Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) – six months in
How have new biodiversity net gain regulations impacted your rural business and development? We ask CLA members to voice their experiences of the scheme so far
The policy of Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) requires new developments to compensate for any biodiversity loss plus a minimum of 10% depending on the local planning authority. It came into force in England in February 2024, and in April for small sites.
BNG affects CLA members who wish to develop land to provide a biodiversity uplift, but also offers an opportunity for members to supply and/or manage land for off-site biodiversity net gain. Creating off-site BNG units involves a long-term legal commitment of at least 30 years, which inevitably means that there are some complex contractual and business considerations to take into account.
Natural England has published a blog with its reflections on the first six months of mandatory biodiversity net gain. It noted that:
- BNG is a fundamental shift in approach leading to changes in how developers select sites, and catalysing environmental projects from landowners.
- Nearly 500 BNG sites are being advertised.
- The BNG register provides a publicly accessible record of off-site gains and the related developments, and currently has 11 sites covering 205 hectares and 7.5km of planned habitat.
- The system is designed to ensure that the pace of development is not affected, so statutory biodiversity credits are available when other options are not possible.
Tell us your point of view
Whether your focus is on requirements for BNG for small developments or for supplying off-site biodiversity units, the CLA would be very interested in your reflections on the first six months of mandatory BNG from a landowner perspective.
To help us work on your behalf, please send your feedback to advice@cla.org.uk with the subject line CLA BNG at six months.
Some aspects of BNG to consider are:
- Is this something that you have looked into?
- What are the problems you have encountered?
- Is the market working effectively in your area?
- What more information and help would you like?
The CLA has a number of advisory resources on BNG available on the website including a webinar and informative guidance notes on planning considerations and biodiversity units.
