What is Biodiversity Net Gain?
Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) is a government policy affecting planning and development that became mandatory in February 2024.
Developers are now required by law to make sure any habitat for wildlife on their development site is left in a measurably better state than before their development took place.
Developers will need to calculate the number of 'Biodiversity Units' they will need to create in order to result in a net gain in biodiversity on their development. These Units are calculated using a scoring system developed by Natural England. Units can then be delivered within the development site, or if this is not possible, can be purchased from a suitable location offsite. A landowner can create these offsite units by restoring habitats on their land, and then sell these to developers.
BNG provides an opportunity to protect and restore biodiversity across England, and reach national targets such as 30% of land protected for nature by 2030, and the delivery of local strategies like the Local Nature Recovery Strategy.
Mitigation hierarchy
In the first instance it is always preferred that biodiversity loss due to development is avoided. If that isn’t possible, then mitigation and uplift should ideally be carried out on the same site where development is taking place.
Where that isn’t possible, habitats will need to be created or enhanced off the development site. Where this offsetting takes place should be guided by the 'right habitat in the right place' approach, using a Nature Recovery Network map.
How is biodiversity measured?
Biodiversity is measured using the Defra biodiversity metric, which calculates the number of Biodiversity Units (sometimes called BNG Units) that a site contains.
The metric is a key tool used to calculate the baseline biodiversity value of a site and forecast its future value. It can demonstrate biodiversity net gains or losses in a consistent way.
The baseline calculations are based upon habitat:
- Size
- Type
- Habitat types are given a distinctiveness score, for example modified grassland is low, whereas lowland meadows are very high
- Condition
- A score based on the value of the habitat relative to others of the same type
- Spatial location
- A score based on whether the location of the development and/or off-site work have been identified as significant for nature, for example being within a local nature recovery strategy result in a high score
The post intervention scenario is measured using predicted changes. There are a few additional factors to account for the risk associated with creating, restoring or enhancing habitats. These are:
- Difficulty of creating/restoring
- Temporal risk
- A pre assigned score based on how long it takes a habitat type to establish and reach a target condition.
- Spatial risk
- A score based on distance between the site of habitat loss and the site where creation is provided
The amount of units produced from habitat restoration/creation is the post intervention score minus the baseline.
BNG is likely to impact you if you are a landowner, developer or local authority.
Landowners
Although onsite biodiversity uplift is prioritised, there will be many development projects that still require offsite locations for offsetting. By restoring existing habitats on your land or creating new ones, you could generate Biodiversity Units, which you can then sell to interested developers.
Woodland, grassland, wetland and mosaic habitats are all potentially eligible. Preference will be given to sites and projects which support local biodiversity priorities and strategies, like the Nature Recovery Network, and connect areas of existing habitat.
There are some criteria that your land will need to meet, for example it must be managed according to the proposed BNG management plan for a minimum of 30 years, and the progress of the restoration must be monitored and reported.
Unlike traditional subsidies, the funding for delivering habitat improvements comes from the selling of units to developers. The cost of units varies depending on factors such as the demand in your local authority, the type of habitats you are creating, and whether or not the units you are selling already exist (the habitat is already in the process of being restored).
On average in Staffordshire, one unit is worth between £15,000-£30,000. The price is decided through negotiations between the landowner (seller) and the developer (buyer). Brokers can be hired to help with unit sales and handle negotiations.
If you are interested in using your land for BNG, then sign up to Net Gain Staffordshire.
To register a landowner account, go to our Landowner Registration form and then click here to register your land, making it easy for developers to find, and see where it fits on the nature recovery network, helping guide the kind of restoration work you should be doing to help connect nature. For more information on BNG in general, or about the portal, please get in touch via our contact page.
Developers
From January 2024 most developments are going to require a minimum of 10% Biodiversity Net Gain. Developers will need to incorporate biodiversity at the very beginning of development. By using the metric at the design phase, this will help ensure minimal damage to any habitats and help to ensure that most, if not all of the offsetting, is able to occur onsite.
If offsite mitigation is required, developers will need to locate a suitable site which has the same habitats that were destroyed on the development site, are close to the site, and/or are located in a strategic location.
Net Gain Staffordshire will make locating appropriate sites easy, whilst also giving you peace of mind that your money will be contributing to delivering the right habitats in the right place.
To create a developer account go to our Developer Registration form and then register your development on the portal here, or take a look at the Nature Recovery Network here.
Local Authorities
From January 2024 a minimum of 10% Biodiversity Net Gain will be required on the majority of developments. It is the local authorities’ responsibility to ensure this requirement is met. BNG is a major opportunity for local authorities to reach their environmental goals, improving green space across their district for nature and the community, and delivering the government mandate.
Local Nature Recovery Strategy
Local authorities should ensure their approach to BNG is underpinned by Nature Recovery Network mapping, so that any BNG funds are spent on the right habitats being restored or created in the right places, increasing landscape connectivity and maximising environmental impacts.
This approach enures that the delivery of BNG will align with the priorities of the emerging Local Nature Recovery Strategy.
When making a planning application, developers will often ask where they can purchase Biodiversity Units offsite within the local planning authority.
Having a bank of potential sites available to developers will make this process easier, and knowing where these sites sit within the LPA and Nature Recovery Network will ensure the best sites are chosen on a development-by-development basis, delivering benefits as close to the development site as possible, whilst also improving nature.
By making locating available sites within the local authority as easy as possible, Net Gain Staffordshire ensures money from developments stays within the community that is being impacted.
Net Gain Staffordshire is a portal which will house a registry of available land within each local authority and show where they sit on the local Nature Recovery Network. Information on what habitats are available and how many units are for sale/sold will be available. It is a one-stop shop for Biodiversity Net Gain within Staffordshire. To learn more or to register your local authorities' interest, see our about us page or contact us.
The Process of Biodiversity Net Gain
This image breaks down the process of Biodiversity Net Gain for landowners, developers and local authorities.
If your question has not been answered above, please see our FAQ page, access some useful resources or contact us.