Don't worry if you've not been able to reach the all-important 10% yet—there is always a way to get a solution for a site, though you may need to use off-site solutions. (If you're having trouble with the trading rules (the bit in red), please see our guide here.)
STEP ONE: Is there any scope for changing the design of the intended works?
Reducing the floor space - or moving the built to lower priority habitats - is a good way to boost your BNG score. By reducing the amount of
Simply go back to the Intended Works page to edit your existing intended works.
STEP TWO: Have you considered all possible enhancement options?
We have a guide here that explains how to approach enhancement. and everything you need to understand how to find the enhancement that works best for your site.
Please note if you are seeing "No Enhancement/Creation options available" this may be for one of the following reasons:
You have already marked the whole habitat parcel for enhancement or creating a new habitat over it.
Certain habitats cannot be enhanced under the BNG rules.
Remember, you can enhance some of the parcel...
Or the whole parcel
Useful guides for enhancement
While Joe's Blooms cannot give any site-specific recommendations, the following guides may help you determine what enhancements might work on your site. Please note that this does not count as a formal recommendation and that Joes' Blooms takes no liability for the content of external sites:
Expert insights: top tips for Biodiversity Net Gain stewardship, Natural England blog
Core Sustenance Zones and habitats of importance for designing Biodiversity Net Gain for bats - Bat Conservation Trust
STEP THREE: Have you tried creating new habitats?
This is a more risky approach - creating habitats means destroying existing habitats and replacing them with other habitats. We have a guide to creating habitats here.
Useful Guides for Creation
While Joe's Blooms cannot give any site-specific recommendations, the following guides may help you determine what enhancements might work on your site. Please note that this does not count as a formal recommendation and that Joes' Blooms takes no liability for the content of external sites:
Trees and biodiversity net gain on small sites, Forestry Commission blog
Expert insights: top tips for Biodiversity Net Gain stewardship, Natural England blog
Core Sustenance Zones and habitats of importance for designing Biodiversity Net Gain for bats - Bat Conservation Trust
Enhancing a habitat means you are improving its condition, or you're turning the habitat into a related but higher distinctiveness habitat. Creating a habitat means you are replacing the habitat that is currently there with something completely different.
Creating a mini BNG site within your property.
When creating new habitats you should note that the Government has said that trees should not be used in vegetated gardens and should not count to any gains. If you have an area that is publically accessible, and you are happy to be treated as a separate BNG site (e.g. have a fence or wall separating it from the rest of the garden), you may wish to consider this as an option. We strongly recommend engaging with the LPA before embarking on this approach as it is important that they are satisfied that they can discharge their legal duties.
Figure 1: See how a gap has been created, fenced off from the rest of the garden - which can easily be accessed / seen by members of the public.
Figure 2: A lot of saplings (and a large increase in BNG score) is secured.
STEP FOUR: Have you tried off-site solutions?
If you can't get to 10% on your site, you can always purchase off-site units.
If you have already purchased units, you can simply upload them by clicking on Off-Site Units and clicking the
Are you looking for Biodiversity Units?
We have partnered with BNGx to source off-site units for developers all over England. If you are unable to find off-site units you can access their service below!
STEP FIVE: Have you purchased statutory biodiversity credits?
If you have tried all of the above and not been able to get to 10% the final step will be to purchase statutory credits. Please note you can only do this if you have exhausted all options and you may need to provide evidence - which exchanges like BNGx can provide - that you cannot source units elsewhere.