The Port of London Authority (PLA) has signed a new conservation covenant with Responsible Body RSK Biocensus on the protection and enhancement of rare and valuable habitats, including littoral mud and coastal saltmarsh.
The covenant is RSK Biocensus’s 100th signing, marking a significant milestone in its mission to secure lasting environmental benefits through innovative agreements. Appointed by Defra in 2024, RSK Biocensus acts as a Responsible Body under the Environment Act 2021 to enter into, hold and enforce legal conservation covenants with landowners. It manages, monitors and ensures long-term (30+ years) habitat improvements and biodiversity net gain (BNG).
RSK Wilding Director Tim Graham said the milestone agreement highlights the growing role of conservation covenants in enabling sustainable development while safeguarding the natural environment. The project with the PLA is especially notable for its strategic importance within London, demonstrating how collaborative approaches can unlock development opportunities while delivering measurable biodiversity gains.
He said: “The littoral mud and coastal saltmarsh habitats are of particular importance for invertebrates, plants and birds such as dunlin and ringed plover. As well as supporting biodiversity, they are playing a key role in coastal resilience and the network of waterways that form living veins through London.”
Tim added: “The opportunity for innovation here is how our approach with conservation covenants can support integration of the PLA’s operations and outcomes for the biodiversity duty, to add new outcomes for nature at the heart of our capital and support wildlife populations found across the network of internationally important sites from the estuary to urban London.”
Port of London Authority Director of Sustainability Grace Rawnsley said: “We’re continuing to invest in restoring and improving habitats along the Thames so it can thrive as a home for wildlife as well as a working river.
“This work supports healthier saltmarsh and mudflat environments, strengthens the river’s natural resilience, and helps us deliver real gains for biodiversity across London. Securing the covenant is an important step for us in making sure the Thames is in a better state for the future.”
Next steps in the scheme include registering the covenant as a land charge, supporting registration on the national Gain Site Register and then auditing the implementation of ecological works, before RSK Biocensus oversees and checks the outcomes are delivered over the 30-year statutory timeframe. The Responsible Body hopes it becomes part of a growing number of agreements held that support both developments and more unique delivery for biodiversity net gain.
The covenant reinforces RSK’s position as a leading Responsible Body, committed to supporting clients and partners in navigating biodiversity net gain requirements and securing long-term environmental outcomes.
As RSK Biocensus continues to expand its portfolio, the organisation remains focused on creating resilient ecosystems and driving positive environmental change through practical, collaborative action. This approach provides solutions for all parties in the development process – the local planning authority, public authority, developer and investor.
Photo credit: Port of London Authority