Biodiversity Net Gain
Ecology Services
Explore our wide range of services designed to ensure that your project delivery is compliant, timely and with minimal impact on wildlife and nature
Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) - design stage
Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) is an approach to development. It makes sure that habitats for wildlife are left in a measurably better state than they were before the development.
Developers must deliver a BNG of 10%. This can be delivered on-site or off-site. With this approach, a development will result in more or better quality natural habitat than there was before development.
An integral part of BNG is to measure the value of habitat on site prior to any clearance works and development.
Prior to a site visit, our team review information provided and carry out a desktop survey, following which a date is agreed for a site visit. On site, we record habitats that will be affected and retained, and carry out a condition assessment to calculate the overall value.
We input the data recorded on site either into the Statutory Biodiversity Metric or Small Site Metric calculation tool, and calculate the value of your site before and after the development.
Based on this calculation, we review the available options with you and recommend the most optimal strategy for achieving a 10% BNG.
At this stage, your application is ready for submission for planning. If any further changes are made to the proposed development, the calculations may need to be revised.
Once planning is granted, a Biodiversity Gain Plan needs to be produced. Please see below section for Biodiversity Gain Plan.
Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) - Biodiversity Gain Plan
Following the planning application being granted, it will be subject to conditions that have to be met and approved by the Planning Authority before works can proceed.
The condition is to obtain a Biodiversity Gain Plan. The Plan is the strategy for achieving 10% BNG for your development.
To create the Biodiversity Gain Plan, we review the design stage recommendations and strategy to delivering BNG, and take into account any changes in circumstances. We will revise the metric calculation where changes in the strategy occur.
The Plan (strategy) can be delivered in either or in combination of the following ways:
on-site as part of the proposed development
off-site within the same land ownership
off-site by purchasing units from an approved external supplier
Where on-site or off-site (within the same land ownership) Plan is adopted, a Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan (HMMP) is required. We create the HMMP for you.
Please see below section for HMMP.
Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) - Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan
As part of delivering a Biodiversity Gain Plan, a Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan (HMMP) is required for on-site or off-site (within the same land ownership) delivery option.
HMMP is a legal agreement and obligation to enhance and maintain a habitat for at least 30-year period.
We will produce a plan for you, which will include information on when and how habitats will be managed and monitored, what remedial works may be required, and how monitoring reports will be provided, amongst others.
Contact Us
Want to discuss ecology requirements for your project? Please provide the following information and we will be in touch shortly:
Brief description of your project
Project location
Expected start date of the works
Any previous ecological assessments for the project