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What irreplaceable habitat is

Irreplaceable habitat is very difficult (or takes a very long time) to restore, create or replace once it has been destroyed. This may be due to its:聽

• 补驳别听

• 耻苍颈辩耻别苍别蝉蝉听

• species diversity聽

• 谤补谤颈迟测听

Irreplaceable habitat includes some of England鈥檚 most ecologically valuable terrestrial and intertidal habitat.鈥�鈥疐or example:聽

• ancient woodland聽

• ancient and veteran trees聽

• blanket bog聽

• limestone pavements聽

• coastal sand dunes聽

• spartina saltmarsh swards聽

• mediterranean saltmarsh scrub聽

• lowland fens聽

See the definition and full list of irreplaceable habitat for鈥�BNG in the鈥�.

Development on irreplaceable habitat聽

You will only get planning permission for development that results in loss of irreplaceable habitat in exceptional circumstances.听

The 10%鈥�BNG鈥痳equirement does not apply when there is loss of irreplaceable habitat because it would be impossible to achieve.听

Instead, you need to minimise adverse impacts and agree a compensation strategy with the planning authority.

Read the鈥�national planning policy framework on irreplaceable habitat.

Compensation rules for irreplaceable habitat聽

Special compensation rules apply to irreplaceable habitat.听

If planning permission is given you will need to agree a compensation strategy with the LPA.听

Compensation for irreplaceable habitat needs to be relative to the baseline habitat type. The鈥�LPA 鈥痺ill agree compensation as part of the determination of the planning application, on a case-by-case basis.听

Read more in the biodiversity net gain planning practice guidance.听

What developers need to do聽

1. Consider irreplaceable habitat from the start聽

Think about irreplaceable habitat at the design and planning stage, and look at how to avoid any adverse impacts.听

At the planning application stage, you will need to satisfy the 鈥�minimum information requirements.鈥�

You will need to provide:聽

• a description of any irreplaceable habitat on site at the date of the planning application聽

• a plan of existing irreplaceable habitat on site at the date of the planning application聽

Your local planning authority may ask you for more information related to biodiversity net gain and wider planning policies designed to protect the environment.听聽

Find out more in the biodiversity net gain planning practice guidance.

2. Record irreplaceable habitat in your BNG 肠补濒肠耻濒补迟颈辞苍听

You must record all irreplaceable habitat on your site in the metric calculation tool, regardless of whether they will be affected by the proposed development.听

When there are adverse impacts to irreplaceable habitat 聽聽

Impacts to irreplaceable habitat cannot be measured by the biodiversity metric and are automatically removed from the baseline calculation in the tool.鈥�鈥���

Do not record any bespoke compensation action for losses of irreplaceable habitat within the enhancement or creation sheets of the biodiversity metric.听

Find out more in the鈥�statutory biodiversity metric user guide.听

When irreplaceable habitat is enhanced聽

Where there are no losses or deterioration of irreplaceable habitat, you must record enhancements in the metric calculation tool and include them in the baseline calculations.听

Enhancement works may contribute towards the calculation of post-development biodiversity units.听

Enhancement works must be ecologically appropriate and not have any adverse impacts on irreplaceable habitat.听

When the development site includes irreplaceable and non-irreplaceable habitat聽

You must achieve at least 10% BNG 鈥痮n non-irreplaceable habitat on your development site. 聽

This is in addition to agreeing bespoke compensation for impacts on irreplaceable habitat, which cannot count towards your BNG 谤别辩耻颈谤别尘别苍迟.鈥���

3. Record irreplaceable habitat in the biodiversity gain plan聽

If planning permission has been granted for development on a site that includes irreplaceable habitat, you will need to provide details in the鈥�biodiversity gain plan鈥痜or the development.

This should include:聽

• type, extent and condition of any irreplaceable habitat there is before development聽

• any expected changes in irreplaceable habitat type, extent and condition as a result of development聽

• actions taken to minimise adverse impacts to irreplaceable habitat聽

• compensation plan聽

Special arrangements apply for the treatment of irreplaceable habitat for phased development and permissions granted under section 73.听聽

Find out more in the鈥�biodiversity net gain planning practice guidance.

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