General Advice
Local validation requirements here
Rushcliffe’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
Rushcliffe’s pre-application advice service can be foundhere.
Local Nature Recovery Strategy
Rushcliffe is part of the Nottinghamshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy. Information can be foundhere.
Specific Requirements
Specific BNG requirements are set out in Policy 2.5 of theEcology in Planning and BNG Page.
2.5 Demonstrating Biodiversity Net Gain: in order to demonstrate Biodiversity Net Gain the most recent statutory biodiversity metric must be used, from 12 February 2024, and completed by a competent person. The Statutory Metric and its associated guidance is available online on the GOV.UK Statutory biodiversity metric tools and guides website .
For small sites, as defined by the governments online guidance , Mandatory BNG is not required until April 2024; a simplified version of the metric is available for small sites where there are no protected sites, priority species or priority habitats within the development site (see part 1 above) and no offsetting (off site BNG) is to be used.
In order to demonstrate measurable Biodiversity Net Gain, it is necessary to carry out a baseline assessment of the current biodiversity value using the appropriate metric, based on appropriate ecological surveys undertaken prior to works commencing or at an agreed date for measurement of the pre-development biodiversity value of onsite habitat (usually within 3 months of the application date). The rules for the metric (including trading rules) must be complied with.
See also the BNG Page.
Strategic Significance
Specific Strategic Significance requirements are set out in Policy 2.6 of theEcology in Planning and BNG Page.
2.6 Strategic Significance: Sites that Rushcliffe Borough Council regards as strategically significant and benefit from the “Formally identified in a local strategy” multiplier in the biodiversity metric are development sites which are within or immediately adjacent to:
designated Priority Sites – as described section 1.4 above, in the Greater Nottingham Blue and Green Infrastructure Strategy January 2022 and shown on Nottingham City Council - Insight Mapping GIS Mapping.
listed Green and Blue Infrastructure sites, identified in the Greater Nottingham Blue and Green Infrastructure Strategy January 2022, which have biodiversity value (this strategy includes the priority sites that were designated in 2022 and non-designated sites).
Focal Areas identified within the Rushcliffe Biodiversity Opportunity Mapping report (and within the Greater Nottingham Blue and Green Infrastructure Strategy January 2022)
sites with a reasonable wildlife value that are managed with nature conservation as a major priority, as identified in the Rushcliffe Nature Conservation Strategy, some of which may be included in the categories above.
All Biodiversity Net Gain provided within Rushcliffe Borough, outside these areas listed above will be regarded as “Location Ecologically desirable but not within a local strategy”. Biodiversity Net Gain outside of Rushcliffe Borough will be regarded as “Area/compensation not in local strategy / no local strategy”
The detail of what is meant by Strategic Significance will be replaced by the Nottinghamshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy once published, details of the LNRS can be viewed on the Nottinghamshire County Council LNRS webpage.