Plantlife International’s Post

Today is the much anticipated “go-live date” for mandatory biodiversity net gain (BNG) for planning applications for major developments in England.   The impact is likely to be far-reaching. Developers will need to consider their BNG strategy at an early stage and factor in the additional costs. There will be opportunities for landowners who have suitable land for BNG habitat banks. It is likely to take some time for the new regime to bed in and this could cause some initial delays in the planning application process. https://lnkd.in/eHg-MBw7

Yesterday was the first day of England's innovative Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) scheme, which requires new developments to uplift the biodiversity of their sites by 10%, or fund natural habitat elsewhere. England is the first country in the world to make Biodiversity Net Gain a legal requirement. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs views the scheme as a key component of the government's commitment to halt species decline by 2030. Environmental organisations, like Natural England and London Wildlife Trust, have generally welcomed the scheme as an important mechanism to restore biodiversity. The burden of implementation will fall largely on developers, especially small developers, who may find the cost of implementation problematic. Local authorities will also have to manage the process of assessing BNG in planning applications and then monitoring and reporting on BNG. There are also concerns that food production will suffer if farmland is converted to wildlife habitat. The BNG legislation is a creative approach to acknowledging the cost to nature of unconstrained development, and will potentially bring substantial funding to improving biodiversity. As with all innovations, BNG practises will need to be refined over time, but meanwhile, a number of other countries will be watching England with interest. #biodiversity #greenfinance #environment #naturalcapital #impactinvesting Environment Bank Connected Habitat https://lnkd.in/eVP6w_am

Today, a transformative piece of wildlife legislation has come into effect, marking a pivotal step forward in environmental conservation.   Developers in England are now mandated to achieve a minimum 10% Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) when embarking on major new projects – with requirements for minor developments imminent.   BNG brings a much-needed transition from mitigation to true restoration and regeneration, we can no longer be content to just ‘minimise’ the impact on habitats instead focusing on delivering quantifiable improvements and greener spaces. It is important from the outset that we strive for:   - Transparency and accountability - will be paramount to ensure BNG plans deliver genuine gains. This goes hand-in-hand with collaboration between developers, ecologists, design teams and contractors through all project stages will help prevent unintended consequences.   - Quality, not just quantity - will be key in steering us towards more ecologically sound practices, creating interconnected ecosystems across the built environment.   - Education and advocacy - while this legislation reflects progress, a cultural shift is required to ensure BNG translates into real improvement for the ecosystems we strive to protect.   At Mace, we are on a journey where responsible development coexists with nature, and each project contributes positively to the world around us. https://lnkd.in/e9a7uNTz   #BNG #nature #biodiversity #builtenvironment #sustainability

This is a step the rest of the industry should take. As we start to get a handle on even how to measure our impacts and then reduce carbon emissions in the projects we build, we will need to also turn attention to resilience and response - to survive - and to biodiversity so we can point nature toward restoration. It's great that England is integrating this philosophy in a meaningful way.

⚠️🌿 Are you ready for Biodiversity Net Gain? After some delays to the enforcement date, and much anticipation from the industry, a definitive launch date for mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain (#BNG) has now been published by the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). From the 12th February, planning permissions for all major development projects in England and Wales will be required to provide a 10% net gain for biodiversity. Major development includes: 🔹Residential developments with 10 or more dwellings, or where the site area is greater than 0.5 hectares. 🔹 Commercial development where floor space created is greater than 1000 sqm, or the total site area is greater than 1 hectare. BNG for small sites will have an extended transition period, and will be enforced for planning permissions submitted from the 2nd April 2024. Longevity Partners can support you in staying on top of the evolving environmental policy landscape in the UK, as well as with practical design-stage support. Get in touch for more information. #BiodiversityNetGain #NatureRecovery #biodiversity #policyupdate #LongevityPartners

Read our new LAND360 blog!🌳♻️ With the new government Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) legislation now live in England, housing developers may need to turn to farmers and land managers to help them create biodiversity uplift through off-site habitat creation projects, if it cannot be achieved directly on their development sites. Farmers and land owners therefore have the opportunity to bring in new income streams and should consider drawing up a biodiversity management plan to make the most of this rising demand. Within this blog we detail the crucial steps farmers and land owners need to consider when creating a biodiversity management plan. Read more here: https://hubs.ly/Q02t7Yr20 #LAND360 #BNG #HousingDevelopers #Farmers #LandOwners #Sustainability

Planning is always topical and something we never get tired of talking about. Biodiversity Net Gain - as of 2 April 2024 is now mandatory for small development sites ✨ Whilst there is plenty of information on the latest mandatory BNG provisions in relation to small developments on Government websites, I have written a short blog which summarises BNG and small development sites and the latest provisions to come into force, and looks at how choosing the right calculation tools can make all the difference to how a project progresses. #roythornes #planninglaw #BNG https://lnkd.in/eypVaUhe

The introduction of mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain requirements has changed the landscape of property development and conservation. In our latest blog, we explore the implications of the BNG requirements for developers, landowners, and farmers alike. We explain what Biodiversity Net Gain is, how it is intended to work, the rules and regulations for developers, and the opportunities it presents for landowners and farmers to secure additional income: https://lnkd.in/d8eD7-pn #DecisionsShared #LegalAdvice #BiodiversityNetGain #Agriculture #LandDevelopment

Pretty excited to read through the 'Blueprint to Repair Australia's Landscapes' report this morning. It presents a clear outline for landscape repair in Australia, distilled to 24 important actions and the investment required to achieve these. Excellent to see the critical and continued role of Indigenous people recognised - as leaders, custodians of country, and knowledge-holders. The highlighting of the opportunity presented by land restoration activity and associated environmental market revenue is significant and encouraging. As an example: 'Our report proposes measures for Australia that are feasible and fiscally responsible. And they also address multiple objectives. For example, restoring native vegetation across 13 million hectares would also abate almost one billion tonnes of carbon dioxide-equivalent – equal to 18% of Australia’s net emissions over the next 30 years. Through carbon markets, private landholders could be paid to regenerate native vegetation. Our analysis shows this could generate 7% to 15% of the investment needed.' None of these are new concepts, but inclusion in the Blueprint re-consolidates their importance. A large number of the practical actions listed sit underneath The Carbon Farming Foundation's umbrella of expertise, and I/we love supporting landowners to undertake these actions. Grateful to the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists for producing such an brilliant, important and compelling release. Certainly gave me a nice extra shot of motivation for today (and beyond). https://lnkd.in/g59fkHi3

Biodiversity net gain #BNG update: I have been asking local authorities how many applications they have had that have accepted that they must provide BNG. Of those that have replied so far, about 70% have told me to look it up myself and 30% have provided figures. So I have looked for BNG applications myself. Although I have only looked at a sample rather than every application, not a single one that I have found has been given planning permission yet, which seems pretty significant. The other interesting finding is the excuses that have been provided for being exempt from BNG: - use of old scanned forms that don't have a BNG section on them - small sites exemption, even when the application was made well after 2 April (tbf they may be getting confused with the de minimis exemption) - retrospective application - quite a lot of self build / custom build - claiming exemption because it's temporary use - vague reasons for the de minimis exemption ('I believe the development is below the threshold', 'built up area', 'no priority habitat', 'semi derelict and no existing natural habitat') - urgent Crown development (which is an exemption in the Environment Act rather than the exemption regulations) I do think that to claim the de minimis exemption you should have to say which habitats you are claiming the land within the red line boundary consists of - previously developed land can have a habitat value, e.g. 'bare ground'. Anyway, I am now tracking at least one application subject to BNG in over 100 local authority areas - watch this space! If anyone knows of an application subject to mandatory BNG that has been granted planning permission, please let me know.