Gloucester City’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.

Gloucester City’s pre-application advice service can be foundhere.

Gloucester City is part of the Gloucestershire Local Nature Recovery Strategy. Information can be found here.

Specific BNG Requirements are set out in Policy E7 of the Local Plan (adopted January 2023).

Development proposals should seek to ensure there are no significant adverse impacts on existing trees, woodlands or hedgerows and that every opportunity is taken for appropriate new planting on site, including trees and hedgerows. In the case of an unavoidable significant adverse impact on trees, woodlands and hedgerows, the developer must provide for measurable biodiversity net gain on site, or if this is not possible:

1. At nearby Green Infrastructure projects/areas; or

2. In suitable areas of parks, open spaces, verges; or

3. Through the restoration or creation of traditional orchards, prioritising sites identified as opportunities for increasing the connectivity of the ecological network; or

4. As new or replacement street trees. Development which would result in the loss of irreplaceable habitats such as Ancient Woodland, Ancient Trees and veteran trees* will not be permitted except in wholly exceptional circumstances.

Specific Strategic Significance Requirements are set out in Policy 3.3.3 of the BNG Guidance (adopted February 2024).

High: Where the location has been identified within a local plan, strategy or policy as being ecologically important for the specific habitat type or where that habitat has been identified as being locally ecologically important.

Medium: Where there is no relevant plan, strategy or policy in place, professional judgement may be used to justify the use of the medium strategic significance category. This judgement should consider the importance of that habitat in providing a linkage between other strategic locations.

Low: If the habitat is not included in local plans, strategy or policy, and there is no evidence to suggest that the habitat is of medium strategic significance.