Biodiversity Net Gain for Householders

Planning with confidence. Navigating Biodiversity Net Gain without the stress.

Planning a home improvement or small-scale development? If your project requires planning permission, and does not fall under any of the list of exempt developments, you’ll now need to account for Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG).

And while it might sound like just another box to tick, getting it wrong could lead to serious delays and unexpected costs.

At Land & Heritage, we help you navigate the process from day one — so you understand the risks, avoid the common traps, and protect both your budget and your planning application.

Why does BNG matter for householders?

BNG is a new legal requirement that applies to most developments in England — including small-scale residential builds. It means your project must deliver a 10% increase in biodiversity value compared to the original state of your land.

If this isn’t factored in early, it can cause:

Expensive redesigns
Delays to planning approval
Additional mitigation costs
Conflicts with other local policies (like tree canopy cover)

The good news? If considered upfront, BNG can be managed simply, affordably, and effectively.

How the process works

Here’s what to expect—and how we support you every step of the way.

1. Preliminary Ecological Appraisal (PEA)

Before you start designing anything, we assess your site’s existing habitats and ecological features. This gives you a baseline biodiversity score, and identifies any important habitats, trees, or protected species that might affect your plans (e.g., bats or nesting birds).

Tip: Doing this early can help you avoid building on high-value areas that will be costly to offset.

2. Layout & Impact Assessment

Once you’ve got a draft layout, we’ll evaluate the impact of your proposed development and identify any additional surveys (e.g., for bats or dormice) that might be required.

3. Mitigation & Enhancement Plan

We first ensure your plan avoids “net loss”—by mitigating harm to habitats and species. Then, we design the enhancements needed to meet the 10% BNG uplift. This could include:

Planting or improving hedgerows or grasslands
Creating ponds or wildflower areas
Enhancing low-value habitats into higher-value ones

Key things every householder should know:

BNG is separate from protected species mitigation.
For example, if you remove a hedgerow used by dormice, you’ll need to replace that just to maintain compliance—it won’t count toward your BNG uplift.

You can’t "game" the baseline.
Clearing your land before a survey won’t help—authorities can use 2020 aerial images to assess its historic value.

You need to consider other requirements too.
Many Local Planning Authorities (especially in Cornwall) now have Green Infrastructure and Canopy Cover policies that can conflict with your BNG goals if not considered together.

Why early support from Land & Heritage makes all the difference

We’re more than ecologists. As a multi-disciplinary consultancy, we look at your project holistically — advising you on BNG, canopy cover, protected species, landscape design, and planning policy, all in one place.

We’ll:

Help you find the lowest-impact, most cost-effective layout
Ensure your design meets BNG and other planning policies
Coordinate with your architect, designer, or planning agent
Give you confidence that your planning application won’t hit avoidable ecological roadblocks

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Get clarity before you start designing

Whether you're building an extension, converting land, or starting from scratch — BNG is easier (and cheaper) when it’s considered early.

Let’s have a quick chat about your site and plans. We’ll explain what’s needed and provide a no-obligation quote to support your application the right way.

Call us: 01752 545710

Email us: contact@landandheritage.com