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Biodiversity Net Gain

As of January 2024, Biodiversity Net Gain is a statutory requirement of all planning applications (Environment Act 2021). Download the BNG County-wide advice here. It is vital that applicants get the baseline biodiversity information early on in the pre-planning process. 

What is Biodiversity Net Gain, BNG? 

Biodiversity Net Gain is part of the planning process. Its aim is to ensure development has more natural and semi-natural habitats, our remaining native wildlife is safeguarded and recovers, and that opportunities are taken to deliver nature-based solutions to improve our climate change resilience.

On-site: Consideration of existing habitats on-site in the plans 

To do this, applicants must try to avoid impacts on existing habitats onsite, where possible (e.g. wildflower grassland, scrub, trees and woodland). Retained habitats onsite could be enhanced with a change in management of those areas. The last resort should be to find an offsite area to enhance or create more habitat or to purchase BNG units/ credits.  An ecological consultant will be able to advise. 

Please note that in pre-planning it is advisable to maintain current management onsite: any change in vegetation clearance / management pre-planning could be considered a possible shift away from the biodiversity baseline. Satellite imagery from January 2020 will be used if biodiversity baselines are challenged. In these circumstances, applicants could be at risk of higher liabilities in terms of biodiversity units / credits. 

A key consideration for landscape design and planned management is the provision of habitats for important pollinators and ability of current threatened UK species to thrive.  

Off-site: If I require off-site biodiversity units/credits, how do I do this? 

If you own more land than you require for planning, this could be included in your planning application to accommodate  off-site habitat creation or enhancement. However, these habitats will need to be managed for a 30-year period. 

You may also wish to go a local broker.

Alternatively, agreements with local landowners can be set up and included as a legal agreement to provide offsite habitats for a 30-year period.  

The last option available, is to seek National Credits. These are comparatively expensive and do not guarantee local biodiversity net gain.  

How do I find out more about BNG? 

Interim guidance in detail here: Biodiversity Net Gain guidance. 

What should my application include for BNG? 

All Gloucestershire County Council applications will require additional documentation from January 2024. All biodiversity information must be produced and/or signed off by a professional ecologist  (e.g. CIEEM, IEMA member): 

  • BNG plan
  • Statutory DEFRA BNG Metric (Excel format) 
  • BNG management plan 

Further guidance on what is required: