Gresham House Launches $380M Fund Targeting UK Biodiversity Net Gain Market

Gresham House, a leading sustainable infrastructure investment firm incorporated in 1857, has unveiled its latest venture – a fund aimed at capitalizing on the burgeoning biodiversity net gain market in the UK. The fund, with a fundraising target of $380 million, is strategically positioned to leverage opportunities arising from the implementation of the Environment Act 2021, which mandates real estate developers to ensure a biodiversity net gain of at least 10 percent for planning permission. Notably, global insurance and advisory giant Willis Towers Watson has made a significant undisclosed investment in the fund, signaling confidence in Gresham House's expertise in sustainable investments. Through strategic partnerships with entities like Environment Bank, a portfolio company of Gresham House, the fund plans to invest in habitat banks that transform non-arable farmland into diverse ecosystems, generating biodiversity net-gain credits. These credits will be crucial for developers seeking compliance with the Environment Act's stringent regulations, further enhancing the fund's attractiveness to investors eyeing sustainable and socially responsible investment opportunities.