Biodiversity Net Gain is becoming a requirement for new development projects, due to the recent new Environment Act. Therefore, developers will need to consider biodiversity net gain at the outset of new projects, in order to ensure compliance with current environmental legislation.
If you are based in Gloucester or surrounding areas, including Cinderford, Cheltenham and Stroud, we can provide a range of ecological services to support your project, including preliminary ecological appraisals and biodiversity net gain assessments.
For more information the ecological services that we provide, please call us on 02920 650331, or email us at enquiries@acerecology.co.uk.
What is Biodiversity Net Gain?
Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) is an approach to development that ensures an overall increase in biodiversity. The process follows the mitigation hierarchy, of avoidance of biodiversity loss, mitigation or compensation, and enhancement. To achieve a biodiversity net gain, a development must provide a 10% increase in biodiversity. Net gain can be achieved by enhancing biodiversity on-site or creating new habitats off site.
Environment Act 2021
After gaining Royal Assent in Autumn 2021, the Environment Bill 2019 became the Environment Act 2021. Until further secondary legislation is made, we are currently in a two-year transitionary period, where biodiversity net gain is not yet a legal requirement. However, ahead of biodiversity net gain becoming a legal requirement, certain local authorities are updating their current planning policies to make it a mandatory planning requirement now.
