Biodiversity Net Gain in practice
How seedballs help developers, landscapers and consultants deliver real habitat
Biodiversity Net Gain is now a planning reality in England. Software, credits and consultants all have a role, but every BNG strategy still comes down to the same question in the end.
Where will you create real, high quality habitat, and how will you establish it quickly on a live construction site.
That is where bulk Beebombs by the kilo can sit alongside your ecologists, software and calculators as a simple, practical habitat creation input.
Working with consultancy firms offering biodiversity net gain services
Most developers already work with ecology and planning consultancies to design a BNG strategy and run the biodiversity metric. Beebombs are not a replacement for that expertise.
Instead, bulk seedballs give those consultants a reliable way to turn their habitat recommendations into something that can actually be delivered by contractors on site.
Typical use cases your consultants can build into their plans:
Creation of species rich grassland on POS, buffer strips and attenuation basins
Wildflower planting around SuDS features, swales and drainage corridors
Enhancing boundaries, bunds and awkward corners that are hard to turf or plant
Improving the ecological value of marketing suites and show home gardens
Seedballs can be produced with a bespoke species mix and fit naturally into existing BNG habitat types such as species rich grassland. Your ecologist can simply specify them as the establishment method for those parcels.
Software solutions and calculators are useful, but you still need seed in the ground
There is now a growing ecosystem of BNG software and calculators. They are excellent for scenario testing, reporting and satisfying planning conditions.
What the software cannot do is establish wildflower habitat on compacted, post-construction ground, in a tight programme, with limited access.
Bulk Beebombs by the kilo help to bridge that gap.
Contractors do not need specialist seed drills or heavy machinery
Seedballs can be applied by hand or with simple spreaders over prepared ground
Clay protects the seed from being eaten or washed off during early phases
The mix contains a range of native wildflowers that suit a variety of soil types
Whatever tool your consultant uses, you still need something simple and robust that your landscaping team can actually deploy across the site. Seedballs give you that step between the spreadsheet and the soil.
Finding accredited habitat creation providers vs doing more in house
Poeple are already showing interest in “accredited biodiversity net gain habitat creation providers”. For some schemes, using a specialist habitat contractor is the right route.
For many sites though, you already have a trusted landscaping partner who knows your developments and your brand. Bulk Beebombs make it much easier for that existing contractor to deliver BNG-aligned wildflower habitat without needing to become an ecologist.
You can:
Keep habitat creation within your existing supply chain
Use clear, simple application guidance that site teams can follow
Order habitat inputs in predictable, bulk quantities, by the kilo rather than by small retail pack
Reduce the risk of patchy wildflower establishment from poorly specified mixes
Where you do bring in a specialist habitat creation firm, they can also use bulk Beebombs as part of their toolkit, particularly for infill and difficult access areas.
Credits, offsets and the case for genuine on site habitat
For many - biodiversity net gain is about credits and offsets.
Credits will have their place, especially on constrained city centre schemes. They are not a substitute for visible, accessible nature on and around the development itself.
Using seedballs to create wildflower areas has three key advantages over relying purely on off-site units.
Planning and community value
Residents, planners and local councillors see colourful wildflower habitat. It is tangible proof that you have taken BNG and climate seriously.
Marketing value
Wildflower meadows near show homes, play areas and footpaths are photogenic and help tell a positive story about the scheme.
Cost effectiveness
Creating a modest amount of species rich habitat on site with bulk seedballs is usually far cheaper than relying exclusively on credits.
Beebombs are not a magic way to buy BNG units. They are a practical way to get high quality wildflower habitat into your BNG mix, so you buy fewer credits and get more visible benefit from the spend.
How environmental consultancies and landscapers can use seedballs together
Another common question is how environmental consultancies support developers with BNG compliance, and which landscaping businesses can offer BNG planting and restoration services.
Beebombs sit neatly between the two.
Consultants can specify the target habitat types, choose areas of the site for species rich grassland and define management prescriptions.
Landscapers can then use bulk seedballs as the delivery method, following straightforward guidance on soil preparation, sowing density and aftercare.
Because Beebombs are supplied in kilos rather than small consumer packs, you get a scale that makes sense for commercial schemes. Whether you are treating a single attenuation basin or several hectares of open space, you can order in sensible volumes.
Monitoring, reporting and the practical side of post-development BNG
Search interest is also growing around “tools to monitor and report biodiversity net gain post-development”. Once the software and surveys are in place, you still want the habitat itself to be:
Easy to recognise for residents and maintenance teams
Relatively robust if mowing frequencies slip or management changes hands
Resilient to moderate trampling and real-world use
Seedball-established wildflower areas tend to look like wildflower meadows, not botanical experiments. That makes it easier for everyone involved to understand what is there and why it matters.
For long term management, Beebomb areas can be managed with familiar meadow regimes, for example a late summer cut and collect, with additional cuts if nutrient levels or grass dominance need to be controlled.
In other words, it is habitat that consultants can monitor, planners can sign off, and site teams can maintain.
Platforms and suppliers for biodiversity net gain habitat inputs
Another of the AnswerThePublic prompts asks what platforms connect developers with BNG habitat suppliers. In practice, many developers still rely on:
Bulk seed merchants
Turf suppliers
Tree and shrub nurseries
Specialist ecology suppliers
Beebombs offers something slightly different.
We focus specifically on native UK wildflower seedballs
We have already helped create over four million square metres of wildflower habitat across the UK
Our production is low impact, largely off grid and plastic free, which aligns well with wider ESG and sustainability narratives
Ordering direct from Beebombs gives you a specialist habitat input, with support from people who spend their time thinking about pollinators and wildflower establishment, not just generic amenity grass.
Choosing the right habitat solution for urban and constrained sites
Searches around “the best biodiversity net gain calculator software for urban development” point to a recurring problem. Many urban schemes have very limited ground level open space.
Bulk seedballs can help you squeeze meaningful habitat into:
Courtyards, podium decks and pocket parks where soil depth allows
Road verges, traffic calming build outs and central reservations
Railway, utility and cycle corridors associated with the scheme
Edges of car parks and access roads that would otherwise be sterile grass
Because Beebombs are easy to handle and do not require mowing during establishment, they suit awkward corners and thin strips that are too small for heavy machinery but big enough to contribute habitat units.
How bulk Beebombs by the kilo work in practice
For developers, landscapers and consultants, the important questions are usually practical.
Specification
Native UK wildflower species selected for pollinators
Mixed into clay and soil to form robust seedballs
Supplied loose by the kilo in paper bags or boxes
Application
Lightly cultivate or scarify the top layer of soil where possible
Scatter seedballs across the surface at the recommended density
Press gently into the soil with the back of a rake or by foot traffic
Leave exposed so rain can break them down
Coverage
Your consultant or landscaper can contact us for current coverage guidance per kilo so that habitat areas can be built into the BNG metric with confidence.
Next steps for BNG-focused developers and landscapers
If you are:
An environmental consultancy looking for a practical wildflower establishment method to build into BNG strategies
A landscaping contractor who wants to offer biodiversity net gain planting without reinventing your entire service
A developer who wants visible, pollinator friendly habitat on site as well as whatever credits you need
then bulk Beebombs by the kilo give you a simple, scalable way to put native wildflowers at the heart of your BNG delivery.
Please get in touch to discuss quantities, coverage rates and how seedballs can sit alongside your existing BNG software, consultants and monitoring tools.
Bulk Beebombs by the Kilo
Our bulk Beebombs are a cost-effective way to create large wildflower meadows and restore vital habitats for bees and other pollinators. Each kilo contains enough seedballs to cover 20 square meters (approximately 215 square feet), bringing nature back to life in a big way.
•Price: £36 per kilo (including VAT and delivery).
•Bulk Discounts for 5 or 10 kilo sacks
5 kilos for £30 per kilo
10 kilo for £24 per kilo
Including VAT and delivery
Contact Ben@beebombs.com for bespoke orders.
Beebombs are a blend of 18 native UK wildflower species, packed in clay and peat-free compost, ensuring the seeds are protected and nourished as they germinate. Perfect for creating extensive wildflower spaces, whether for personal projects, events, or community initiatives.
We are a sustainable manufacturer based on a farm in Dorset. We hand-make all our products; using traditional methods, collecting rainwater on site and using solar and wind power.
Beebombs are proudly packaged using only sustainable, plastic-free materials.
Free tracked UK shipping is available for all orders over £15.
Bulk Treebombs by the Kilo
Our bulk Treebombs are a cost-effective solution for large-scale reforestation projects, helping to restore lost woodland and contribute to carbon offsetting. Each kilo contains roughly 200 seedballs, containing at least 10 seeds each to ensure germination.
•Price: £36 per kilo (including VAT and delivery).
Bulk Discounts:
•5 kilos for £30 per kilo
•10 kilos for £24 per kilo
(All prices include VAT and delivery)
Treebombs are designed to make large-scale planting simple and effective. Encased in nutrient-rich compost and clay, the seeds are protected as they germinate, ensuring higher success rates for tree growth. Perfect for personal rewilding projects, corporate sustainability initiatives, or community-driven efforts to combat climate change and habitat loss.
We are a sustainable manufacturer based on a farm in Dorset. We hand-make all our products; using traditional methods, collecting rainwater on site and using solar and wind power.
Free tracked UK shipping is available for all orders over £15.
Contact Ben@beebombs.com for bespoke orders or larger quantities.