BNG became mandatory on 12 February 2024. It requires developers to achieve a 10% net gain in biodiversity for all major developments that result in the loss of habitat.

The event was aimed at professionals who work in the environment and planning sectors. Our applied and strategic ecology teams have extensive BNG expertise and were on hand to answer questions, provide guidance and support, and give details about good practice.

We opened the session with presentations from Consultant Ecologist, Jasmine Bernard and Senior Ecologist, Rory Glackin. They discussed how we can effectively design for BNG in challenging landscapes and went through practical examples of projects LUC have collaborated on.

Next, Associate Director of Ecology, Sofie Swindlehurst and Senior Strategic Ecologist Rocio Martinez-Cillero covered how BNG, Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRS) and Green Infrastructure (GI) policies will fit together to shape future land use, and how nature recovery will look at the national level.

Ella Moseley, Associate Director of Ecology and Rocio Martinez-Cillero closed the presentations with details about the risks and opportunities associated with habitat banking, stacking, and monitoring long-term BNG.

We moved on to a series of round-table discussions with clients and experts from LUC’s multi-disciplinary staff. We had lively and informative discussions about how mandatory BNG will impact development projects and how the potential challenges and opportunities could be tackled.

We closed the session with a panel debate about lessons learned and the chance to pose further questions. We all recognised that BNG is complex and not always fit for purpose, but the progress in putting nature first during planning and land development was something to celebrate.

We are committed to helping our clients navigate the complexities of BNG and ensure that their projects are compliant. The event highlighted our practical and strategic ecology expertise and experience and how we can guide our clients through everything that BNG will bring.