Planning Portal join key Biodiversity Net Gain organisations in asking government to review exemptions
Following a meeting with ministers on 4 September, Planning Portal have put their name to a letter calling for a government review into biodiversity net gain (BNG) exemptions.
Launched at the start of this year, 10% BNG requirements aim to ensure permission is granted only when projects can show they make a positive impact on biodiversity. Its establishment marked a significant step for national conservation and sustainability efforts, positioning our planning system as internationally leading on ecology, hailed as the most ‘ambitious’ biodiversity project in the world.
Currently, the planning system is falling short of harnessing the potential of BNG. This was highlighted in a report examining BNG progress, published by the National Audit Office in May.
There has been hurdles in the implementation process, one of the most notable being the incorrect claiming of exemptions by applicants.
Planning Portal are committed to furthering, supporting and helping foster sustainability efforts within the built environment in any way we can. We believe in the potential of bold legislative efforts like biodiversity net gain, but it is essential that these kinds of policies are implemented correctly and practically, so that we can see the positive results that motivated their conception in the first place.
Our head of Business Development Scott Alford recently attended a round table discussion, which bought together key industry stakeholders to discuss issues which are currently impeding the uptake of biodiversity net gain.
‘BNG became mandatory for small developments on 2 April, and it’s important we all play our part in its successful delivery - including self and custom builds - for the benefit of everyone; to provide communities with beautiful natural green spaces and to bring back wildlife. The policy also has the potential to improve air quality, flood management and soil stability, as well as to enhance our built environment for future generations’ - Scott Alford, Business Development Manager Planning Portal
As a result of this conversation, a coalition of representatives from organisations including Architects Climate Action Network, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Trust, Joe’s Blooms and Environment Bank – alongside Planning Portal - called on the government to address the ‘loopholes’ currently impeding adoption, by removing the Regulation 4 and Regulation 8 exemptions of the BNG requirements.
Regulation 4 and 8 of the BNG exemption legislation relates to the de minimis exemption and the self and custom build exemption respectively. Excluding householder development, a subset of our data from August reveals that circa 9 out of 10 of those who claimed BNG would not apply to their proposal did so under de minimis or self and custom build exemptions.
‘Until these exemptions are removed and measures are put in place to ensure BNG applies to the vast majority of planning applications in England, we cannot be confident that this policy will have a meaningful impact on nature recovery’
To find out more about biodiversity net gain, visit Planning Portal website to find have a range of resources aimed at helping applicants understand BNG and their obligations – including calculating resources from Joe’s Blooms and Environment Bank’s offset units scheme.
If you are interested in learning more about the sustainability obligations and levies currently impacting the built environment, Planning Portal host a comprehensive breakdown of the legislation on the Sustainability Hub.
