EPR’s 5 Top Tips for Successful Delivery of Biodiversity Net Gain
Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) became mandatory in England on 12 February 2024.
We understand that delivering BNG can be complex. Read on for our 5 top tips for successful BNG delivery.
Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) is a way of creating and improving natural habitats through development or land management, that aims to leave the natural environment in a measurably better state than it was beforehand
BNG is now mandatory in England for most types of development as a result of the Environment Act 2021, which means that developers must deliver a biodiversity net gain of at least 10%. This means a development is required to deliver more or better-quality natural habitat than there was before development.
But how can you, as a landowner, manager, or developer, achieve BNG in practice? What are the benefits and challenges of delivering BNG? And how can EPR help you navigate this complex requirement?
Here are our 5 top tips for successful delivery of BNG, based on our extensive experience and knowledge of the BNG process:
1. Consider BNG early in the design process
The earlier you consider BNG in your project, the better. Retaining and enhancing the most ecologically valuable areas usually helps boost the BNG score and deliver better outcomes for people and nature, and saves money in the long term.
By integrating BNG into your design from the outset, you can avoid potential conflicts, delays, and costs later on.
2. Be creative with landscaping
Landscaping plays a key role in delivering BNG by providing valuable opportunities for habitat creation and enhancement. Relatively minor changes – for example, adding a few species to an amenity grassland mix – can have a big impact on the final BNG score.
By working with experienced ecologists and landscape architects, you can design landscaping that is both attractive and functional, and also maximises the number of BNG units delivered.
3. Deliver gains on-site wherever practical
We often see developers advised that on-site BNG isn’t possible, but with some creative thinking and collaboration between ecologists and landscape architects, it can often be achieved.
Delivering gains on-site has many advantages, such as improving the visual and ecological quality of the site, providing benefits for the local community and wildlife. Off-site delivery too far away can also be penalised in the BNG metric calculation tool through application of a spatial risk multiplier, meaning more units must be delivered to achieve the same BNG score.
4. Use an experienced ecologist
The BNG process is complex and requires a detailed understanding of the metric, habitat condition assessments, and the viability of habitat creation/enhancement options. Using an experienced ecologist will help you develop a BNG strategy that works, ensure that your BNG calculation is accurate, and help to maximise delivery of BNG units.
Our ecologists have the skills and expertise to help you with all aspects of BNG, from baseline surveys and condition assessments, to completion of the metric and reporting.
5. Make sure new habitats are appropriate to their surroundings
One of the key principles of BNG is to create habitats that are appropriate to their surroundings, for example appropriate to local soils and hydrological regime. In addition, habitats that are sought in local biodiversity strategies, for example, the Local Nature Recovery Strategy, will have a positive strategic multiplier applied and therefore yield more biodiversity units.
Careful consideration of local context ensures that new habitats are sustainable and resilient, helps to ensure that they develop as anticipated in the BNG calculation, and that they contribute to the wider ecological network. Our ecologists can help you design habitats that are suitable for your site and its context, and that meet the requirements of the BNG metric and guidance.
Click on the links below for selected BNG Case Studies and EPR’s BNG timeline.
