Emerging impact of Biodiversity Net Gain rules on UK development

A free data package from Searchland, the land-sourcing and property data platform, is helping residential developers understand the impact of a new Biodiversity Net Gain policy.

From February 2024, the newly implemented Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) regulations have become mandatory for most new developments across the UK, with specific exemptions for smaller sites.

These rules require developers to enhance habitats and wildlife by a minimum of 10% to obtain planning permission.

Given the lengthy process of major planning applications, which can take up to 13 weeks – and up to 16 weeks for those requiring an Environmental Assessment – the full impact of the BNG policy is only now starting to be felt within the industry.

In these early stages of BNG implementation, many developers are still navigating the complexities of these new requirements.

They are seeking clarity on how best to approach planning applications, including preparing BNG studies, formatting BNG reports, and the practical steps needed to deliver the mandated 10% habitat improvements.

To illuminate how these regulations are being applied in practice, Searchland has utilised its extensive planning data services to analyse every UK planning application submitted since February 2024.

This analysis focuses on applications that reference or include documents related to Biodiversity Net Gain.

Searchland has compiled this valuable data, including application proposals and the associated BNG documents, into a free comprehensive package now available for interested developers.

This resource allows developers to filter through applications based on criteria such as dwelling size, local authority, application decisions, and proposal types.

Doing so allows them to identify similar projects and gain insights into the BNG information needed to secure a positive planning outcome. Additionally, they can study the strategies other developers have employed to meet the mandatory 10% habitat enhancement requirements.

As most people are aware, a developer can achieve a 10% Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) uplift through three main approaches:

1. Create habitat on-site: This involves enhancing the actual land earmarked for
development.

2. Improve off-site habitats: This can be done on other land owned by the developer
or by purchasing units from a land manager.

3. Buy statutory credits from the government: This is considered a last resort. The
government then invests in habitat creation elsewhere in England.

Developers can combine all three options but must follow the hierarchy outlined above. Additionally, they must commit to maintaining the created habitats for at least 30 years – whether these are off-site gains or significant on-site improvements.

Anyone interested in the data can download the pack free of charge here:
https://searchland.co.uk/guides/biodiversity-net-gain-data.

For those keen to learn more about Searchland’s planning application data tools, industry- leading BNG digital desktop study, and hundreds of other land-sourcing features, visit their website: https://searchland.co.uk/.