FOUNDATION FRAMEWORK
With Biodiversity Net Gain ( BNG ) recently coming into law , it ’ s important that developers and associated parties get to grips with some of the technical elements of the legislation to successfully work through planning . In this article , Ian Hambleton , Director of Biodiversity Units UK , a company that assists property developers and their consultants in sourcing BNG units , dives into the tools applicants should utilise to deliver a compliant planning application .
GETTING TO GRIPS WITH THE BIODIVERSITY NET GAIN DEFRA METRIC AND THE SPATIAL RISK MULTIPLIER
T he new law makes 10 % BNG mandatory in England for all new developments after this date ( with some smaller developments excluded until April ). To put this into perspective , the average number of planning applications submitted in England was 395,600 in the year ending March 2023 .
BNG requires developers to ensure that new projects result in a quantifiable increase in biodiversity compared to the pre-development state . This entails not only conserving existing habitats but actively creating new ones , such as green spaces , wetlands or wildlife corridors . By prioritising the enhancement of natural environments , BNG should foster resilient ecosystems capable of supporting a wide array of plant and animal species .
In many ways , Biodiversity Net Gain is an innovative , calculated instrument that puts a value on our country ’ s biodiversity and natural habitats . Some will argue that BNG adds an unnecessary barrier and cost to development in England , but in my estimation , it provides a robust framework for balancing development and nature recovery .
As part of the new law , the Mandatory DEFRA Metric is used to calculate Biodiversity Net Gain ( BNG ) Units in England . You can find detailed information about this metric and its usage on the official DEFRA ( Department for
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