Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG), is an approach to development and land management that aims to leave the natural environment in a better state than it was before. It is intended to deliver measurable improvements for biodiversity by creating or enhancing habitats together with development. Achieving BNG means that natural habitats will be extended or improved as part of a development or project.
The Environment Act has introduced a 10% mandatory requirement for BNG for most development proposals seeking planning permission in England.
As a result, BNG will be a priority in development as a general principle at Enfield. Open spaces, new buildings and development design should deliver biodiversity benefits throughout the borough.
BNG will be mandatory for major developments from 12 February 2024 and mandatory for minor developments on 2 April 2024, subject to the exemptions summarised below.
Biodiversity Net Gain in planning applications
National guidance
The minimum information which must be submitted is set out below but in more detail at Biodiversity Net Gain Planning Practice Guidance:
- Confirmation that the applicant believes that (if planning permission is granted), the development would be subject to the biodiversity gain condition
- The pre-development biodiversity value(s), either on the date of application or earlier proposed date (as appropriate)
- Where the applicant proposes to use an earlier date, this proposed earlier date and the reasons for proposing that date
- The completed metric calculation tool showing the calculations of the pre-development biodiversity value of the onsite habitat on the date of application (or proposed earlier date) including the publication date of the biodiversity metric used to calculate that value
- A statement whether activities have been carried out before the date of application (or earlier proposed date), that result in loss of onsite biodiversity value (‘degradation’), and where they have:
- a statement to the effect that these activities have been carried out
- the date immediately before these activities were carried out
- the pre-development biodiversity value of the onsite habitat on this date
- the completed metric calculation tool showing the calculations
- any available supporting evidence of this
- A description of any Irreplaceable Habitat (as set out in column 1 of the Schedule to the Biodiversity Gain Requirements (Irreplaceable Habitat) Regulations 2024 on the land to which the application relates, that exists on the date of application, (or an earlier date)
- Plan(s), drawn to an identified scale and showing the direction of North, showing onsite habitat existing on the date of application (or earlier proposed date), including any irreplaceable habitat (if applicable)
If this information has not been provided, the Enfield Local Planning Authority will likely refuse to validate the application. Within the planning application form applicants will be asked to confirm whether this information accompanies the application. Where these details have been provided elsewhere in accompanying documents, applicants are encouraged to cross-reference to these rather than duplicate this information within the application form.
Local guidance
Planning Practice Guidance sets out that Enfield Local Planning Authorities may seek further information (beyond the national minimum information requirements) about the proposed approach to meeting the biodiversity gain objective for the development. In particular, this may be the case where a Local Planning Authority believes BNG would be a material consideration of the application, and the PPG states that BNG will often be a material consideration.
The full headline list of validation requirements below captures both the national requirements and the documents/content which Enfield Local Planning Authority considers necessary to be submitted to validate a BNG-liable planning application:
- Arboriculture Report
- BNG Statement
- BNG plans and drawings
- Completed Biodiversity Metric
- Declaration Form (PDF, 122.67 KB)
- Wildlife/Ecology Survey
Draft Biodiversity Net Gain guidance note
Enfield has produced a guidance note which outlines the local validation requirements, in addition to the Environment Act and National Planning Policy Framework, and guidance from Natural England and the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management. It also sets out how BNG is expected to make a meaningful contribution to nature recovery.
View the draft Biodiversity Net Gain guidance note (PDF, 727.83 KB).
The BNG guidance note provides information on:
- proposed planning validation requirements
- the policy context for BNG and how its delivery aligns with national and local plans, strategies and objectives
- what BNG is, and how and when it applies
- what works are exempt from BNG
- the key stages of the process in relation to planning applications
- how BNG will be secured from development
- how monitoring and enforcement of BNG is proposed to work
Exemptions
The exemptions from mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain, are:
- householder applications
- Section 73 planning permission where the original planning permission was exempt (for example, original planning permission was submitted before 12 February 2024)
- development granted planning permission by a development order under section 59 (includes permitted development rights)
- developments below the ‘de minimis’ threshold - less than 25m2 of area habitat or 5m linear (hedgerow, line of trees, watercourse) habitat and no priority habitat)
- self-build and custom build applications which meet the exemption criteria (no more than 9 dwellings, site no larger than 0.5ha, consists exclusively of dwellings which are self-build or custom housebuilding as defined in section 1(A1) of the Self-build and Custom Housebuilding Act 2015)
- urgent Crown development granted under s293A TCPA 1990
- development of a biodiversity gain site that is solely or mainly for the purpose of fulfilling the biodiversity gain condition for another development
- development related to the High Speed Railway Transport Network
BNG does not apply where planning permission is not required in the following instances:
- Permitted development
- Prior approval applications
- Permission in Principle applications (PIPs) - although applications for subsequent technical details consent are subject to the national deemed biodiversity gain condition
- Listed building consent applications - please note that if these are made jointly with a full application which is not exempt from BNG, then BNG will be required for the full application
For further information, see planning application process.