Biodiversity Net Gain Wiltshire: Understanding BNG

Wiltshire Council is committed to protecting and enhancing the natural environment through its planning policies. In line with national regulations, the Council has adopted the 10% BNG requirement for all new developments within its jurisdiction.

Every development must demonstrate a measurable biodiversity improvement that can be sustained for a minimum of 30 years. These plans must be clearly presented within the planning application, supported by robust evidence. Where on-site cannot be achieved, developers are expected to offset their impact by purchasing biodiversity units from approved habitat banks.

Inclusive to developments of all sizes, both minor and major developments should be supplemented with a BNG plan. For larger infrastructure projects, this applies to residential projects that host 10 or more dwellings or sites that span more than 0.5 hectares. Minor developments are also included, such as projects with 1 to 9 dwellings or sites smaller than 0.5 hectares, as well as commercial developments where the floor space created is under 1000 square metres or the site area is less than 1 hectare.

There are 10 vital good practice principles of biodiversity net gain that can help a project showcase a conscious effort towards the BNG requirement. Outlined below are the mandatory net gain principles to successfully achieve BNG:

• Utilise the mitigation hierarchy to minimise the impact on biodiversity
• Eliminate any negative impacts of development on biodiversity
• Communicate each BNG outcome with complete transparency
• Cover all areas of sustainability, including societal and economic factors
• Involve any pre-development stakeholders in creating mandatory BNG solutions. Those involved after development should also be included in the process.
• Focus on producing sustainable natural benefits for biodiversity to leave a site and local wildlife in an improved state
• Understand the variable factors and potential risks in order to deliver BNG
• Attempt to exceed the base level requirement for biodiversity gains where possible
• Determine a suitable method in order to secure measurable on-site BNG gains
• Ensure the best possible results from biodiversity net gain

BNG requires developers to take an active role in protecting and improving local ecosystems. If you are unsure how BNG might affect your development proposal, it is important to seek early advice from the local planning authority or a qualified ecologist – especially if your project could have significant environmental impacts.

Our ecological consultants at Collington Winter can undertake a detailed habitat assessment using the Statutory Biodiversity Metric (formerly Defra Metric 4.0) to calculate biodiversity units. From there, we develop a comprehensive habitat development management and monitoring plan tailored to local nature recovery priorities, helping ensure your project meets all BNG requirements.

At Collington Winter, our ecology team is licensed by Natural England and supports a wide range of clients across England and Wales, including the Wiltshire region.

Whether you are working on a small residential scheme or a large infrastructure project, we provide expert guidance on implementing the principles of BNG. Our experienced consultants are equipped to prepare bespoke BNG plans that comply with the policies of Wiltshire Council.

To learn more about how we can support your project with Biodiversity Net Gain in Wiltshire, contact us at info@collingtonwinter.co.uk or complete the contact form below.