Exmoor National Park’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.

Exmoor National Park’s pre-application advice service can be foundhere.

Exmoor National Park is part of the Devon Local Nature Recovery Strategy. Information can be found here.

Specific BNG Requirements are set out in Policy 2 of the BNG Technical Guidance Note (adopted June 2024).

The Environment Act 2021 requires a minimum of 10% net gain in biodiversity (secured for a minimum of 30 years). This will be re-considered when the Local Plan is reviewed and may increase. Proposals should maximise opportunities for biodiversity and make a meaningful contribution to nature recovery in line with our Nature Recovery Vision. Under the statutory framework for Biodiversity Net Gain, every grant of planning permission in England is deemed to have been granted subject to a general biodiversity gain condition to secure the biodiversity gain objective. This objective is to deliver at least a 10% increase in relation to the pre-development biodiversity value of the development granted permission. The general biodiversity gain condition is a pre-commencement condition: once planning permission has been granted, a Biodiversity Gain Plan must be submitted and approved by the planning authority before commencement of the development.

See also the Local Plan.

Specific Strategic Significance Requirements are set out in Policy 2.2.4 of the BNG Technical Guidance Note (adopted June 2024).

2.2.4 Strategic significance The table below outlines the areas that ENPA considers to be of High, Medium or Low strategic significance. This is provided as an interim measure whilst the Local Nature Recovery Strategies are in development, and will be reviewed and updated. The list is not exhaustive and the assessment may be informed by several other strategic documents for specific species or habitats on their route to recovery. The assessment should be supplemented by justification within the comments section of the metric.

High (x1.15)

a) Within a designated site (Special Area of Conservation (SAC), Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), County/Local Wildlife Site (CWS/LWS))

b) Within 1km of a designated site

c) Habitat creation or enhancement which supports the recovery of priority species or protected sites (SAC, SSSI and CWS/LWS)*

d) Priority habitat 5

Medium (x1.10) Only where habitat creation or enhancement clearly contributes to ecological functionality in the landscape, and makes a meaningful contribution to nature recovery across Exmoor, but falls outside the areas identified as ‘high’.

Low (x1.0) Any other areas which do not meet the above criteria