EcoNorth > What We Do > Biodiversity Net Gain

Biodiversity Net Gain

At EcoNorth, we provide a Biodiversity Net Gain assessment service which is tailored to your project.  Biodiversity Net Gain became a mandatory part of the planning system in England as part of the Environment Act 2021, with a mandatory target of +10% expected to be implemented in November 2023.  However, Biodiversity Net Gain has already been adopted by some local planning authorities requiring developers to deliver a net gain in biodiversity as a prerequisite to achieving planning permission.  Fortunately, we have been providing this service over the past few years including during its early stages of implementation.

What is Biodiversity Net Gain?

The purpose of Biodiversity Net Gain is to ensure that any new development or land management scheme results in an overall increase in biodiversity on site post-works.  Crucially, Biodiversity Net Gain quantifies these changes in biodiversity using a standardised metric, taking into account habitat distinctiveness, condition and area to calculate the resulting ‘biodiversity units’.  This method allows any Biodiversity Net Gain to be measurably demonstrated.

Why is biodiversity important?

Biodiversity is needed to ensure that ecosystems work effectively.  Ecosystems provide free services which go unnoticed day to day, such as food production, soil formation, climate control, flood regulation and carbon storage, as well as providing social, cultural and a wide range of health benefits.

What EcoNorth provides

Typically, EcoNorth staff attend site to carry out a baseline UK Habitat Classification survey and habitat condition assessment to inform a pre-development biodiversity calculation.  We can also carry out a protected species survey at the same time, where required, to help minimise costs.

The survey data and the proposed development plan will then be used to calculate the net change in biodiversity for the proposals.

These results are used as a tool to inform a series of recommendations for the improvement of the post-works scoring and, if possible, to achieve an overall Biodiversity Net Gain within the site boundary. We are happy to consult with design / landscape teams at an early stage, in order to maximise the post-works scoring, whilst still achieving the desired results of the development.

In circumstances where Biodiversity Net Gain cannot be achieved on site, there is a biodiversity off-setting option available, whereby delivering biodiversity off-site may be achievable through liaison with key stakeholders.

The benefits of Biodiversity Net Gain

As well as providing an opportunity to create healthy, biodiverse habitats which can function alongside your development or land management scheme, the Biodiversity Net Gain calculation also provides the LPA with formal confirmation of compliance with the targets for development as set out in the Environment Act 2021.

To find out more or to discuss Biodiversity Net Gain options within your project, please contact us via enquiries@econorth.co.uk or on +44 (0)1670 735 547.