Biodiversity net gain: what local planning authorities should do 

Setting

There localis policiesmore todetail supporton biodiversitywhat local net gain (BNG)  

Local planning authorities (LPAs) canshould setdo policiesin tothe supportplanning biodiversitypractice netguidance.

Read gainthe (collected guidance on BNG). Theyfor candevelopers, identifyland localmanagers areasand suitableLPAs.

Planning forapplications habitatand creationbiodiversity andgain enhancementplans: toguidance help:  

for LPAs

• landowners

  1. whoBefore wantgranting toplanning sellpermission

  Planning off-sitepermission includes a statutory biodiversity units 

• developersgain whocondition. needThere tois complymore withinformation theon BNG requirements  

and planning in the planning practice guidance.   

What to check

LPAs must cancheck makethe surefollowing developershave knowbeen about:  submitted with the planning application, where development would be subject to the biodiversity gain condition:

• a statement confirming whether the requirementapplicant forbelieves 10%that BNG planning permission, if granted, would be subject to the biodiversity gain condition

• local

  the policypre-development requirementsbiodiversity forvalue BNG,of suchthe ason-site localhabitat natureon recoverythe strategies 

Ifdate of application (or an earlier date) including the localcompleted naturemetric recoverycalculation strategytool has(showing notthe yetcalculations, beenthe published,publication LPAsdate shouldand sayversion whatof plansthe arebiodiversity currentlymetric inused place.  to calculate that value)

Localwhere naturethe recoveryapplicant strategieswishes identifyto theuse placesan andearlier habitatsdate, thatthe areproposed mostearlier beneficialdate and the reasons for naturethat anddate

a getstatement 15%confirming morewhether the biodiversity unitsvalue thanof the sameon-site habitat createdis elsewhere. 

Findlower outon aboutthe biodiversitydate unitsof inapplication guidance(or aboutan off-siteearlier gains. 

Finddate) outbecause aboutof identifyingthe habitatcarrying on of strategicactivities significance(‘degradation’)

where forunauthorised localdegradation naturehas recoverytaken inplace guidancebetween about30 complyingJanuary with2020 and the biodiversitysubmission duty. 

Facilitatingof transactionsthe ofplanning units 

LPAsapplication, maythe berelevant abledate toshould introducebe sellersimmediately andbefore buyersthese toactivities eachwere othercarried by: out

• developing matching services 
• providing

  a description of any irreplaceable habitat bankon registerthe land, that listsexists localon gainthe sitesdate forof sale application (or an earlier date)

Approving

a planningplan applicationsdrawn andto biodiversityan gainidentified plans 

Ifscale (including the LPAdirection grantsof planningnorth), permissionshowing foron-site thehabitat development,existing on the developerdate mustof submitapplication a(or biodiversityan gainearlier plan.date), Theand LPAany willirreplaceable thenhabitat

Applicants needcan refer to decidethese whetherdetails toin approveaccompanying thedocuments, biodiversityrather gainthan planduplicate bythis consideringinformation whetherwithin the 10%application BNG is achieved. form.

PlanningIn permissionthe includesplanning aapplication generalform, biodiversityapplicants gainwill condition.  confirm whether this information accompanies the application.

DevelopersIf cannotthis startinformation workhas onnot abeen developmentprovided, and the LPA cannotmust publishrefuse ato developmentvalidate onthe theirapplication.

In registeraddition untilto thethese LPAminimum hasrequirements, approvedfurther theinformation biodiversitymay gainneed plan. 

Beforeto approvingbe aprovided planningin application 

Beforeorder approvingto assist the planningconsideration application,of BNG as part of the LPAplanning shouldapplication. checkThis anymay include where there are particular considerations around:

• significant on-site biodiversity enhancements
• use orof off-site biodiversity gains

LPAs aremay appropriate,set legallyout securedspecific andfurther thatrequirements ain maintenancethe andlocal monitoringlist planof information requirements.

It is ingood placepractice for 30developers years.  

to submit information about any potential planning obligations. This is something that LPAs shouldmay checkadd theto requiredlocal metriclists calculationof information requirements.

For example, if there may be a need for habitata beforesignificant developmentincrease andof on-site biodiversity informationenhancements, havedevelopers beenshould submittedprovide witha draft habitat management and monitoring plan as part of the planningapplication. application. 

This willplan ensuresets out the finalproposals biodiversityfor gainlong planterm takesmaintenance account of anyhabitats amendmentsto madebe aftersecured thethrough initialplanning condition or planning permission. obligation.

Reviewing

If thethere biodiversitymay gainbe plan 

Developersa canneed submitfor theiran off-site biodiversity gain plansite specifically to provide gains for the LPAdevelopment, developers should clearly set out the obligations that they are likely to review,be afterbound planningby permissionin hasa beensection given. 106 agreement, if permission is granted.

Checking metric calculations

LPAs mustare decideresponsible whetherfor toreviewing approveand achecking biodiversitymetric gaintool plancalculations withinsubmitted 8by weeks.developers, LPAsas mustpart notifyof theassessing applicantwhether withthey thecan decision. achieve 10% BNG. 

IfThe thestatutory LPAbiodiversity approvesmetric tool must be used to create the biodiversity gain plan,plan. theyLPAs mustshould publishnot accept calculations made with previous versions of the decisionmetric ontool their(4.0 planningand register.  before).

What

Small sites can choose to check 

use a simpler small sites version of the metric.

LPAs should checkassess small sites calculations in the same way as calculations made for larger sites using the statutory biodiversity gainmetric plantool. explains:    LPAs cannot expect a developer to use any specific consultant or ecologist.

• how

  Developers should submit a copy of the developermetric hascalculation appliedwith the planning application as supporting evidence of the habitat’s biodiversity gainvalue hierarchy  

• before development. 

  Read guidance about the biodiversity unitmetric.

  See valuesall beforebiodiversity metric calculation tools and afterguides.

  Recorded development  

• howwebinars are available from the developerLocal willGovernment deliverAssociation’s thePlanning 10%Advisory Service.

  Checking habitat surveys  

  To review habitat surveys submitted by developers in the BNG 

The developerprocess, LPAs may mustneed submitto their: check: 

• completedaerial biodiversity metric calculationphotos 

• pre-developmentprotected sites and post-developmentspecies 

• local plansenvironmental (showingrecord thecentres 

• other locationdata ofsources 

• with on-sitelocal habitat,ecologists theor directionhabitat ofspecialists north and drawn to anget identifiedtheir scale) advice  

TheLPAs only developerneed mustto alsocheck provideinformation anythat’s ofrelevant to the followinghabitat thatsurvey. 

Developments applyfor on-site gains within small sites do not need to theirsubmit application: habitat surveys. 

• compensation

  Enter planinto (ifa thelegal metricagreement advises 

  Before thatLPAs create a legal agreement, they needmust to) 

check:
• site’sthat referencethe numbersland frommanager has the biodiversityright netlicences, gainconsents register and permits
• proof that theythe needmetric statutorycalculation credits
• statutoryfor biodiversitythe creditshabitat proofbefore ofcreation purchase and enhancement is accurate
• if the habitat managementor enhancement is within the wildlife consultation area of an aerodrome and monitoringthat plan it does not harm aircraft operations

There is amore biodiversityinformation gainon planwhat template.developers Itneed isto notagree mandatory,with butthe askingLPA developersor toresponsible usebody.

The itlocal couldauthority help(LA) withmust standardisingregister the submissionplanning ofobligation biodiversityor gainconservation plancovenant andwith metricthe information. local land charges register.

Find

Working outwith howdevelopers who wish to reviewbuy thestatutory biodiversity gain plan template. 

credits

Checking metric calculations 

LPAs areshould responsibletalk to the developer as soon as a potential need for reviewingstatutory andbiodiversity checkingcredits metrichas toolbeen calculationsidentified. 

LPAs submittedneed to be satisfied by developers,the asevidence partthat ofnot assessingenough whetheron-site theyor off-site gains can achievebe made to meet the 10% biodiversityBNG gain.  requirement, before they allow developers to buy statutory credits.

LocalWhen authoritiesit’s mustagreed reportthat ona biodiversitydeveloper gainscan thatbuy arestatutory deliveredcredits, andLPAs expectedshould tosend beemail delivered.confirmation Informationof fromthis biodiversitywithout metricdelay, calculationsso couldthat support the dutyfinal tobiodiversity reportgain onplan biodiversitycan gains. be submitted.

Metric

They calculationsshould advise developers not to assess 

Thebuy statutory biodiversitycredits metricuntil toolthey mustare beable used to createdischarge the(fulfil) biodiversitytheir gainnon-BNG plan.pre-commencement planning conditions.

LPAs shouldmay notneed acceptto calculationsadvise madedevelopers withon previousbespoke versionsBNG compensation if they are building on some types of habitat. When developers use the metric tooltool, (4.0it andwill before).tell them if they need to make bespoke compensation. They cannot buy statutory biodiversity credits if they are required to make bespoke compensation.

2. Reviewing the biodiversity gain plan

SmallAfter sitesplanning permission has been given, developers can choosesubmit their biodiversity gain plan for the LPA to usereview. The aLPA simplerwill smallthen sitesneed versionto ofdecide whether to approve the metric.  biodiversity gain plan by considering whether the 10% BNG is achieved.

What to check

LPAs should assesscheck smallthe sitesbiodiversity calculationsgain inplan explains:   

• how the samedeveloper wayhas asapplied calculationsthe madebiodiversity forgain largerhierarchy
• the sitesbiodiversity usingunit values before and after development
• how the statutorydeveloper biodiversitywill metricdeliver tool.the LPAs10% BNG

As cannotpart expectof atheir developerbiodiversity togain useplan, anythe specificdeveloper consultantmust orsubmit ecologist. their:

Developers

• completed shouldbiodiversity submitmetric acalculation
• plans copyfor ofbefore theand metricafter calculationdevelopment with(showing the planninglocation applicationof ason-site supportinghabitat evidenceand the direction of thenorth habitat’sand biodiversitydrawn valueto beforean development.  
  identified scale)

The final metric calculation showing the value before and after proposed development does not have to be completed until the final biodiversity gain plan is submitted, although it can be shared earlier. earlier.

The LPA must assess and decide whether to approve the final biodiversity metric calculation. It is up to the LPA to determine what expertise is needed to help assess the biodiversity metric submitted with the biodiversity gain plan. They may decide to use an ecologist or one of their planning officers. officers.

Developers must submit their completed biodiversity metric calculation with their biodiversity gain plan.  

LPAs need to: to check that:

• decide what expertise they need to review the biodiversity metric 
• check that the pre-development, post development and total net change calculations match  match
• check that it meets the trading rules rules
• check that the developer’s habitat valuationvaluations isare accurate accurate
• report on biodiversity gains that the developer delivers and expects to deliver 

If a small site development uses off-site gains in their main biodiversity metric, LPAs need to manually check the trading rules in the biodiversity gain plan. plan.

ReadThe guidancedeveloper aboutmust also provide any of the statutoryfollowing biodiversitythat metric.apply to their application:

See

• compensation allplan if the development impacts irreplaceable habitats
• site’s reference numbers from the biodiversity gain sites register
• proof that they need statutory credits
• statutory biodiversity metriccredits calculationproof toolsof purchase
• habitat management and guidesmonitoring plan

There is a biodiversity gain plan template.. It is not mandatory, but asking developers to use it could help with standardising the submission of biodiversity gain plan and metric information.

SupportChecking the biodiversity gain sites register for off-site gains 

LPAs onshould check that the amount and type of any off-site gains listed in the developer’s biodiversity metric 

Recordedgain webinarsplan arematch availablethe fromallocation recorded on the Localbiodiversity Governmentgain Association’ssites Planningregister, Advisoryoperated Service. 

Checkingby habitatNatural surveys 

England.

ToBefore reviewthe habitatLPA surveys,approves LPAsa maybiodiversity needgain toplan, check: it must check that:

• aerialany photos off-site gains in the plan have been registered
• protectedthose sitesoff-site andgains species have been recorded as allocated to the development in question
• localthe environmentalbiodiversity recordvalue centres of the gains in the gain plan match the value recorded on the register

Developers do not need to register or allocate:

• otheron-site data sources gains
• withstatutory localbiodiversity ecologistscredits

How orto habitatcheck specialiststhe toright getstatutory credits have been purchased

With their advice  

biodiversity gain plan, the developer will provide proof of purchase of statutory biodiversity credits, which will state the number of statutory credits of each tier they have bought. 

They will also provide their final metric calculation. LPAs onlywill need to check informationthat that’sthe relevantdeveloper tohas bought the habitatcorrect survey. 

Developmentsnumber forof on-sitestatutory gainscredits withinfrom smalleach sitesprice dotier, notusing needthe tounit submitshortfall habitatsummary surveys. from their metric calculation.

Checking3. developersApproving sellingthe excessbiodiversity on-sitegain gains plan

IfLPAs amust developerdecide planswhether to sellapprove excessa on-sitebiodiversity gainsgain forplan anotherwithin development8 toweeks. useLPAs asmust off-sitenotify gains,the applicant with the decision.

If the LPA shouldapproves bethe satisfiedbiodiversity that: 

• gain plan, they must publish the on-sitedecision excesson gainstheir countplanning asregister. 

  Developers significant 

• thecannot usestart ofwork significanton excessa on-sitedevelopment gainsuntil isthe clearLPA inhas approved the biodiversity gain planplan.

  LAs formust thereport otheron development 

• thebiodiversity gains that are legallydelivered secured,and allocatedexpected andto registered,be asdelivered. forInformation anyfrom off-sitebiodiversity gains 
metric calculations could support the duty to report on biodiversity gains.

Monitoring BNG

IfThe theseperson conditionsresponsible arefor notensuring met, the LPAlandowner shoulddoes notwhat acceptthey have committed to do is the useother ofparty excessto on-sitethe gainslegal foragreement. anotherWhere development’sa planning obligation secures on-site or off-site BNG.  

Checkinggains, the biodiversityLPA gainshould sitesenforce registerthe foragreement. Where on-site or off-site gains  

Youare shouldsecured checkby thata conservation covenant, the amountresponsible andbody typeshould ofenforce anythe off-siteagreement. 

The gainsLPA listedor inresponsible body should:

• monitor whether the developer’slandowner biodiversityis gainmeeting plantheir matchobligations
• take theaction allocationif recordedthey do not

Actions LPAs should take on themandatory biodiversity net gain

Setting siteslocal register.policies Theto registersupport isBNG 

LPAs operatedcan byset Naturalpolicies Englandto andsupport available when BNG. becomesThey mandatory.  

Beforecan youidentify approvelocal aareas biodiversitysuitable gainfor plan,habitat youcreation mustand checkenhancement that: to help: 

• anylandowners off-sitewho gainswant into thesell planoff-site havebiodiversity been registered units
• thosedevelopers off-sitewho gainsneed haveto beencomply recordedwith asthe allocatedBNG torequirements

LPAs thecan developmentmake insure question developers know about: 

• the biodiversityrequirement valuefor of10% theBNG
• local gainspolicy inrequirements thefor gainBNG, plansuch matchas thelocal valuenature recordedrecovery on the register strategies

On-siteIf gainsthe dolocal notnature needrecovery tostrategy behas registerednot oryet allocated.been Statutorypublished, biodiversityLPAs creditsshould alsosay dowhat notplans needare tocurrently bein registered or allocated. place. 

Secure

Local gainsnature withrecovery astrategies legalidentify agreement 

Findthe outplaces howand landhabitats managers,that developers,are localmost planningbeneficial authoritiesfor nature and responsibleget bodies15% canmore legallybiodiversity secureunits landin orthe biodiversity metric than the same habitat enhancementscreated forelsewhere.

Find out about biodiversity netunits gain.in guidance about off-site gains .

BeforeFind LPAsout createabout aidentifying legalhabitat agreement,of theystrategic mustsignificance check: 

• thatfor theylocal havenature therecovery rightin licences,guidance consentsabout andcomplying permits 
• thatwith the baselinebiodiversity duty.

  Facilitating transactions of units between buyer and habitatssellers areto accurate 

• ifsupport the habitatavailability orof enhancementbiodiversity isunits

  LPAs may withinbe theable wildlifeto consultationintroduce areasellers ofand anbuyers aerodrometo andeach other by: 

  • developing matching services
  • providing a habitat bank register that itlists doeslocal notgain harmsites aircraftfor operations sale

  Off-site

  This gainsactivity onis landoptional ownedbut bymay asupport localthe planningavailability authority 

  Howof tobiodiversity legallyunits securefor gains 

  Developersmandatory canbiodiversity makenet off-sitegain.

  Off-site gains on land owned by an LPALA 

  There andare shouldoptions followavailable theto guidancesecure forLA off-siteland gains. using legal agreements (section 106 and conservation covenants).

  LPAsLAs cannot secure gains using legal agreements with themselves, so they must secure their land in other ways. ways.

  Securing LA land using a section 106 agreement agreement

  There are 3 options for LPAsLAs to secure their land with a section 106 agreement. agreement.

  1.Special purpose vehicle vehicle

  The LPALA can set up a special purpose vehicle and enter a section 106 agreement with them. The special purpose vehicle will carry out the habitat enhancement work and the LPALA must check that they meet their responsibilities. responsibilities.

  2.Enter an agreement with the county council or district council

  If the LPALA is not a unitary authority, they can enter a section 106 agreement with the county council. The LPALA will carry out the habitat enhancement work and the county council must check that they meet their responsibilities. responsibilities.

  3.Lease the land to a tenant tenant

  The LPALA can lease their land to a tenant and enter a section 106 agreement with them. The tenant will carry out the habitat enhancement work and the LPALA must check that they meet their responsibilities. responsibilities.

  Securing LA  land using a conservation covenant agreement agreement

  There are 3 options for LPAsLAs to secure their land with a conservation covenant agreement: :

  1.The LPALA carries out the habitat enhancement works works

  Enter an agreement where the LPALA will carry out the habitat enhancement work and the responsible body must check that they meet their responsibilities. responsibilities.

  2.The responsible body carries out the habitat enhancement works works

  Enter an agreement where the responsible body will carry out the habitat enhancement work and the LPALA must check that they meet their responsibilities. responsibilities.

  3.The tenant carries out the habitat enhancement works works

  The LPALA can lease their land to a tenant and enter an agreement with them. The tenant will carry out the habitat enhancement work and the LPALA must check that they meet their responsibilities. responsibilities.

  The LPALA must register the planning obligation or conservation covenant with the local land charges register. .

  Monitoring BNG 

  TheGive personfeedback responsibleon forthis ensuringguidance the landowner does what they have committed to do is the other party to the legal agreement. Where a planning obligation secures on-site or off-site gains, the LPA will enforce the agreement. Where on-site or off-site gains are secured by acompleting conservation covenant, the responsible body will enforce the agreement.  

  The LPA or responsible body should: 

  • monitor whether the landowner is meeting their obligations 
  • take action if they do not 

  Working with developers who wish to buy statutory biodiversity credits 

  LPAs should talk to the developer as soon as a potentialshort need for statutory biodiversity credits has been identified.  

  LPAs need to be satisfied by the evidence that not enough on-site or off-site gains can be made to meet the 10% BNG requirement, before they allow developers to buy statutory creditssurvey. .

  When it’s agreed that a developer can buy statutory credits, LPAs should send email confirmation of this without delay, so that the final biodiversity gain plan can be submitted.