Maidstone’s BNG level is set at 20% for residential developments.

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.

Maidstone’s pre-application advice service can be foundhere.

Maidstone is part of the Kent and Medway Local Nature Recovery Strategy. Information can be found here.

Specific BNG Requirements are set out in Policy 6.68 of the Local Plan (20 March 2024).

6.68 The council published a garden communities Prospectus which drew together the local and national aspirations for what developments at the garden settlement scale should achieve. These have directly informed the drafting of the policies for the two-garden settlement-scale developments allocated in this plan:

a. Create a distinctive place to live at a sustainable scale which responds to local character;

b. Provide a clear, holistic master plan that integrates the new development with its surroundings;

c. Give residents the best opportunities to follow healthy lifestyles, allowing activity to be built into their daily lives and providing opportunities to buy and grow healthy food along with ensuring that health services are close at hand;

d. Ensure that generous amounts of green space, landscaping, trees, and hedgerows are integrated into the design of the development - with the purposes of achieving biodiversity net gain, an attractive setting for development, informal recreational space, and attractive walking and cycling links;

See also the BNG Page.

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