Summary

Background

BNG became mandatory in Spring 2024 for major and minor developments (there are some exceptions e.g. custom build). It offers a key opportunity to deliver habitat creation and enhancement to achieve local biodiversity and environmental targets. Project developers should aim to capitalize on this funding as much as possible

By definition, BNG is 'an approach to development that leaves the natural environment in a measurably better state than before’. Eligible developments are now required to provide 10% BNG on site, and where this is not possible it will need to be provided offsite, or as a last resort can be provided via purchase of national biodiversity credits from the government. This has created a market for BNG units whereby unit providers or habitat banks sell 'offsite' units to developers who can't meet the mandatory 10% uplift on their development site ('onsite').

Net gain means that any habitat lost during a development will need to be replaced by a similar, or higher quality, habitat with a measurable 10% uplift. See the UK Government's suite of guidance Biodiversity net gain - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). for further info on BNG.

BNG in the LCR

A BNG needs assessment formed part of the NEIRF project, focusing on Local Plan allocated sites within a 5km radius of the three NIA (project sites). This zone covered approximately half of the total area of the LCR. The figure, right, indicates the demand in this zone, and it is  likely that the demand from the whole region will be significantly larger.

Steps to take if thinking about developing a BNG project to sell Biodiversity Units

How To Register Your BNG Provider Project

  1. Plan the project as per above diagram
  2. Share with LPA and/or Responsible Body who will review
  3. LPA/RB will work on a legal agreement (S106 or Conservation Covenant)
  4. Agree the legal and monitoring fees with the Responsible Authority
  5. Sign the legal agreement and enter on the Local Land Charges register
  6. Submit site to the BNG National Register (current fee of £639, approx. processing time of 6 weeks)
  7. Register and allocate units at the same time (if purchase agreed), or register units to be allocated later (when purchase is agreed)
  8. Each time units are sold, they must be allocated on the register: upload a metric with the provisioning project data in the offsite tabs, and the development (buyer) data in the onsite tabs
  9. Maintain and manage site, and submit periodic monitoring reports as per HMMP

Items required for application to Responsible Body and/or LPA

  • Completed Biodiversity Metric
  • Biodiversity Report (including any other ecological aspects as required by law e.g. potential impact on protected species)
  • Biodiversity Gain Plan (as per template)
  • Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan (as per template)
  • Business plan including financial planning
  • Maps, landscape plans, photos
  • Any other pertinent information e.g. if there is already a purchaser

Items required for application to the national register

  • Proof of land ownership
  • Image of site boundary
  • Grid reference
  • Statutory BNG metric (complete offsite tabs)
  • Legal agreement and associated files (including HMMP or Scheme of work)
  • Evidence of land charge register search
  • Any other pertinent information