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Biodiversity Net Gain Comes into Force for Major Developments

Chris Fry • February 12, 2024

From today, 12 February 2024, all major developments in England are required to deliver at least a 10% benefit for nature (biodiversity net gain). This legislation is the first of its kind in the world, making England a frontrunner in legal requirements that give back positively to nature.

Originally introduced through the Environment Act 2021, biodiversity net gain (BNG) means that housing, commercial, and infrastructure projects must demonstrate at least a 10% increase in habitat value for wildlife compared to the site’s pre-development baseline. Developers can achieve these gains on-site, off-site, or through purchasing statutory credits from the government, which must be as a last resort.


Despite today being the day that BNG becomes a legal requirement, many developers have already been successful in recognising BNG as a beneficial practice for developer, landowner, and nature. BNG becoming mandatory will now see these benefits spread on a much larger scale throughout the country.


BNG for small sites will still be applicable from April 2024, and implementation for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects remains planned for 2025. BNG will prioritise on-site nature development to deliver the maximum benefits for people and nature.


For more information on how BNG works, our blogs and news items that delve into the specific elements of BNG; including our Green Finance Deep Dive series and our Guidance for Developers piece.


BNG Finder is a curated finding service enabling seamless transactions of biodiversity units accelerating positive outcomes for the environment. Get in touch with us today for more details on how we can assist you with off-site BNG contributions.

Get a quick overview of the BNG market via our new dashboard

By Cara Clarke • February 13, 2025
Happy birthday Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) - it is now a year since the mandatory regime went live in February 2024. The year has flown by with: Heroic habitat healing, Forward-thinking farmers forging nature-based resilience for their estates, Dynamic data-driven approaches, Bold bank building (habitat banks that is), Guidance galore, and Multiple marketplaces. It is still relatively early days for BNG to really make its mark and there is no doubt plenty more scope for innovation. To celebrate the anniversary, the ever-resourceful analytics team at BNG Finder have come up with a one page dashboard to provide a monthly snapshot of the national picture. We get it, BNG is pretty complex and keeping track can be challenging. So we thought that the dashboard could be useful to provide a concise overview of how the BNG market is progressing and some of the key trends. We hope it is useful and would be delighted to hear your feedback and we can’t promise but do shout if you have any requests for developing it a bit further in future months. Please get in touch .

BNG's First Six Months: Key Insights for Landowners and Developers

By Cara Clarke • September 18, 2024
August marked the six-month milestone since Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) became mandatory for most planning applications under the Town and Country Planning Act. Drawing from Natural England's recent reflections and our own expertise with our BNG Finder service, we'll explore how this first half year has gone.

Biodiversity Net Gain August Update: New Horizons for Sustainable Development

By Cara Clarke • August 5, 2024
In the quest for sustainable development, the concept of biodiversity net gain has emerged as a pivotal strategy, aiming to leave the environment in a better state than before a development has taken place. Recent updates to the Statutory Biodiversity Metric and the introduction of a formal appeal process for biodiversity gain plans mark significant milestones in this journey. This article looks into these developments, shedding light on their implications for developers and landowners.
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