Build Development and Biodiversity Conservation: An Explanation and Its Possible Impact on Your Construction Project

In a bid to halt species decline by 2030, the government has introduced Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) for small developments. This initiative aims to support the restoration of nature alongside land development, ensuring that every new building project leaves an improved condition compared to its state before development.

For smaller sites (under one hectare or fewer than nine dwellings), a simplified Small Sites Metric (SSM) will be used to assess biodiversity. Developers will be required to avoid loss of habitat and, if this cannot be done, a habitat must be created.

To implement BNG, four key steps have been outlined:

Baseline Assessment: This involves using the Small Sites Metric to measure habitat types and their quality, providing a benchmark against which the project's impact on biodiversity can be assessed.
Design and Plan: This step outlines how the project will achieve a minimum 10% net gain in biodiversity. It includes plans for habitat creation, protection, and enhancement, as well as strategies for managing and monitoring the project's impact on local ecosystems.
Implementation: During this phase, planned biodiversity enhancements are put into action. This could include planting native trees, creating wildlife corridors, or installing green roofs.
Monitoring and Reporting: Continuous Monitoring and Reporting are necessary to ensure the desired improvements are achieved and to demonstrate compliance with BNG targets. This data will be used to adjust and refine the project's biodiversity management strategies as needed.

Failure to provide a positive contribution to local ecosystems under BNG may result in the removal of planning permission rights. However, homebuilding projects may be forced to purchase biodiversity credits if they cause a loss in habitat and fail to achieve a minimum 10% enhancement in biodiversity compared to the pre-development state.

To assist homebuilders and planning authorities in implementing BNG, the government has produced a draft Biodiversity Net Gain planning practice guidance and a Biodiversity Net Gain calculator. Additionally, they have announced materials such as a statutory biodiversity metric, draft biodiversity gain plan template, Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan template, and a package of BNG guidance.

Tara Garraty, an experienced sustainability and conservation scientist with a focus on ecosystem services and health, is completing her PhD in Conservation Biology, researching the effects of climate change on biodiversity in the Peruvian Amazon. Her expertise will undoubtedly contribute to the successful implementation of BNG in the UK.

BNG was approved as part of the 2021 Environment Act and forms part of the Building Regulations for 2024. The statutory framework for BNG is introduced by Schedule 7A of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. The goal of BNG is to ensure that every new development contributes positively to the local ecosystem, creating a greener, more biodiverse future for all.