And Just like that, the BNG has officially arrived

Today, the 12^th February 2024, marks the start of mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain for planning permissions in England. Unless an exemption applies, sites subject to planning permission will now need to demonstrate at least a 10% increase in the biodiversity value of the site in relation to the pre-development biodiversity value.

BNG was introduced by the Environment Act back in 2021, but the start of mandatory regulations marks a shift from the small, voluntary market to a nationwide marketplace for BNG units.

The statutory biodiversity metric is used to calculate the pre-development and post-development biodiversity value of the development’s onsite habitat, as well as the value for any offsite biodiversity gains. It uses habitat information to generate “biodiversity units”, a proxy measure for biodiversity value. The statutory biodiversity metric data value inputs include habitat type, size, distinctiveness, condition, and its location.

For land managers interested in whether BNG would suit their business, Ceres Rural is able to provide a practical, high-level review of their land’s BNG potential. Our experts can assess the cost benefit analysis of creating a BNG scheme, whilst providing insightful comparisons surrounding the opportunities under Countryside Stewardship and the Sustainable Farming Incentive.

We can help identify land within your business that works best for BNG unit creation and can guide you through the options for creating BNG units – for example, the establishment and management of units yourself, or using a third party to establish and sell the units.

Our partnership with Ceres Property provides market leading expertise on the BNG market, helping to identify buyers for units and brokering deals with developers to help them unlock their planning permissions.

Whilst the introduction of BNG is not a surprise, nor is BNG a particularly new concept, we know for many landowners it still feels daunting and unfamiliar territory. So, if this is the case for you, know you are not alone, and know that should you need us, we are here to help guide you. No matter how far along your BNG journey you are, there is support Ceres Group can offer.

For more information or assistance, contact Chloe Timberlake on 07879 911332, or email chloe.timberlake@ceresrural.co.uk.