Picture credit: Josephine Amalie Paysen on Unsplash

Although I’m sure some of us have speculated on how much easier our working lives would be if we never again found the great crested newt on site, we do want endangered species to survive, so the introduction of the new biodiversity net gain (BNG) regime is a positive step towards protecting the UK’s biodiversity.

The scheme came into effect in February 2024 for large projects, and in April 2024 for small projects of 10 dwellings or fewer. As you probably know, it means that the land on and around a new development must be left in a better condition than before construction began, in terms of the nature present.

The goal of biodiversity net gain is to protect, preserve and enhance the natural world. The 2023 State of Nature report revealed that the distributions of 54% of flowering plant species and 59% of bryophytes (mosses and liverworts) have decreased across Great Britain. On top of that, 151 terrestrial and freshwater species are extinct in Great Britain, with a further 1,500 threatened with extinction.

Recent research shows that the BNG protections could preserve around 15,000 hectares of biodiverse wildlife each year which, at the very least, is a step in the right direction.

How does BNG work?

There are courses available to get you up to speed on BNG but, in practical terms, a biodiversity gain plan must be submitted after planning permission has been granted but before development of a site begins.

The plan should show how the biodiversity net gain objective of a minimum of 10% will be met. More may be required for specific sites. The statutory biodiversity metric is used to calculate the target based on the value of the habitat/s to wildlife. If it’s not feasible to meet this objective on site, the other two options are to register offsite gains (using habitat banks, ideally nearby) or to purchase biodiversity credits. Purchasing credits is the least attractive and most expensive option.

Nature and the benefits for human health

Aside from the benefits to the natural world, those of us who work on projects related to health or social care are no doubt already aware of the benefits wildlife can have on both physical wellbeing and recovery, and mental health.

In a study at the University of Exeter, published in 2019, researchers found that people who spent two hours a week in green spaces such as local parks or other natural environments, were substantially more likely to report good health and psychological wellbeing than people who didn’t. The time can be split into multiple visits or experienced all at once. This was a robust study, involving 20,000 participants from a wide range of backgrounds in terms of health, wealth, occupations and ethnicities.

So it’s clear that, aside from the benefit to our ecosystems in the UK, BNG may also make it easier for people to spend at least two hours in nature, leading to better all-round health.

Potential flood reduction

Another side benefit of BNG is that preserving natural habitats can reduce flood risk, which is a significant benefit when 5.2 million homes and properties in England are at risk of flooding. Natural flood management, such as preserving and restoring peatland and sea marshes, tree planting, increasing green spaces and removing hard surfacing can all improve drainage and reduce flooding.

So overall, while BNG will add costs to projects, and may potentially cause delays, if it means greater preservation of natural habitats, and the associated benefits for us in terms of health and reduced flood-risk, it’s hard to argue that BNG is anything but a positive addition to the way we work.

And it’s useful to note that there are digital tools and niche firms able to speed up the process and provide you with all the documentation needed for BNG. If you’re working on a project where you can’t afford to lose any time, and there’s room in the budget, this could be worth considering.

What do you think about BNG? I’m always interested to hear from you.

Meanwhile, if you need assistance with the structural elements of an upcoming project, please do get in touch.