Presentation notes and recordings – 19.5.2026

Due to popular demand from those who could not attend, below are the links to our presentation notes from each of the four sections of our 25th March “Both sides of the BNG coin” seminar, we make no apology for the “home-made” mobile phone quality. Where possible we have embedded the recording within the presentation notes, with the full recording also at the end of the webpage. In some cases we have only been able to include the full recording.

Part 1 – Currently available support for farmers and landowners

Part 2 – Natural Capital options for farmers and landowners

Part 3 – Experiences of Habitat Bank creation

Part 4 – Analysis of the BNG market

Please be aware that there have been several updates since our seminar. Notably the results of last May’s DEFRA consultation on BNG and HMRC releasing technical guidance on Natural Capital in relation to tax. You can see our commentary on the consultation results here and on HMRC’s technical note here. In spite of this, we feel that the vast majority of content covered in our presentations remains relevant.

About the speakers

Hugh Townsend is the founder of Townsend Chartered Surveyors (1992), a traditional firm of land agents. For 40 years he has also specialised in the sale of off-farm intangible assets and has created the UK’s leading independent RICS regulated brokerage house currently selling regional BPS entitlements, BNG, NN, Carbon and Water Abstraction Licences. He is a regular commentator in the agricultural press. He has been qualified for 25 years as an arbitrator (FCIArb) and acts as an expert witness, having been involved in “test cases” in respect to cutting edge brokerage issues and emerging markets. He is currently part of a RICS Expert Working Group looking at how to value natural capital assets in relation to land.

Alasdair Squires is a Land Agent and an Associate at Townsend Chartered Surveyors, specialising in Natural Capital projects, amongst other management and professional fee work. He holds a First-Class degree in Rural Estate and Land Management from Harper Adams University, as well as a degree in Ancient History and Egyptology and a Graduate Diploma in Law.

David Marrow is the Senior Assistant Land Agent at Townsend Chartered Surveyors. He is currently doing a Master’s degree in Rural Estate and Land Management at Harper Adams University after achieving a First-Class degree in Geography from Durham University.