Maximising Biodiversity Net Gain through built environment frameworks
Earlier this year, Biodiversity Net Gain legislation was introduced in England to minimise the impact of built environment projects by ensuring they have a positive and measurable effect on the environment.
What is Biodiversity Net Gain?
Biodiversity Net Gain is the enhancement or creation of natural habitats to improve the strength, richness or diversity of the ecosystems that they support by ensuring that development creates a measurably positive impact on the environment.
The activities that enable this to happen are called Ecological Enhancements, which can range from the rewilding of existing spaces right through to the design and creation of brand new habitats and green infrastructure.
Why is Biodiversity Net Gain important in procurement?
The natural world sustains all human life and activity; from providing clean air, water and food, to materials, medicines and energy.
However, the pace at which it is declining is increasing and with the built environment being responsible for nearly 40% of the world’s energy-related carbon emissions, it is vital that we mitigate this.
Improving biodiversity through sustainable construction practices helps to keep ecosystems balanced, maintains the food chain and protect the plants, animals, insects and micro-organisms within them.
Diverse habitats also improve water, food and air quality, provide flood and climate resilience and create health and wellbeing benefits for communities and individuals.
Biodiversity law is being strengthened in countries across the world but not at the speed needed to sufficiently protect and enhance the natural world. Collectively we all have a moral, ethical and social responsibility to align with best practice and champion sustainable construction.
What are the legal requirements for Biodiversity Net Gain?
In England, as part of the Environment Act 2021, a minimum of 10% Biodiversity Net Gain is mandatory for all projects that require planning permission, meaning:
- A minimum of 10% net gain to habitats must be met and measured using the biodiversity metric.
This is the legal requirement; however, local planning authorities may ask for more than this. The bottom line is, the more BNG the better. - A biodiversity gain plan must be submitted alongside the planning application to the local planning authority.
Habitats must be secured for at least 30 years to fulfil BNG requirements and the maintenance of them is the responsibility of the landowner, supported by planning obligations and conservation covenants.
For developments in London, projects also need to comply with the Urban Greening Factors specified in the London Plan, which requires you to demonstrate an improvement in green coverage by measuring surface area and using specific metrics in line with local plans for each borough.
In Scotland, The Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 and the draft National Planning Framework Policy 3: Nature Crisis (NPF3) include provisions for ‘biodiversity enhancement’. This approach, like net gain, requires the overall improvement of biodiversity, but does not have a specific measure associated with it. The same approach is reflected in Northern Ireland and in Wales regarding the Net Benefits for Biodiversity requirements.
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Measuring Biodiversity Net Gain in built environment projects
Before applying for planning permission, you need a BNG baseline, which determines the biodiversity value for the site depending on the type of habitat that is being created or improved. Some are more valuable and harder to replace than others, so factors such as size, quality, location and type of biodiversity are considered as part of this.
It is widely agreed that best practice is to deliver Biodiversity Net Gain on-site, as this has the greatest impact. This can be done through landscape planning and green design to incorporate ponds, wildflower beds, native hedgerows, wildlife corridors and green rooves. On-site outcomes should be prioritised, but if they are not possible, BNG can be delivered within the same planning authority through off-site Biodiversity Net Gain.
If there are valid reasons that it can’t be delivered on-site or off-site, or if BNG credits are bought which is also known as Environmental Offsetting, something called the Spatial Risk Multiplier is applied. This is a metric which lowers the value of the BNG activity, making it harder to meet the 10% requirement. This has significant cost, time and resource implications for organisations and acts as a deterrent to discourage the use of these approaches.
What are the benefits of using built environment frameworks?
- Access technical expertise
Through direct award frameworks like our suite of Consultancy, Construction, Civil Engineering and Utilities frameworks, you can engage with biodiversity experts, ecologists and specialists at the start of your project who can help you to identify the most impactful BNG outcomes.
Whether you need a marine biologist, a botanist or a rewilding expert, Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) allows specialists to form part of your core project team, and enable them to identify risks and opportunities from the very start. - Demonstrate compliance
Integrating Biodiversity Net Gain conversations into decision-making puts environmental best practice and compliance at the heart of your project - from feasibility and design through to delivery and post-occupancy. Progress is monitored and reported throughout delivery, giving you, your community and your stakeholders peace of mind that all legal and contractual requirements are being met. - Protect the future of your estate
Early Contractor Involvement through SCAPE frameworks allows you to get crucial input from all your stakeholders, and access environmental expertise through our partners, from the very beginning. By discussing your environmental and sustainability aspirations early, we can help you to get Biodiversity Net Gain right first time as well as learn how to effectively maintain the new spaces to achieve additional long-term benefits for your estate like efficiency and value for money. - Tailor biodiversity outcomes for your projects
A Biodiversity Net Gain of 10% is guaranteed, but this can be tailored to meet specific project, type or location requirements – or increased - so that it delivers the maximum benefit, as well as the enhanced social, economic and environmental outcomes created as standard through SCAPE.
Our frameworks are actively performance-managed and regularly audited to ensure the outcomes and support you need are being delivered in line with legal requirements, our framework approach and any KPIs you specify.
Chris Clarke
Director of Performance and Improvement, SCAPE Group
Whether you know what outcomes you need or if you want to discuss your options, our team is ready to support you and help you to improve the biodiversity in your community through sustainable procurement.
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Maximise biodiversity outcomes on your project.
Use your procurement to enhance green spaces and improve biodiversity.
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Written by:
Chris Clarke
Performance and Improvement Director, SCAPE Group
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