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A year into mandatory BNG, this guide explains the step-by-step process for both developers and landowners—how to meet biodiversity net gain rules, sell biodiversity units, and work together to deliver long-term nature recovery.
It’s now been a year since Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) became mandatory for most developments in England—and while the dust has settled on the policy itself, many landowners and developers are still working out how the process actually works in practice.
Who’s responsible for what? How do developers meet their obligations? And how do landowners step in to help—and get paid for it?
This article breaks down the biodiversity net gain process from both sides: what developers need to do to comply with planning law, and how landowners can generate and sell biodiversity units through habitat creation.
If you’re submitting a planning application (post-February 2024), and your project isn’t exempt, you’ll need to deliver at least a 10% net gain in biodiversity—and prove it.
Here’s what that typically looks like:
1. Assess the site baseline
Start by hiring an ecologist. They’ll survey your site and use the statutory biodiversity metric to calculate its existing biodiversity value—your “baseline”.
2. Plan your BNG strategy
You’ll need to show how your development will deliver a 10% net gain. This might be through on-site habitat enhancements (like green roofs or tree planting), or off-site gains—buying biodiversity units from a registered landowner. If neither is viable, statutory biodiversity credits from the government are a last-resort option.
3. Prepare a Biodiversity Gain Plan
This document explains how you’ll achieve the required gain. It includes your baseline, enhancement proposals, and a long-term management plan. Your local planning authority must approve this plan before you get permission.
4. Secure the gain legally
Any biodiversity improvements must be guaranteed for at least 30 years. This is typically done through a Section 106 agreement or Conservation Covenant.
5. Obtain planning permission
The council will only grant permission once they’re satisfied your BNG obligations are met.
6. Deliver and maintain the gain
Post-construction, you’re responsible for ensuring the biodiversity improvements are implemented and maintained for three decades. Monitoring and reporting are part of the deal.
BNG also opens up opportunities for landowners to create or enhance habitats—and sell the resulting biodiversity units to developers who need them.
If you’ve got land to restore, here’s how your side of the process unfolds:
1. Identify suitable land
Focus on underused or low-productivity areas—marginal fields, wet patches, rough grassland, or scrubland. These often have great potential for restoration.
2. Work with an ecologist
You’ll need a baseline survey and a plan showing how your land can generate biodiversity units through habitat creation or enhancement, using the statutory metric.
3. Develop a habitat management plan
Decide what habitats you’ll create (woodland, species-rich grassland, ponds, etc.) and how you’ll manage them to meet ecological targets over time.
4. Register your gain site
To sell units, your site must be officially registered on the national Biodiversity Gain Site Register. This adds transparency and allows developers to find and purchase units from you.
5. Enter a legal agreement
You’ll need to secure the long-term delivery of biodiversity gains (30 years minimum) through a Conservation Covenant or Section 106 agreement.
6. Sell your units
Once your site is registered and habitats are planned, you can sell biodiversity units to developers. Unit values vary depending on location, habitat type, and demand.
7. Monitor and report
You’ll need to track habitat condition over time, usually with support from an ecologist, and submit periodic reports to confirm you’re meeting your commitments.
BNG works best when developers and landowners collaborate. A local builder might partner with a neighbouring farmer to deliver gains nearby. A landowner with a strong habitat plan might approach developers offering off-site solutions. These relationships benefit both parties—and support long-term nature recovery.
BNG isn’t just about meeting a legal threshold. It’s an opportunity to connect local development with local biodiversity restoration—and create income streams for those managing the land.
Whether you're a developer navigating planning requirements, or a landowner exploring how to make your land BNG-ready, AskGrant is here to help. We offer step-by-step advice, clear guidance, and expert tools to help you through every stage—from metric calculations to site registration and beyond.
A year into mandatory BNG, this guide explains the step-by-step process for both developers and landowners—how to meet biodiversity net gain rules, sell biodiversity units, and work together to deliver long-term nature recovery.
It’s now been a year since Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) became mandatory for most developments in England—and while the dust has settled on the policy itself, many landowners and developers are still working out how the process actually works in practice.
Who’s responsible for what? How do developers meet their obligations? And how do landowners step in to help—and get paid for it?
This article breaks down the biodiversity net gain process from both sides: what developers need to do to comply with planning law, and how landowners can generate and sell biodiversity units through habitat creation.
If you’re submitting a planning application (post-February 2024), and your project isn’t exempt, you’ll need to deliver at least a 10% net gain in biodiversity—and prove it.
Here’s what that typically looks like:
1. Assess the site baseline
Start by hiring an ecologist. They’ll survey your site and use the statutory biodiversity metric to calculate its existing biodiversity value—your “baseline”.
2. Plan your BNG strategy
You’ll need to show how your development will deliver a 10% net gain. This might be through on-site habitat enhancements (like green roofs or tree planting), or off-site gains—buying biodiversity units from a registered landowner. If neither is viable, statutory biodiversity credits from the government are a last-resort option.
3. Prepare a Biodiversity Gain Plan
This document explains how you’ll achieve the required gain. It includes your baseline, enhancement proposals, and a long-term management plan. Your local planning authority must approve this plan before you get permission.
4. Secure the gain legally
Any biodiversity improvements must be guaranteed for at least 30 years. This is typically done through a Section 106 agreement or Conservation Covenant.
5. Obtain planning permission
The council will only grant permission once they’re satisfied your BNG obligations are met.
6. Deliver and maintain the gain
Post-construction, you’re responsible for ensuring the biodiversity improvements are implemented and maintained for three decades. Monitoring and reporting are part of the deal.
BNG also opens up opportunities for landowners to create or enhance habitats—and sell the resulting biodiversity units to developers who need them.
If you’ve got land to restore, here’s how your side of the process unfolds:
1. Identify suitable land
Focus on underused or low-productivity areas—marginal fields, wet patches, rough grassland, or scrubland. These often have great potential for restoration.
2. Work with an ecologist
You’ll need a baseline survey and a plan showing how your land can generate biodiversity units through habitat creation or enhancement, using the statutory metric.
3. Develop a habitat management plan
Decide what habitats you’ll create (woodland, species-rich grassland, ponds, etc.) and how you’ll manage them to meet ecological targets over time.
4. Register your gain site
To sell units, your site must be officially registered on the national Biodiversity Gain Site Register. This adds transparency and allows developers to find and purchase units from you.
5. Enter a legal agreement
You’ll need to secure the long-term delivery of biodiversity gains (30 years minimum) through a Conservation Covenant or Section 106 agreement.
6. Sell your units
Once your site is registered and habitats are planned, you can sell biodiversity units to developers. Unit values vary depending on location, habitat type, and demand.
7. Monitor and report
You’ll need to track habitat condition over time, usually with support from an ecologist, and submit periodic reports to confirm you’re meeting your commitments.
BNG works best when developers and landowners collaborate. A local builder might partner with a neighbouring farmer to deliver gains nearby. A landowner with a strong habitat plan might approach developers offering off-site solutions. These relationships benefit both parties—and support long-term nature recovery.
BNG isn’t just about meeting a legal threshold. It’s an opportunity to connect local development with local biodiversity restoration—and create income streams for those managing the land.
Whether you're a developer navigating planning requirements, or a landowner exploring how to make your land BNG-ready, AskGrant is here to help. We offer step-by-step advice, clear guidance, and expert tools to help you through every stage—from metric calculations to site registration and beyond.
