The Wildlife Trusts have been influencing the evolution of Biodiversity Net Gain for well over a decade – and want to see high standards set for its delivery. There is a nature crisis in the UK – one in six species are at risk of extinction and the UK is one of the most nature depleted countries in the world. Done well, Biodiversity Net Gain could make a positive contribution towards nature’s recovery and help address the climate emergency in the process.

However, The Wildlife Trusts are concerned that Biodiversity Net Gain is not currently on track to play its part in addressing the severity of the continuing nature crisis – and that current ambition is set too low. In a new briefing published today, The Wildlife Trusts outline a series of measures to raise that ambition, including:

• Developers and local authorities go beyond the minimum requirements and aim for at least a 20% gain for nature
• UK Government to change policy and guidance so the sale of excess biodiversity units is prevented
• No further broadening of permitted development rules and government to provide policy guidance to ensure Biodiversity Net Gain for permitted development is made a matter for local consideration rather than a blanket exemption
• Local Planning Authorities to be resourced with the right level of skills and capacity across departments to oversee the Biodiversity Net Gain process to ensure it is properly implemented, monitored and enforced
• Biodiversity Net Gain to be ‘additional’ to existing mechanisms for nature conservation and enhancement.

Rachel Hackett, planning and development manager at The Wildlife Trusts, says:

"We are wrestling with two inextricably linked crises – helping nature to recover is fundamental to addressing climate change. So it’s extremely disappointing to see that some of the rules and guidelines for Biodiversity Net Gain fall short of their intended ambition and we will continue to call for regulations and guidance to be more effective.

“Given the uncertainties surrounding habitat creation, a gain of 10% will at best hold the tide against nature loss to development and provide a contingency to ensure no overall loss of biodiversity. But if we want to secure real recovery for nature, we need to see at least 20% gain – and for UK Government to reverse the decision to enable developers to sell on excess units.”

Read The Wildlife Trusts' briefing

The Wildlife Trusts' briefing, A new era for nature positive development: Biodiversity Net Gain and The Wildlife Trusts, includes good examples of nature-positive developments (approved and delivered prior to the Defra metric and formal application of Biodiversity Net Gain legislation) that involve individual Wildlife Trusts in some way. They include:

• A floodplain in Oxfordshire where natural processes are being restored, and Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust is registering with the Local Planning Authority through a S106 agreement (read definition here) and will be providing biodiversity units directly to local developers wanting to achieve a minimum of 10% Biodiversity Net Gain for their new developments.
• Trumpington Meadows, a blend of housing estate, country park and nature reserve on the edge of Cambridge;
• Woodberry Wetlands where Berkeley Homes (the developers), Thames Water and Hackney Council worked with London Wildlife Trust to create a vision for regenerating a housing estate;

For decades, building development has been a significant cause of nature loss. But the new legal requirement in England, Biodiversity Net Gain, offers the potential for developers to take a more positive approach. Put simply, this new duty will require developers to deliver measurably more for nature than is lost through development.

These new obligations do not replace existing requirements to avoid impacts to wildlife. Nor do they give developers free rein to damage habitats on a promise that harm can be rectified elsewhere. But where, as a last resort, damage to habitats cannot be avoided, developers will be legally required to ensure an increase of at least 10% more biodiversity in addition to the required compensation. This will be achieved through the enhancement, restoration or creation of new habitats with an obligation to ensure these gains are managed and maintained for at least 30 years.