Biodiversity Net Gain (opens new window) means relevant developments must ensure their biodiversity value is increased by at least 10%. The ‘net gain’ can be delivered on-site or off-site, the latter being secured for at least 30 years by conservation covenants.

Biodiversity Net Gain does not change existing legal protections for important habitats and species, and maintains the mitigation hierarchy of firstly avoiding impacts, then mitigating, and only compensating as a last resort.

Local Nature Recovery Strategies will set out the opportunities for recovering and enhancing biodiversity. It is intended that this Plan will align with the six strategies that will cover the Peak District.

For nature

• Net Gain could help speed up the process of improving the condition of existing habitats, making them better for wildlife now and in the future.
• Facilitates the creation of more good quality habitat.
• A strategic approach to Biodiversity Net Gain, through Local Nature Recovery Strategies, can help link habitats across landscapes.
• Improves biodiversity even in areas of significant anthropogenic disturbance.

What else can Biodiversity Net Gain deliver?

• Well considered action for biodiversity often also provides additional benefits, such as natural flood management.
• Increasing biodiversity by creating wildlife-rich habitats may increase carbon sequestration and storage.
• Well-planned and implemented net gain can create green corridors and easier access to nature.
• Securing sites through planning obligations or conservation covenants provides long-term funding for habitat management.
• Businesses have a mechanism to invest in nature recovery, and helps integrate nature into business models.
• Mandatory Net Gain may help raise awareness of our special habitats with developers and others associated with the industry.
• Incorporating natural and greener spaces into new developments can have mental health benefits for the people who will use them and could raise more awareness or support for local nature.

In practice

• Developments that fulfil the following criteria must use the main metric to calculate their biodiversity units:
  • Residential developments of 10 or more dwellings or over half a hectare in size.
  • Office, light industry or retail developments of 1,000 m2 or more, or over one hectare.
• Developments that fulfil the following criteria must use the small sites metric to calculate biodiversity units:
  • Residential developments of between one and nine dwellings on a site of less than one hectare.
  • An unknown number of dwellings on a site of less than half a hectare.
  • Non-residential where floor space to be created is less than 1,000 m2 or the site is less than one hectare.
• 30 year conservation covenants secure off-site gain.
• Biodiversity Net Gain currently does not incorporate important transitional habitats as they are not easily defined, or species-specific habitats such as nest boxes.
• A number of tax implications, for example around Capital Gains Tax, are being discussed by government.
• Developers and providers should refer to existing local guidance when planning Biodiversity Net Gain, for example the Peak District Landscape Strategy (opens new window); Wooded Landscapes Plan (opens new window); and the relevant Local Nature Recovery Strategy.
• Developers should cooperate with ecologists on a site by site basis.
• Biodiversity Net Gain proposals should consider impacts on other interests such as landscape, cultural heritage, carbon sequestration, flood risk, and biodiversity that is not covered by the metric.
• Local Planning Authorities, developers, agents and providers should cooperate to ensure that Biodiversity Net Gain Plans are appropriate to the site on which delivery is proposed.

CASE STUDY Cheshire Wildlife Trust (opens new window)