Charging policy and data services
View fees for different data searches.
Contents
Introduction
Who we charge
The data request agreement
Chargeable services
Clients, services and associated charges
Appendix 1: Charges for Standard Data Services
Appendix 2: Charges for other services
Appendix 3: Additional information
Introduction
The Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Environmental Records Centre (BMERC) offers a variety of services to external organisations and individuals including:
- data searches
- licencing of digital data for commercial and non-commercial use
- data analysis
- other projects
The Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (EIR) cover the supply of environmental information. Under EIR, public authorities, which BMERC is a part of, are required to make environmental information available on request. The EIR allow BMERC to charge a reasonable amount for making the information available to applicants.
Who we charge
BMERC charges commercial clients for these services to recover the cost of managing, processing and extracting the data and producing presentable results. Any charges are not for the data itself and do not transfer any of data ownership or copyright.
BMERC does not usually charge for data searches for non-commercial clients.
BMERC’s charges are subject to an annual review, and any changes are usually implemented on 1st April at the start of the financial year.
The data request agreement
Data services will not start without the agreement of the requesting individual or organisation. This agreement covers the following, all of which will be made clear beforehand:
- The terms and conditions applicable to the data services describing the responsibilities of both parties. View the Standard Data Search Terms and Conditions, other terms will vary according to the services.
- The charges for the data services, see Appendix 1 and Appendix 2 below.
- The outputs of the data services, for example what we will do.
- The delivery schedule.
Chargeable services
We offer the following types of data services:
This involves providing species records, habitat and site information (including maps of these features) which relate to specific locations or search areas.
There are 2 types of searches:
- Standard Data Searches, carried out via our partner My LERC, mainly for commercial client
- Custom Data Searches, mainly carried out by us at BMERC, usually involving larger search areas or specific species or species group
Longer term agreements with partner organisations to supply data on a regular or ad hoc basis.
The exchange of species records, habitat and site information with local or national groups. Usually these will be an exchange of species records with recording groups. There is normally no charge associated with these agreements as they are for mutual benefit.
We also carry out wildlife information management tasks over longer periods and larger geographic areas.
Clients, services and associated charges
We serve different types of clients. A broad description of each, together with the applicable charges and discounts is shown below.
1. Commercial data users
This includes consultants, solicitors, agents, landowners and developers seeking information for development or commercial management of land, e.g. for planning applications, agri-environment schemes etc. Standard charges and rates normally apply for these searches. Standard Data Searches are used for most transactions.
2. Service Level Agreement Partners
Partners are considered to be all of the local authorities and agencies with which Service Level Agreements and Memoranda of Agreement with BMERC have been established. The scope of services to be provided and the associated charges will be specified in the agreements. Partner Discounts apply to these agreements and most other services.
3. Non-commercial organisations
This includes conservation charities (e.g. BBOWT, RSPB), statutory agencies, government departments (e.g. the Ministry of Defence), non-departmental public bodies (e.g. Centre for Ecology and Hydrology).
- Data searches will be undertaken using either Partner Discounts or Non-commercial individual and group Discounts at the discretion of BMERC.
- Commissioned projects Partner Discounts will apply.
4. Non-commercial individuals and groups
This includes members of the public, volunteer wildlife recorders, natural history societies, local and national recording schemes, landowners looking to manage their land for nature conservation, students, academics and other researchers.
- Data searches Non-commercial individual and group Discounts will normally apply.
If appropriate, any material costs generated through the data provision service (e.g. postage, photocopying) may be invoiced, and charges will be made clear before the search in undertaken. Donations for non-commercial data are also warmly welcomed. - Commissioned projects Partner Discounts will apply.
5. Parish Councils
Parish Councils seeking environmental information to support a Parish Plan are able to use a special rate provided in the Standard Data Search options below. Other requests from Parish Councils for data will be categorised as one of the above depending on the type of request.
Appendix 1: Charges for Standard Data Services
From 1 April 2025
| Package | Charge | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Package A - 1km search | £164.50 plus VAT | Notable Species, Statutory Sites, Local Non-statutory Sites and Priority Habitats within a 1km buffer of a specified point or site boundary. |
| Package B - 2km search | £227.50 plus VAT | Notable Species, Statutory Sites, Local Non-statutory Sites and Priority Habitats within a 2km buffer of a specified point or site boundary. |
| Package C - Parish Boundary Search | £63 plus VAT | Notable Species, Statutory Sites, Local Non-statutory Sites and Priority Habitats within the Parish Boundary. |
| Package D - 500m Notable Species | No charge | Notable species records within a 500m buffer of a specified point, for non-commercial customers only, not suitable for planning applications. |
| Package E - 2km Bat Species Search | £103 plus VAT |
Bat Species only within 2km of a point. This search is only suitable for small single property developments, for example loft conversions. It is the ecologist’s responsibility to determine if this search is sufficient to meet planning requirements. See Ecological data for planning page. |
| Custom searches for larger areas, specific species, species groups or habitats | Charge will depend on the search area and data required | Alternatively, an additional larger search area for a single species or species group (for example bats) can be added to Packages A and B from £34 plus VAT. |
| Plus package | Charge | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Package A+ | from £190 plus VAT | 1km Search including GIS data – Notable Species, INNS, Statutory Sites, Local Non-statutory Sites & Priority Habitats within 1km of a point or site boundary |
| Package B+ | from £262 plus VAT | 2km Search including GIS data – Notable Species, INNS, Statutory Sites, Local Non-statutory Sites & Priority |
| Package E+ | £119 plus VAT | 2km Bat Species Search including GIS data – Bat species only within 2km of a point. This search is only suitable for small single property developments, for example loft conversions |
Additional Information on Standard Data Searches
Charges vary according to the total search area. For example, the charge for a site boundary with a 1km buffer will be more than a point with a 1km buffer.
Where the total search area is more than the equivalent to c.40km², a Custom Search will be needed.
Where the search is centred outside the BMERC boundary, the charge will be based on the search area within the BMERC boundary. Note that charges will be scaled down, in proportion to the search area, to a minimum charge of £58 plus VAT.
Where a Data Search return no records, an administrative fee of £58 plus VAT will be charged.
The results will be available via an eMapper link for 6 months from the date the search was requested. After this period the link may be extended as follows:
- An eMapper link may be updated with no change of data such that the Expiry date is not later than 12 months from the original Search Date. The charge for extending the link will be 50% of the original search fee. If a Client wishes to extend the link Expiry Date beyond 12 months a data refresh will be required in accordance with CIEEM guidelines.
- An eMapper link may be updated at any point after the Expiry Date providing the data is refreshed. The charge for this will be 50% of the original search fee.
- Any search can be extended up to two (2) years from the original submission date.
- If an extension is requested more than two (2) years after the original request date or there are any changes to the search parameters, a new Data Search at the prevailing rates will be required.
A quotation for a Custom Search will be made within 3 working days of receiving sufficient information about the search required.
If the Custom Search can be provided using Orca, the results will be provided within one working day of acceptance of the quotation.
If the Custom Search is provided by BMERC, the time to provide the results will be stated with the quotation, this will normally be within 10 working days.
Cross-boundary searches
We offer cross-boundary searches with:
- Bedfordshire and Luton Biodiversity Recording and Monitoring Centre (BRMC)
- Hertfordshire Environmental Records Centre (HERC)
This is cheaper, with less administration than ordering separately. We hope to extend this offer to other areas in future.
To request this, you can make a data search request with the Local Environmental Records Centre (LERC) where the search is centred.
That LERC (The lead LERC) will offer the option to get data from both LERCs for a single charge. That charge will be the same as if the whole search area was within the lead LERC area (no premium is charged).
If you then agree to the Terms and Conditions of both LERCs:
- the lead LERC will run the search for their area and return the results to you
- the lead LERC will pass details of your request to the other LERC who will send their data directly to you
- the lead LERC will invoice for the whole search on completion of their portion of the search
Cross-boundary searches are only available as standard when the search area is less than 13.2 km2 (equivalent to a 2.05km radius circle).
If you prefer, you can still purchase data separately from both parties however this will issue you with 2 invoices and be more expensive.
Appendix 2: Charges for other services
Discount levels
The discount levels will be applied, according to the services and client as specified above.
| Discount type | Discount % |
|---|---|
| Partner discount | up to 30% |
| Non-commercial, individual and group discount | up to 100% |
Rates for general services
The following standard rates apply to general services and most project work:
- Hourly rate £140 plus VAT
- Daily rate £593 plus VAT
Rates for Custom Data Searches and data supplied under Digital Data Licences
The vast majority of data searches will be handled using the Standard Data Searches.
Other Custom Data Searches will be handled by us.
The charges will be calculated using:
- the area to be searched
- the data required, for example which types of site, habitat and species data
- the time the data is required for, for example how many times the data will need to be refreshed
- the format in which the data is required, for example data supplied in GIS shapefile takes longer to prepare and will need to be supplied using a bespoke Digital Data Licence
- any discounts applicable to the client will then be applied
Appendix 3: Additional information
BMERC has entered into an agreement with Cofnod, trading as My LERC, to provide a data searches service for BMERC using their Orca system.
This offers a significant improvement in the service for our clients and offers:
- a number of standard data search packages meeting over 85% of commercial data search requests
- a self-service web-based client interface
- spatial searches of sites, habitats and species records
- results returned within 24 hours, often within 2 hours (the previous turnaround was up to 10 working days).
- results will be provided via an interactive eMapper link allowing clients to select and filter data to print maps and download reports
- automated invoicing and includes collection of fees
We, at BMERC:
- collect, verify and manage original data records
- set fees and terms and conditions
My LERC:
- provide the system for our website searches
- invoice and collect fees on our behalf
Time spent by BMERC in negotiating service requirements and output deadlines for either data searches or commissioned projects with clients prior to an agreement is not chargeable.
Charges are invoiced following completion of a Data Search or at points specified in the relevant Agreement or Licence. Payment terms as specified on invoice.
Changes to charges will be approved using the relevant Buckinghamshire Council procedures and will reviewed by BMERC Steering Group. The charges and this policy will be published on the BMERC website.
Where possible, one month’s notice of changes will be provided to commercial clients
Other than in exceptional circumstances, charges will be maintained throughout a business year and will be effective for that business year.
Details of data searches and other partner and service agreements will not be passed on to any third party, except for information relating to Standard Data Searches which is held by BMERC’s partner, Cofnod, who will not pass it further on.
Data searches are subject to standard Terms and Conditions which are published on the Data Searches web pages.