Growing green: Changing the face of UK communities with Biodiversity Net Gain

The government’s new Biodiversity Net Gain policy will be a crucial first step towards helping our natural habitats to recover

The UK’s habitats have degraded at a worrying pace after centuries of neglect. The Woodland Trust believes that only 9% of England’s native woods are in good condition, and one-third of all woodland species are diminishing.

It is timely that the Government is taking a leading global position by introducing the new Biodiversity Net Gain policy that will come into effect in November and will empower local planning authorities (LPAs) to require property developers to invest in measures that increase the biodiversity score of sites by at least 10% when they are planning new developments.

Wherever possible, they will do this through on-site measures – installing green roofs, planting wildflowers, creating new habitats and so on. If not, they can look to off-site solutions by buying Biodiversity Units that are generated by landowners who improve the natural habitat of different sites across the country.

Either way, the UK’s biodiversity improves – and the incentives are for solutions as close as possible to the point of development.

Biodiversity Net Gain also requires LPAs to play a role in the nature recovery process

By connecting the required 10% uptick in biodiversity to planning applications, it introduces new responsibilities for LPAs to verify that developers are meeting the necessary requirements during the planning process. It correctly recognises that as crucial players in planning, LPAs will inevitably play a part in the success of any planning policies that boost the UK’s climate and nature goals.

What is unique about Biodiversity Net Gain, though, is that it brings together groups other than LPAs and developers to ensure that our built environment champions more biodiverse communities.

The success of the policy cannot rest solely on their shoulders, and biodiversity experts around the country have realised that they must be well-supported if the UK is to become a leader in green housing and nature recovery.

This is where digital solutions and ecologists can help

The easier we can make it for LPAs and developers to understand the nuances and implications of Biodiversity Net Gain, the sooner local communities across the country will be able to see its impact, and the sooner nature can start to recover.

As a researcher with a deep interest in and passion for biodiversity, I strongly believe that Biodiversity Net Gain is a unique opportunity to help businesses, local government, and property developers come together in support of nature.

This is where my work with Joe’s Blooms comes in – I chair the first academic-led, independent Advisory Board established by them, sitting alongside a panel of a wide range of sector specialists, with expertise in bee, community, and pollinator ecology, as well as land management and conservation.

We provide technical advice on the scientific aspects of Biodiversity Net Gain, through a digital solution that can help LPAs and property developers comply with the policy. As a completely independent council, our objective is to make sure that the standards for such tools are of the highest quality, so anyone who uses it can make the best of the opportunities that the policy brings.

Biodiversity Net Gain does not have to be a complex bureaucratic process

Ecology and biodiversity experts who understand the nuances of the subject matter can share expertise with LPAs and developers to prepare them for the policy.

We can help them understand the new biodiversity metric which measures performance and explore a variety of options to elevate their Biodiversity Net Gain score. The more effective we are in sharing knowledge, the easier we can make it for communities to experience the difference.

I am confident that our work will translate into a real impact for communities across the country. If implemented correctly, Biodiversity Net Gain has the potential to improve our health and well-being by creating and enhancing green space in our communities, boost long-term income opportunities through investment and more green jobs, and begin to undo decades of damage by driving the UK’s nature recovery.

Biodiversity Net Gain has the potential to improve our health, enhance green space in our communities, boost long-term income opportunities through investment, and begin to undo decades of damage by driving the UK’s nature recovery

For this to happen, however, we must approach it like a genuine cross-sector initiative. The policy’s success lies in bringing together academics and non-academics, biodiversity and land management experts, property developers, LPAs, and local communities to ensure the reversal of habitat loss and the start of nature recovery in the UK.

This is a world-leading policy that can make us a leader in species and habitat preservation and enhancement. But, this will only become true when Biodiversity Net Gain achieves its full impact, for which we must ensure that even those who lack resources also have the chance to improve biodiversity on their sites.

This piece was written and provided by Dr Robin McArthur, Chair of the Biodiversity Council at Joe’s Blooms.