What Local Planning Authorities Must Do to Deliver Biodiversity Net Gain
Biodiversity net gain is now a legal requirement in England, not an optional aspiration. Since mandatory biodiversity net gain came into force through the Environment Act 2021, local planning authorities have become the delivery engine of a statutory system designed to secure measurable biodiversity gains from development. For most planning permissions, biodiversity net gain is […]
What Is the Biodiversity Gain Plan (BGP)? A Simple Guide
Mandatory biodiversity net gain is now a central part of the planning process in England, and it affects most development projects. If you are bringing forward a development proposal, you will almost certainly need a Biodiversity Gain Plan. This blog explains what the Biodiversity Gain Plan is, why it matters, and how it fits into […]
How to Buy BNG Units: A Step-by-Step Guide
Under the UK’s Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) legislation, most developments are now legally required to deliver a measurable uplift in biodiversity. Where this uplift, known as the net gain, cannot be fully achieved on the development site, developers must buy BNG units from third-party habitat banks or, as a last resort, purchase statutory biodiversity credits […]
The UK’s BNG Legislation: Key Facts and 2025 Updates
The requirement for Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) has become a statutory part of the UK planning system, with significant updates rolled out across 2024 and into 2025. Under the Environment Act, all major developments must now deliver a measurable uplift in biodiversity value, with smaller sites joining the scope from April 2024. This blog outlines […]
Is Your Site Eligible For A BNG Exemption? A Checklist Based On Latest Regulations
From February 2024, mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) became a legal requirement for most planning applications under the Environment Act 2021. While the general rule is that all major developments must deliver at least a 10% net gain in biodiversity, there are defined exemptions and carve-outs that may apply in certain cases. Understanding whether your […]
Biodiversity Net Gain Examples: How Developers Are Meeting the 10% Requirement
Under the Environment Act, developers must achieve biodiversity net gain (BNG) on all qualifying development projects. This means delivering a 10% net gain in biodiversity value compared to the site’s baseline, using the statutory biodiversity metric or small sites metric. This blog outlines practical biodiversity net gain examples: how developers are meeting the 10% requirement. […]
How to Register a Biodiversity Gain Site: Costs, Forms & Common Pitfalls
Registration of a gain site on the Biodiversity Gain Site Register is a critical step under the mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) framework. Whether you are a landowner seeking to create a site that can generate biodiversity units or a developer analysing the availability of off‑site biodiversity units, understanding the process, including costs, required forms […]
Biodiversity Gain Site Register: Key Facts for Landowners and Developers
The Biodiversity Gain Site Register is a statutory tool underpinning mandatory BNG (Biodiversity Net Gain) under the Environment Act 2021. It records sites legally committed to delivering off-site biodiversity units, forming a vital part of the biodiversity gain hierarchy. Whether you’re a landowner looking to generate income from your own land or a developer aiming […]
Restoring a 200-Year-Old Parkland: Where Heritage Meets Biodiversity Net Gain
At Civity, we’re proud to offer BNG units from one of Warwickshire’s most exceptional sites – Edstone Park. As leading specialists in Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG), we’ve carefully developed this 200-year-old parkland into a model for how heritage and ecology can work in harmony. This remarkable transformation hasn’t happened overnight. Working with ecological surveys, heritage […]
Want to Sell Biodiversity Units? What Land Managers Need to Know
With biodiversity net gain (BNG) legislation in the UK, the opportunity to sell biodiversity units has become an increasingly attractive proposition for land managers. If you want to sell biodiversity units and are wondering what land managers need to know, this guide outlines the key aspects you should understand beforehand. BNG aims to ensure that […]
