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ARTICLE · 21 JUNE 2024

Biodiversity Net-gain – An Introduction For Landowners

Stephens Scown
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To secure planning permission, new developments must demonstrate a 10% increase in biodiversity, often requiring off-site enhancements. This creates opportunities for landowners to generate revenue by selling biodiversity units, though long-term costs and market risks need careful consideration.

United KingdomEnvironment
Tom Graham
Tom Graham

To secure planning permission, all new developments must be able to demonstrate a 10% increase ("net-gain") in biodiversity. An ecologist will calculate (using a model produced by Defra/Natural England) the existing biodiversity value of the potential development site. The developer must then submit a plan to the local authority showing how it will deliver 110% of that biodiversity value after the development is completed, and maintain that biodiversity for a period of at least 30 years.

The required 10% net-gain in biodiversity can be delivered on the development site itself, but in many cases some or all of it will need to be delivered somewhere else – it is this "off-site" delivery of BNG which brings potential opportunities for farmers and landowners. As well as the 10% net gain, off-site improvements in biodiversity will also often be needed to compensate for the destruction of some of the development site's existing biodiversity, as developments like

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