16 COMMENT
Name Job Title & Company
Katy Davis Carter Jonas (London)
A fl exible future for BNG compliance
Katy Davis at Carter Jonas (London) argues that, a year after biodiversity net gain became mandatory, fl exibility is essential to ensure onsite ambition aligns with off site realities and genuine ecological outcomes.
year after the introduction of mandatory biodiversity net gain (BNG), Carter Jonas carried out research to understand how the theory of the new policy had translated into practice. Our report, ‘Biodiversity Net Gain: Navigating the Evolving Market,’ analysed more than 3,300 hectares of development land across England and identifi ed some important statistics in relation to on and offsite provision.
A
BNG, introduced under the Environment Act 2021, is intended to ensure that new developments leave a scheme’s biodiversity in a measurably better state, with a statutory minimum uplift of 10%. Few in the industry dispute the principle. The challenge is in how the regulations are implemented, specifi cally the requirement that developers should prioritise onsite solutions before considering offsite options, or purchasing statutory biodiversity credits from the government.
PULL QUOTE (NOT TOO LONG)
IPSUM DOLOR SIT AMET, CONSECTETUR ADIPISCING ELIT, SED DO EIUSMOD
WWW.HBDONLINE.CO.UK
THE SOLUTION IS NOT TO REDUCE BNG, BUT TO REFINE HOW IT IS APPLIED
LOREM
POSITIVE INDUSTRY RESPONSE It should be acknowledged – despite some signifi cant challenges – that the industry’s response, one year on, was positive. Our research shows that 69.4% of proposed schemes already identify BNG solutions at the planning application stage, even though the requirement is technically a pre- commencement condition – demonstrating both pragmatism and goodwill on the part of the developer. And in many cases, developers are going well beyond the minimum requirement. For housebuilders of all sizes, the willingness to engage early is welcome, but unless exibility is built into the system, this momentum could quickly be undermined.
LIMITS OF ONSITE DELIVERY
Our research found that the average habitat baseline value is 3.45 units per hectare. To secure a 10% net gain on a typical 10 ha site, developers must, therefore, enhance
or create habitats to achieve at least 37.95 biodiversity units (BUs). If the required 10% uplift cannot be delivered onsite, the costs for offsite compensation can quickly escalate, and the availability of habitat sites can vary considerably depending on location and habitat type required. We found that only just over half (54.7%) of schemes are currently delivering BNG entirely on site. While this may be achievable on larger, unconstrained developments, it is not always practical. In urban areas, where land is scarce and density is a priority, the space required for habitat creation risks squeezing out much needed housing or open space for communities. Applied rigidly onsite, the impact of this is limited housing density, constrained viability, loss of open spaces for communities and sometimes tokenistic interventions that do little for nature. For housebuilders, the result is fewer homes on the ground and schemes that become harder to balance against local need. Affordable and social housing schemes are particularly exposed. any are located
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