Directors Rob Laffey and Steve Holloway have a combined 30 plus years’ experience in commercial roles within the property development industry. Throughout the course of this experience, Rob and Steve witnessed the constant tension between conserving environmental values and the progress of development around South East Queensland.
The government compromise to this issue has been to introduce the concept of ‘offsetting’ land clearing and this transaction now forms the basis of many local, state and federal responses to land clearing applications for development activities. An environmental offset is a legislative requirement to conserve biodiversity at one site to balance an impact on the environment at another site. This involves paying monetary compensation for tree clearing activities as a result of core business for many companies whether, it be for mining, infrastructure or property development. Through this regulated activity, the opportunity has emerged for Landowners to capitalise on the requirements for these companies to offset their land clearing. Hence the creation of the EnviroCapital business.
Through previous roles and projects, Rob and Steve have long standing relationships with almost all of the major development industry contacts in Queensland. Leveraging these connections, EnviroCapital works with property developers to understand and document their offset requirements, and then approaches landowners directly to achieve the environmental outcome required by a Government approval. From this transaction, the landowner can unlock commercial potential on land which may be surplus to their requirements, or have no other practical use.
In addition to the main source of demand for this service, several of our clients are well capitalised private individuals or trusts who are solely motivated to conserve and protect the environment. These parties recognise our strong track record in reaching commercial agreements with Landowners and as such approach us from time to time with money to invest in conservation efforts.
Subsequently, EnviroCapital is equipped with a range of mandates and is in a position to tailor a solution to suit most Landowner’s personal circumstances.
While Rob and Steve bring the corporate transaction advisory, Landowner agreement structuring, property valuation, banking, finance, and project management expertise to the business, EnviroCapital relies on its technical team to unlock the value from undercapitalised bushland.
This technical team has specialist expertise in:
- Environmental site assessment
- Environmental statutory approvals
- Environmental monitoring & reporting
- Environmental project management
- Environmental rehabilitation
