Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) for Local Planning Authorities

Natural England produced a short introduction to Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG), which can be viewed below. They have also produced a helpful resource that provides an overview of BNG and its associated benefits. 

The UK supports a wide range of habitats and ecosystems, and the condition and management of these areas play a key role in supporting nature. The 2023 State of Nature Report emphasises that the UK has experienced widespread habitat loss, degradation and change over the last century. There has been a 19% decline in the average abundance of wildlife species in the UK since the 1970s. This is despite legislation and policy to protect biodiversity and wildlife. Although certain sites and species are protected, before BNG, there were limited mechanisms to value, maintain, enhance and create wildlife habitats beyond protected sites. 

Natural England’s State of Natural Capital Report for England 2024 notes that the current condition of England’s Natural Capital presents significant risks to both society and the economy. It stresses that if nature is under threat, so too are the benefits we derive from it. The report highlights that many decisions, even those that may appear unrelated, can have lasting impacts on the natural environment. It calls for increased investment in natural capital to help safeguard the vital services and benefits nature provides, both now and for future generations. 

The 2019 State of Nature Report had already identified major pressures on the UK’s natural environment over the past 50 years. The 2023 report highlights the key long-term drivers of change as intensive agricultural practices, climate change and the overexploitation of organisms, i.e. overfishing. The report draws attention to Target 2 of the Global Biodiversity Framework, which aims to ensure that 30% of degraded habitats are under effective restoration by 2030. The goal is to restore, maintain and enhance nature’s contributions to people through ecosystem-based approaches and nature-based solutions (NbS) to climate change. The report highlights the role of ecosystem and habitat restoration in the UK to improve species’ abundance and enhance biodiversity, as well as improve human wellbeing and aid adaptation to the effects of climate change

Under the Environment Act 2021, all planning permissions granted under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (TCPA) in England (with some exemptions), have been required to deliver at least 10% BNG from 12 February 2024. BNG became mandatory for small sites from 2 April 2024. All off-site and significant on-site habitats must be secured for at least 30 years. This sits alongside:  

• Minimum 10% gain required, calculated using the Biodiversity Metric & the approval of a biodiversity gain plan.
• All off-site and significant on-site habitats secured for at least 30 years via obligations/conservation covenant.
• Habitat can be delivered on-site, off-site or via statutory credits as a last resort.
• Natural England national register for off-site gain sites.
• The mitigation hierarchy of avoidance, mitigation and compensation for biodiversity loss still applies.
• Does not apply to marine development.
• It's an addition to (and does not change) pre-existing habitat and species protections. 

PAS is working with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) on supporting local government planning teams in implementing mandatory BNG.  

We provide ongoing support for local planning authority officers nationwide and have a practitioner network that any local authority officer interested in BNG can join. We host sessions on aspects of the BNG system, facilitate peer-to-peer discussions and have an online forum where members can post questions, discuss issues and share resources and information. If you wish to join this network, please fill out this form, or you can visit this page to find out more.  

PAS resources can be accessed via links on the side of this page. Key introductory resources we would highlight are:

• The PAS BNG readiness checklist was produced to help LPAs structure an approach to preparing for mandatory BNG. It provides a high-level overview of what local authorities need to think about in implementing BNG across the board.
• The BNG essentials for local planning authorities recording and slide pack from November 2023 can be used as the basis for developing a more locally specific training presentation for your local authority, for example, by adding in what your council is doing on BNG, your Local Plan policy context, etc. [Note that this was produced before BNG became mandatory, and the webpage notes where content is no longer current.]  

PAS is also working with Future Homes Hub through the BNG Implementation Board, alongside other stakeholders. The PAS team is contributing to the associated community of practice and implementation groups. 

BNG

• The Biodiversity net gain Planning Practice Guidance (PPG) and Government guidance pages on BNG are the best source of information on legal and policy requirements relating to the BNG approach.
• The Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM) together with the Construction Industry Research and Information Association (CIRIA) and the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA) have published Principles on Delivering Biodiversity Net Gain through development following extensive consultation with relevant stakeholders.
• The British Standards Institute have produced the Little Book of Biodiversity Net Gain.
• There is also a British Standard on BNG and development projects: BS 8683:2021 Process for designing and implementing BNG.  The standard specifies requirements for a process to design and implement BNG for development projects. It doesn’t cover the actual delivery of BNG but provides a framework to demonstrate that a project has followed a process based on UK-wide good practice.
• Future Homes Hub have a number of BNG resources aimed at housing developers, but also useful to local authorities and others involved in the BNG process, including Biodiversity Net Gain: An introduction and BNG Good Practice Guidance.
• The UK Green Building Council also hosts a set of Biodiversity Net Gain resources, including definitions, factsheets and infographics.

Biodiversity and nature recovery

• More information on biodiversity and its importance can be found on the Royal Society's website.
• PAS has produced a nature recovery toolkit for local authorities, which includes a Briefing note on Nature recovery - why bother?
• There is also an e-learning module on Biodiversity produced by the Local Government Association, aimed at council officers and members. Which provides an introduction to the subject, alongside tips and guidance on how councils can take action to conserve their natural assets. You can register for the e-learning module here.