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MANDATORY BIODIVERSITY NET GAIN : WHAT SMALL DEVELOPERS NEED TO KNOW
While February , 2024 , saw the rollout of the mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain ( BNG ) requirements for larger developments , small sites have until April to adapt . Lucy Dixon , Sustainability Lead at Veriforce CHAS , outlines some key considerations for small site developers aiming for compliance .
The Biodiversity Net Gain ( BNG ) framework , mandated under the Environment Act 2021 , officially launched on 12th February 2024 , requiring a minimum 10 % BNG for planning permission with an extended transition period for small sites until 2nd April 2024 . This means developers must submit plans to their Local Planning Authority ( LPA ) showing how their project will contribute to an overall increase in the quality or quantity of the natural habitat of the site on which they are situated by a minimum of 10 % – with some LPAs demanding increases of more than 10 %.
For major developers , incorporating BNG into project designs will likely not be entirely new . For smaller projects , however , the implications of the policy might be more keenly felt . Constraints in resources , finances and the space available to implement biodiversity offsetting measures can all pose a challenge to the viability of small site developments .
Purpose of BNG The fourth State of Nature ( SON ) Report , unveiled in September 2023 , highlighted the alarming decline of biodiversity in the
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UK . The report underscored the UK ’ S ongoing environmental degradation , which is already acknowledged as one of the most nature-depleted nations globally .
The data revealed a troubling trend , indicating that since 1970 , UK species have , on average , experienced a 19 % decline , with almost 1 in 6 species ( 16.1 %) now facing the imminent threat of extinction . It ’ s clear that urgent action is required , and the BNG framework supports this .
Small sites definition and the small sites metric In the context of the Biodiversity Net Gain ( BNG ) framework , small sites are defined as :
• Residential Developments : Dwellings numbering between 1-9 on a site measuring less than one hectare , or in cases where the number of dwellings is unknown , on a site area less than 0.5 hectares .
• Non-Residential Sites : Encompassing areas where the floor space created is less than 1,000 square meters or where the site area is less than one hectare .
• Certain exemptions exist within the BNG policy , notably for small self-build and custom homebuilding sites .