Biodiversity Net Gain Launch Date Confirmed

Whilst many local authorities have already adopted policies relating to Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG), the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) have announced that from 12 February 2024, BNG will be mandatory for new planning applications for major development made under the Town and Country Planning Act (TCPA) 1990, subject to the confirmed exemptions. Major development includes residential developments with 10 or more dwellings, or where the site area is greater than 0.5 hectares. Sites which do not met either of these criterias will use a Small Sites BNG metric, which is expected to launch in April 2024. Gains will be delivered primarily through enhancement/creation of natural/semi natural habitat, and values will be measured using a metric created by DEFRA.

Wardell Armstrong has considerable experience of undertaking Biodiversity Net Gain Assessments and has already successfully secured planning applications for several developments – including an energy storage facility with capacity to power 2 million homes and achieved an incredible 68% gain in biodiversity.

If you now require any assistance with BNG for your project, please do not hesitate to get in touch with a member of our ecology team, or you can find out more information on our ‘Ecology and Biodiversity’ service page.