Central Bedfordshire’s BNG level is set at 10%.

The NPPF states: "applicants are encouraged to consider biodiversity net gain early in the development process and factor it into site selection and design. Where appropriate, they should discuss the biodiversity net gain requirements for their development upfront with the relevant local planning authority utilising any pre-application advice services offered by them. This could help establish whether development proposals would be subject to biodiversity net gain and, if they are, enable feedback on the proposed strategy for achieving the biodiversity gain objective and consideration of the Biodiversity Gain Hierarchy to inform the design of the proposals"

Please note, If you work for the LPA and wish to add additional information, please inform the Joe's Blooms team here.

Central Bedfordshire’s pre-application advice service can be foundhere.

Central Bedfordshire is part of the Bedfordshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy. Information can be foundhere.

Specific BNG requirements are set out in Policy 15.3.2 of the Local Plan (adopted July 2021).

15.3.2 National planning policy places great importance to the protection and enhancement of these features. One of its objectives is to secure measurable net gains in biodiversity and increased connectivity of ecological networks. This is further defined in Natural Environment White Paper, ‘Making Space for Nature’, which describes ecological networks, basing them on five components which are to be implemented at a landscape scale whilst working with existing land uses and economic activities.

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