annual Report and website to present project case studies and share progress with our stakeholders.