The introduction of biodiversity net gain, on 12 February 2024, will see the biggest change to planning regulations in decades.
This new law as part of the government’s Environment Act will make sure wildlife habitats are left in a better state than before development, and in doing so make a significant contribution to nature’s recovery.
In November 2023, Defra published BNG guidance to help local planning authorities, developers, landowners, and others prepare. It tells you everything you need to know now BNG has become law.
Looking ahead to the new BNG Service
The Biodiversity Gain Site Register will provide a publicly accessible source of information about off-site gains across England. Natural England is the ‘Register Operator’ on behalf of Defra.
The Register is one part of the BNG Service which went live when BNG became mandatory. The Service includes a collection of new digital and other services local planning authorities, developers, landowners, and others will need to be BNG compliant.
Getting BNG ready has been a real team effort. Natural England has worked closely with over 580 stakeholders to develop, build, and test the guidance and digital services needed to help those affected comply with BNG once launched.
What does the service provide?
- Gain Site Register (digital service)
The Gain Site Register enables:
- Landowners participating in off-site BNG to apply to register their site.
- Developers to view unallocated off-site habitat enhancements.
- Local planning authorities to view allocated and unallocated habitat enhancements as part of their checks on a submitted gain plan.
Others using the Register will include ecologists, non-governmental organisations, and the public.
- Allocations (downloadable pdf application)
Landowners or developers (with landowner permission) can apply to record an allocation of habitat enhancements to their development.
- Statutory biodiversity credits estimator (digital service)
Developers can calculate the cost of statutory credits ahead of purchasing them.
- Statutory biodiversity credit sales scheme (downloadable pdf application)
Developers can apply to purchase statutory credits. This will become a digital service in the spring of 2024.
- Statutory biodiversity metric calculation tool (MS Excel)
The tool uses a habitat-based approach to assess an area’s value to wildlife and uses habitat features to calculate a biodiversity value. Find out more about the tool and how to download.
It provides details on how:
- Ecologists or developers can carry out a biodiversity assessment.
- Developers who have commissioned a biodiversity assessment can see the number of biodiversity units a proposed development has and what needs to be done to achieve BNG.
- Planning authorities can interpret metric outputs in a planning application.
- Landowners or land managers who want to provide biodiversity units from their sites to others can understand the potential of their land.
Support when you need it
Dedicated teams will be in place to provide support where needed including an assisted digital service for those who have difficulty accessing information online.
Want to know more?
If you or anyone you know would be interested in giving feedback on the digital services being developed, please feel free to complete the expression of interest form. The BNG Digital Services team want to hear from developers, landowners, and their representatives.
If you have any questions, please contact biodiversityNGdevelopment@naturalengland.org.uk.
Other useful information: Biodiversity Net Gain – an introduction to the benefits.
