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What BNG 颈蝉听

BNG is an approach to development. It makes sure that habitats for wildlife are left in a measurably better state than they were before the development.

In England, BNG is mandatory under .

Developers must deliver a BNG of听10%. This means a development will result in more or better quality natural habitat than there was before development.听

Find out more about BNG in:

• step by step guidance for developers听

• step by step guidance for land managers

• guidance for local planning authorities (LPAs)

Measuring biodiversity 听

For the purposes of BNG, biodiversity value is measured in standardised biodiversity units.听

A habitat will contain a number of biodiversity units, depending on things like its:鈥�

• size鈥�
• quality鈥�
• location鈥�
• type

Biodiversity units can be lost through development or generated through work to create and enhance habitats.听

Measuring biodiversity value

When considering biodiversity value, you should consult an ecologist. They will:听听

• measure the biodiversity value of your existing habitat听听
• advise on suitable habitat creation or enhancement for the land

Read guidance on using the biodiversity metric.听听

Calculating the units

There is a statutory (official) biodiversity metric, which you must use to measure how many units:

• a habitat contains before development 听
• are needed to replace the units of habitat lost and to achieve 10% BNG

Using the statutory biodiversity metric tool

To calculate the number of biodiversity units for existing habitat, or habitat enhancements to achieve BNG, you must use the calculator called the听statutory biodiversity metric tool.

This tool applies the statutory biodiversity metric formula.听

Read guidance on the biodiversity metric.

Who BNG rules affect听

You need to know about the new rules if you鈥檙e a:听

• developer of major developments听
• developer of small sites鈥€�
• developer of nationally significant infrastructure projects from late November鈥�2025鈥€�
• land manager wanting to sell in the BNG market听
• local planning authority (LPA)听

Exempt developments听

Some developments are exempt from BNG requirements.听

Find out what types of development are exempt.

Ways to achieve BNG: on-site units, off-site units and statutory biodiversity credits听

Through site selection and layout, developers should avoid or reduce any negative impact on biodiversity. They must deliver at least 10% BNG, as measured by the statutory biodiversity metric.

There are 3 ways a developer can achieve BNG.听

1. They can create biodiversity on-site (within the red line boundary of a development site).听
2. If developers cannot achieve all of their BNG on-site, they can deliver through a mixture of on-site and off-site.听Developers can either make off-site biodiversity gains on their own land outside the development site, or buy off-site biodiversity units on the market.
3. If developers cannot achieve on-site or off-site BNG, they must buy statutory biodiversity credits from the government. This should be a last resort. The government will use the revenue to invest in habitat creation in England.听听

Developers can combine all 3 options, but must follow the steps in order. This order of steps is called the biodiversity gain hierarchy.听

Example

A developer cuts down some trees on the site. They must make up for this impact on the habitat, as well as delivering听10% BNG.

They must do a survey of habitat before development and use the statutory biodiversity metric to explore options. This tells them how to make up for the loss of the trees and what more they need to do to achieve 10% BNG.

If they cannot achieve the 10% BNG by creating and enhancing on-site habitats, they must buy off-site units.

If that is not enough to achieve BNG, they must buy statutory biodiversity credits.听听

Creating, enhancing and maintaining habitats to deliver BNG听

The land owner is legally responsible for creating or enhancing habitat, and managing that habitat for at least 30 years to achieve the target condition.听This applies if you make on-site gains or sell off-site gains on a site you own. If you buy off-site units, you are paying the land manager to manage the land for 30 years to achieve the target condition.听

What developers have to do听

There is step by step guidance for developers.听

Unless exempt, developers in England are required to provide 10% BNG on all habitats within the redline boundary of their development, whether or not they are impacted.听Separate arrangements apply to on-site irreplaceable habitat.

You must try to avoid loss of habitat when doing development work. Developers must deliver at least 10% BNG, either on-site or off-site, or as a last resort by buying statutory biodiversity credits.听听

You should check if the LPA requires you to deliver more BNG.

For off-site gains and significant on-site gains, you must maintain the habitats you create or enhance for a minimum of 30 years. The responsibilities will be set out in a legal agreement.听

The following guides will help you:听

• when you use off-site units, record the allocation of off-site biodiversity gains on the public biodiversity gain sites register, with the land owner鈥檚 permission听听
• estimate the cost of and buy statutory biodiversity credits if you鈥檙e unable to use on-site or off-site units听

Exploring options and using the biodiversity metric听

Read guidance on your options and how to find registered off-site units to buy.听

You should discuss your plans with an ecologist, who will measure the biodiversity value of your existing habitat and explore ways to achieve BNG using the metric tool.

If you have a small development, you don鈥檛 need an ecologist. You can either use the simpler small sites biodiversity metric tool yourself, or someone familiar with the site can do a survey and make a calculation. This could be the project manager, a gardener or a landscape architect.鈥�

Read guidance on the biodiversity metric.听

Planning permission and biodiversity gain plans听听

When you apply to the LPA for planning permission, you will need to confirm whether your development is exempt from BNG.

If it is not exempt, you will need to provide information about how you intend to meet the鈥�BNG鈥痮bjective, including details of proposed significant on-site enhancements.听听

Find out what information you need to submit with your planning application.

You may need a鈥�legal agreement. The terms of the agreement will set out responsibilities for creating, enhancing, monitoring and reporting.鈥� You might also need a鈥�habitat management and monitoring plan (HMMP).

If the LPA grants planning permission, you will need to create a biodiversity gain plan that shows how you will achieve鈥�BNG.鈥痀ou must provide evidence for some of your鈥�BNG鈥痉别肠颈蝉颈辞苍蝉.

You must submit your biodiversity gain plan, including a metric tool calculation that shows how you will meet your mandatory BNG, to the LPA. The LPA must approve or refuse your biodiversity gain plan within 8 weeks. 听

The LPA must approve your biodiversity gain plan before you can start development.听

You must manage and maintain for 30 years, starting from when you complete the development. This includes when you complete creating or enhancing any on-site habitat (for example, after one year of tree planting, pond digging or seeding).

If you do not meet your BNG requirements, you might be in breach of planning conditions, planning obligations or legal agreement. The LPA could take enforcement action against you.听听听

What land managers听have to do

Read step by step guidance for land managers.听

鈥楲and manager鈥� refers to these different roles across BNG guidance:听

• landowner听
• farmer听
• estate owner听
• habitat bank operator听
• facilities, property or estate manager听
• land agent听
• land advisor听听
• planning authority using land they own听
• developer using land they own听

Selling on the BNG market is a choice for land managers. It is a potential source of revenue and could fund nature recovery work on your land. You can sell off-site biodiversity units on your land to developers, who may need to buy these under mandatory BNG requirements.听

Registering a site and recording units

You will need to sign a legal agreement with a responsible body or local authority. The legal agreement will set out how you will create, enhance, maintain and monitor the biodiversity of your registered units to deliver off-site biodiversity net gain.鈥� It must last for a minimum of 30 years.

When you sell your units, you (or the developer, with your permission) need to apply to record the allocation of off-site biodiversity gains to a development.

Before you apply to record the allocation of units, you need to register your land as a biodiversity gain site on the national biodiversity gain sites register.

What LPAs听have to do

Read guidance for LPAs.听

Further information听听

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