The UK government has announced a new requirement for developers to provide a 10% Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) for all major construction projects, improving the overall state of natural habitats and ecosystems in new housing, industrial or commercial developments.
Introduced in the UK Environment Bill 2021, Biodiversity Net Gain aims to create and improve natural habitats to ensure that development has a measurably positive impact on biodiversity compared to the state before development. The BNG system is based on a “biodiversity units” calculation, which considers factors such as size, quality, location and habitat type, and then calculates how many biodiversity units are needed to provide a BNG of at least 10%.
According to a government statement announcing the new rules, the move makes the UK the first country in the world to introduce a mandatory BNG requirement and will help meet the government's commitment to halt the species' decline by 2030.
Environment Minister Rebecca Pow said:
“This vital tool builds on our work to reverse the decline of nature and for everyone to live within a 15-minute walk of a green space or water and will transform the way development and nature can work together to benefit communities.”
The new rules give priority to BNG on site, with developers creating new habitats, or improving existing ones on the development site, or, if this is not possible, investing in natural sites elsewhere through purchased off-site biodiversity units. to landowners through a private company. Marketplace. As a “last resort”, the new rules allow BNG to be achieved by purchasing statutory biodiversity credits from the government, which will be reinvested in habitat projects across the UK.
The rules also include long-term habitat management requirements, with significant on-site gains and all off-site gains requiring a legal agreement with a responsible body or local authority to monitor habitat improvements for 30 years.
The BNG requirement will apply to new developments, with implementation for small sites of 1 to 9 homes starting in April 2024, and for Infrastructure Projects of National Importance expected by the end of 2025.
Pow added:
“Biodiversity Net Gain will help us provide the beautiful homes the country needs, support wildlife and create great places for people to live.”
