From Monday 12^th February, a new era for nature-positive development will begin when Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) becomes mandatory for most new development in England. The new requirement means that wildlife habitat must be left in a better state than it was before a development took place.

In Suffolk, we are calling for more ambitious targets to increase nature, including in West Suffolk’s emerging Local Plan, which is open for public consultation until the 12^th of March.

The Wildlife Trusts have been influencing the evolution of BNG for well over a decade – and want to see high standards, and meaningful action, set for its delivery. We are in a nature crisis – with one in six species are at risk of extinction - and the UK is one of the most nature depleted countries in the world. Done well, BNG could make a positive contribution towards nature’s recovery and help address the climate emergency in the process.

However, as it is currently proposed, the policy does not do enough to make development truly nature-positive, or help reverse wildlife loss.

Rupert Masefield, Planning & Advocacy Manager at Suffolk Wildlife Trust says:

“We know development has been a significant cause of wildlife loss in the past, and Biodiversity Net Gain is designed to change that – which is fantastic – but we also know it doesn’t do nearly enough to deliver real and significant increases in nature. Inherent uncertainties in creating and restoring wildlife habitat, margins of error in calculating changes in biodiversity, weaknesses in the policy and the regulations that will implement it, and a lack of funding for local authorities all increase the risk that BNG will fall well short of its potential to make development better for nature."

In a new briefing published today, The Wildlife Trusts outline a series of measures to raise that ambition, including:

• Developers and local authorities go beyond the minimum requirements and aim for at least a 20% gain for nature (double the 10% that will be the minimum from Monday)
• Government to change policy and guidance so the sale of excess biodiversity units is prevented
• No further broadening of permitted development rules and government to provide policy guidance to ensure BNG for permitted development is made a matter for local consideration rather than a blanket exemption
• Local Planning Authorities to be resourced with the right level of skills and capacity across departments to oversee the BNG process to ensure it is properly implemented, monitored and enforced
• BNG to be ‘additional’ to existing mechanisms for nature conservation and enhancement

Locally, Suffolk Wildlife Trust is asking West Suffolk Council to raise the bar for what new development is expected to do to increase nature as the district looks to finalise its new Local Plan, which is open for public consultation until the 12^th of March. Suffolk County Council and East Suffolk Councils already have doubled their ask for nature, please help to encourage West Suffolk to do the same.

Help us make development better for nature in West Suffolk

Rupert continues:

“Many of the problems with BNG stem from the national policy and regulations, but one thing that can be improved locally is the amount of biodiversity gain that developers are expected to deliver. That is why we’re calling on West Suffolk Council to be more ambitious with the Biodiversity Net Gain policy they bring forward in the district’s new Local Plan and ask for 20% instead of the nationally mandated but inadequate 10% net gain. Doubling the amount of nature new development delivers is totally doable and only has positive outcomes for wildlife, people, and the local environment.

“Nature is good for us and having more of it in the places we build for people to live and work makes for a healthier, greener, and generally more pleasant environment to be in. At the same time, increasing developers’ contribution to reversing wildlife loss costs taxpayers nothing and will help the council meet its own environmental objectives.”

Multiple studies, including West Suffolk Council’s own viability assessments carried out as part of the development of the Local Plan, show that increasing biodiversity gain from 10% to 20% could be achieved for proportionately little additional cost – about £500 on average for each new house built* – and would not affect the district’s ability to build the sustainable and affordable housing people need."

*This is an approximate figure based on analysis by Suffolk Wildlife Trust of the costs provided in West Suffolk Council’s Local Plan Viability Assessment report. Local authorities in other parts of England have estimated the cost as being significantly lower. Swale Borough Council in Kent, for example, calculated the average cost per dwelling of doubling BNG from 10% to 20% at £180 (less than one fifth of the cost of delivering 10% BNG).