We caught up with Amanda Stephenson, our North East Senior Land Manager, to find out about Biodiversity Net Gain and how it is affecting the housing industry.
Simply put ‘Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) is development that leaves biodiversity in a better state than before’.
The goal is to ensure that any negative impacts on biodiversity from development or infrastructure projects are balanced, and ideally outweighed, by positive impacts, resulting in an overall increase in biodiversity.
The idea behind BNG is that development projects, such as new housing, infrastructure, or industrial facilities, should not just avoid harm to biodiversity but should contribute positively by enhancing, restoring, or creating new habitats.
Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) is important because it addresses the need to protect and restore ecosystems while accommodating sustainable development. Here are some reasons why BNG is vital:
By embedding biodiversity as a key consideration in development, BNG helps create a more sustainable future where both nature and people can thrive.
The biodiversity value of a site will be calculated through a nationally standardised biodiversity accounting tool, currently in the form of Natural England’s Biodiversity Metric Version 4.0.
The metric provides a rigid structure to measure biodiversity and allow comparisons between different habitats using biodiversity units. The number of biodiversity units for a particular area of land is a product of condition, distinctiveness, and extent of wildlife habitats within the geographical boundaries, weighted by the strategic significance of the site.
The metric is then used to forecast what the impact of a new development or a change in land management will have on the biodiversity value of the site. The metric ensures a consistent and standardised approach which anyone can access allowing more transparency across interested parties.
Key steps to the BNG process include:
Ultimately, BNG affects everyone, directly or indirectly, by reshaping how society interacts with and values the natural world. Below are a few examples of who and what is affected:
Developers must assess biodiversity impacts, design projects to incorporate and deliver net gain as a priority on-site. Where it is unable to achieve all of the BNG on-site, off-site options including purchase of credits can be explored, however dependent on the classification and demand can be an expensive alternative with private habitat banks not held to the same statutory pricing.
BNG can improve access to green spaces, enhance living environments, and provide ecosystem services like cleaner air and flood protection.
Government mandates BNG policies, under Schedule 7A of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as inserted by Schedule 14 of the Environment Act 2021) and primarily consented and enforced by Local Planning Authorities through the planning regime as part of the application process and post-decision activities.
BNG can be used to enhance local wildlife sites and local nature reserves.
Creates demand for expertise in habitat restoration, biodiversity assessments, and management of habitats, utilising land management, farming and forestry teams.
As a landowner, there is opportunity to put land up to tender to be used by developers to create, improve or re-establish an ecosystem or habitat. Whether that be through planting trees or creating plans for a wetland, hedgerow, pond or area of wildflowers.
BNG can finance investment in new or existing green infrastructure and nature-based solutions, enhancing the resilience of towns, cities, coasts and infrastructure, enabling us to better adapt to climate change whilst contributing towards corporate and government net zero targets.
BNG provides an opportunity to enter a market where biodiversity units are bought and sold with the aim of delivering outcomes for nature that can also support economic growth.
Incorporating BNG into proposed developments requires a strategic, well-planned approach to ensure regulatory compliance and deliver tangible ecological benefits, with engagement between the appointed Ecologist and Landscape consultants playing a vital part. BNG aims to create new habitat as well as enhance existing habitats, ensuring the ecological connectivity they provide for wildlife is retained and improved. Below are just some of the ways we incorporate BNG into our Story Homes developments:
To learn more about BNG you can explore a variety of resources, including official guidelines, expert organisations, and industry-specific materials. A good place to start would be the UK Government website.
