After a few delays and what seems like decades in the making, Biodiversity Net Gain – or BNG – is now a statutory requirement for new developments in England.
As of 12 February 2024, BNG is mandatory for all new planning applications for major developments (residential developments with ten or more dwellings, or where the site area is greater than 0.5 hectares). BNG for small sites (residential developments of between one and nine dwellings, or with a site area of less than 0.5 hectares) will apply from 02 April 2024.
This is fantastic news for wildlife, but what does it mean for you as a developer?
What is BNG?
BNG is a new approach to development that ensures there’s a measurable improvement in biodiversity after your project is complete. In simpler terms, it means leaving nature in a better state than you found it.
Why is BNG required?
Biodiversity loss is a major threat to our planet. BNG aims to reverse this trend by encouraging development that benefits wildlife.
How will BNG affect my development?
You’ll need to demonstrate a minimum 10% increase in biodiversity value on your development site. This can be achieved through various methods like creating new habitats, planting trees, or improving existing ones.
How to achieve a net gain in biodiversity?
There are several ways to achieve BNG:
On-site measures: Retain and enhance the most ecologically valuable habitats of a site, such as trees, hedgerows and species-rich grassland, and incorporate the creation of wildlife-friendly habitat types into your design. It’s important to note that these habitats must lie outside private gardens – anything within a garden is simply classed as garden and will not count towards the final biodiversity value of a site.
Off-site measures: Invest in habitat creation or restoration projects elsewhere.
Biodiversity credits: As a last resort, you can purchase credits from biodiversity markets to offset any unavoidable losses.
Getting Help with BNG
There are plenty of resources available to help you navigate BNG.
- Check out the government’s BNG guidance: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/understanding-biodiversity-net-gain
- CIEEM also offers resources and support: https://cieem.net/i-am/current-projects/biodiversity-net-gain/
BNG may seem daunting at first, but it presents a great opportunity to create developments that are not only good for business but also good for the environment.
It is more important than ever to get ecologists involved at the inception of a development scheme, to guide you through the process and help design your site with BNG in mind.
Don’t hesitate to get in touch to see how we can help.
FOLLOW ME: