Biodiversity Net Gain for Property Developments Explained

You are likely already familiar with BNG (due to it now being a legal requirement), but if you are new, below is a quick summary of what it’s all about.

As of February 12th 2024, land managers and property developers in England need to factor in the government’s biodiversity net gain (BNG) initiative into their planning projects.

BNG is an environmental scheme to ensure that wildlife habitats are positively, rather than negatively, impacted by property developments. Developers must now deliver at least 10% biodiversity net gain, which will need to be outlined in the planning application process.

By definition, biodiversity encompasses the variety of life on Earth, from tiny microorganisms to all the flora and fauna. It’s our responsibility to protect this life and encourage it to thrive, and the BNG initiative now makes this a legally binding responsibility.

Biodiversity contributes to the health of our ecosystems, which in turn offers an abundance of benefits to humans. Healthy plants are essential for the production of fruit, vegetables and other plant-based ingredients. Indirectly, grazing livestock also requires healthy grass to thrive.

Plants and trees also contribute to the absorption of carbon dioxide and the release of oxygen, making them an essential contributor to making our air cleaner.

The new planning law will help provide greener places to live and work and more space for wildlife to thrive. Having more green space could also help reduce the impact of flooding.

There are an abundance of ways you can improve biodiversity as a developer, with both on-site and off-site solutions permitted.

Wildflower seeds are an affordable and low maintenance solution—they only require one cut every autumn. You have plenty of options for planting, including in the ground, in flower beds or even on roofs. In meadows, forests or garden areas, they can inhabit over 50 varieties of flowers in a relatively small space, providing a sanctuary for insects and birds. Importantly, wildflowers contribute to pollination and soil health. At Progreen, we sell RHS-approved wildflower seeds that contain a wide variety of UK natives.

You’re not limited to investing in the site you’re working on. You can also invest in nature sites elsewhere, and what better way to do this than joining a tree-growing initiative? Trees don’t just provide habitat and shelter for animals; they also actively remove carbon dioxide and pollutants from the atmosphere, including nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide.

We hope this guide has given you some food for thought on how you can boost biodiversity for your developments. It’s all about reducing the impact that human building work has on the environment. The new initiative isn’t just about mitigating the impact; it’s also about being kinder to natural habitats and leaving them in a better state than before—something we can all be onboard with.