General Advice
Local validation requirements here
Stevenage’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.
Pre-Application Advice Service
Stevenage’s pre-application advice service can be found here.
Local Nature Recovery Strategy
Stevenage is part of the Hertfordshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy. Information can be found here.
Specific Requirements
Specific BNG Requirements are set out in the BNG Page.
From January 2024, most housing, industrial and commercial developments in England will be required to provide 10 percent biodiversity net gain (BNG). To prove how the habitats and biodiversity are going to be delivered, developers will have to provide an in-depth management plan covering at least 30 years, which must be approved by the local planning authority (LPA).
The Environment Act sets out the following key components of mandatory biodiversity gain:
Amends Town & Country Planning Act (TCPA);
Minimum 10% gain required to be calculated using the Biodiversity Metric & approval of a biodiversity gain plan;
Habitat secured for at least 30 years via planning obligations or conservation covenants;
Delivered on-site, off-site, or via a new statutory biodiversity credits scheme; and National Register for net gain delivery sites.
It does not change existing legal protections for important habitats and wildlife species. It maintains the mitigation hierarchy of avoid impacts first, then mitigate and only compensate as a last resort. It will apply to Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) but not marine development.
See also the Local Plan.
Strategic Significance
N/A