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12.03.2024

Blog: Developing, enriching, and preserving habitats to ensure Biodiversity Net Gain

The introduction of biodiversity net gain regulations signifies a notable shift in sustainable planning for upcoming infrastructure projects. Designed to ensure that natural habitats are left in a better state than before new developments are undertaken, they aim to address climate change, protect the environment, and encourage green construction.

Swift action is crucial. In fact, The Biodiversity Intactness Index (2021), from the Natural History Museum, found that global biodiversity has already fallen below safe limits. The analysis indicates that the UK has only half of its entire biodiversity left, putting it in the bottom 10% of the world's countries.

Under this new law, all planning permissions granted in England, with a few exemptions, will have to deliver a biodiversity net gain (BNG) of at least 10 per cent. Part of the government’s Environment Act 2021, it is accompanied by new biodiversity reporting requirements for local authorities and mandatory ‘local nature recovery strategies’ (LNRS).

You need to know about the new rules if you’re a: 

  • developer undertaking large scale projects 
  • developer of small sites from 2 April 2024    
  • developer of nationally significant infrastructure projects from late November 2025   
  • land manager wanting to sell in the BNG market 
  • local planning authority (LPA) 

Following the biodiversity gain hierarchy, if developers cannot achieve all of their BNG on-site, they can achieve this through a combination of on-site and off-site measures. This could involve generating off-site biodiversity gains on their own land located outside the development area, or purchasing off-site biodiversity credits from third party BNG schemes. 

Typical projects that can contribute to biodiversity net gain are: 

  • Creating or restoring habitats such as wetlands, woodlands, grasslands, or hedgerows 
  • Incorporating green infrastructure such as green roofs into the design of buildings. 
  • Supporting local conservation initiatives such as community gardens, wildlife trusts, or public open space. 

We offer various solutions tailored for developers and contractors to bolster biodiversity and remediation schemes. We can provide project engineers with a one stop solution for many of the scenarios above, including fill material and clay lining for pond and wetland construction, and low nutrient soil that’s ideal for wildflower meadows. Our tailored Bio Soils, combined with custom wildflower and grass seed mixes, provides developers with a comprehensive solution for achieving biodiversity net gain, land remediation, green roofs, and planting initiatives.

We are located on a former Victorian brickworks and ash pit, with planning permission to extract existing clay deposits. We also source locally discarded construction materials and produce a range of cohesive fill, granular materials and soils which can be used in a range of biodiversity projects. These repurposed discarded minerals are also made into new products, which are used in a wide variety of sectors including industrial applications, including adhesives, resins, cosmetics, and mixed recycled plastic composites. It also has benefits as an antibiotic free, animal feed mycotoxin binder, low carbon cement supplement, and in agrochemicals and suspension fertilisers.

If you’d like support with your biodiversity projects, to help limit climate change, please get in touch by completing our short website contact form or email enquiries@minore.co.uk