Guidance

Meet biodiversity net gain requirements: steps for developers

What you need to do as a developer to meet biodiversity net gain (BNG) requirements.

Applies to England

1. Find out about BNG

Understanding BNG

Check if your development is exempt from BNG

2. Decide how you鈥檒l achieve BNG

Find out how you can achieve BNG

What you can count towards a development鈥檚 BNG

3. Measure a habitat or development鈥檚 impact on biodiversity听

Calculate the biodiversity value of your site before development

Calculate how many units your development needs

4. Follow the steps for the BNG option you choose听

There are different steps for each option in the biodiversity gain hierarchy. You can combine all 3 options.听

Make on-site gains听

Enter a legal agreement for your significant on-site gains

Get planning permission

Submit your habitat management and monitoring plan for significant on-site gains

Submit a biodiversity gain plan

Find out more about how to make on-site gains

Make off-site gains听

Find off-site units for sale

Enter a legal agreement for biodiversity net gain

Get planning permission

Agree to buy units

Record the allocation of off-site gains to your development

Submit your habitat management and monitoring plan

Submit a biodiversity gain plan

Find out more about how to make off-site biodiversity gains

Buy statutory biodiversity credits

This option is a last resort if you cannot achieve on-site or off-site BNG.听

Get planning permission

Estimate how much statutory credits will cost

Check the price of statutory biodiversity credits

Buy statutory biodiversity credits

Submit a biodiversity gain plan

Give feedback

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Updates to this page

Published 29 November 2023
Last updated 12 February 2024 show all updates
  1. Updated box at top of page to state that biodiversity net gain (BNG) is mandatory from 12 February 2024 and removed the 'draft guidance' label. Removed information about delivering 10% BNG for at least 30 years as this is not usually a step for developers.

  2. Added information about delivering 10% BNG for 30 years.

  3. First published.

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