For developers, planners, and businesses, understanding BNG is essential not only to stay legally compliant but also to support sustainable growth, demonstrate environmental responsibility, and contribute to England’s broader biodiversity and conservation goals.
What is biodiversity?
Biodiversity refers to the variety of living organisms that are present within an ecosystem. This includes plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms. Ecosystems with high biodiversity are more resilient, recover better from environmental pressures, and provide a wide range of ecosystem services, such as climate regulation, water purification, soil fertility, and pollination.
The UK has lost around half of its biodiversity since the Industrial Revolution, and many species that were once common are now at risk of extinction. This rapid decline in wildlife and habitat quality is a major reason for introducing Biodiversity Net Gain legislation. Ensuring that developments contribute positively to habitat enhancement is not only a legal requirement but also a practical step toward restoring ecosystem balance across England.
What is Biodiversity Net Gain?
Biodiversity Net Gain requires that any development causing habitat loss must restore, enhance, or create habitats so that the site’s overall biodiversity increases by at least 10%. This ensures that new developments actively support wildlife and ecosystems, rather than simply replacing or degrading them.
For businesses, delivering habitat enhancements through Biodiversity Net Gain can increase site value, reduce climate-related operational risks, and enhance reputation, showing stakeholders a tangible commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship. By integrating nature into development projects, companies can contribute to long-term ecological resilience while also supporting social and economic benefits in their local communities.
Biodiversity Net Gain helps create developments that work with nature, not against it.
How can a 10% increase be achieved?
The law sets a hierarchy of actions:
- Enhance habitats onsite where possible. This is the preferred method for sustainability and proximity to the original habitat.
- Combine onsite and offsite improvements, if achieving the 10% target onsite alone is not feasible.
- Use offsite enhancements alone, if onsite gains limited or impossible.
- Purchase Statutory Biodiversity Credits, as a last resort. These Credits fund habitat restoration elsewhere but are less ideal because the gains are not local to the development site.
Failure to meet or maintain Biodiversity Net Gain objectives can trigger Local Planning Authority enforcement, including delays, enforcement notices, fines, or revocation of planning permission; all of which can significantly impact reputation, project timelines, and costs.
When did Biodiversity Net Gain become mandatory?
From 12 February 2024, most new developments in England that require planning permission must submit a Biodiversity Net Gain Plan alongside their planning application. This plan must:
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Be developed by a competent ecologist.
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Use DEFRA’s Statutory Biodiversity Metric to calculate biodiversity gains.
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Show how biodiversity improvements will be maintained for at least 30 years after project completion.
Planning permission granted after this date is conditional on delivering and maintaining a minimum 10% Biodiversity Net Gain for at least a 30-year period, making compliance a central obligation for all eligible new developments. This ensures that developers take long-term responsibility for the environmental impact of their projects.
How can iCOR support businesses in meeting their Biodiversity Net Gain obligations?
iCOR is an intelligent compliance obligations register that adapts to your business operations. It helps organisations track environmental legislation, check compliance with Biodiversity Net Gain requirements, and collect audit-ready evidence for ISO 14001 and other compliance standards.
Book a demo here to learn how iCOR can simplify BNG compliance for your business.