Biodiversity Net Gain, guidance for developers and ecological consultants
Multi-stage development
The Biodiversity Gain (Town and Country Planning) (Modifications and Amendments) (England) Regulations 2024 modify the general biodiversity condition for planning permissions which are phased development. Instead of the standard approach for the Biodiversity Gain Plan:
- an Overall Biodiversity Gain Plan must be submitted to and approved by Gateshead Council as LPA before any development can begin
- a Phase Biodiversity Gain Plan for each phase must be submitted to and approved by Gateshead Council as LPA before the development of that phase can be begun
In recognition that phased development can often be implemented over a long period of time, the purpose of the Overall Biodiversity Gain Plan is to set a clear upfront framework for how the biodiversity gain objective of at least a 10% gain is expected to be met across the entire development.
Each Phase Biodiversity Gain Plan will subsequently set out a phase's contribution to biodiversity net gain and track progress towards the overall biodiversity gain objective for the development once clear proposals for each phase have been developed.
It is envisaged that, for an outline planning permission for phased development, the Phase Biodiversity Gain Plan would be prepared alongside the application for reserve matters approvals for a phase. Further details can be found in Paragraph 053 Reference ID: 74-053-20240214 to Paragraph: 063 Reference ID: 74-063-20240214 of the Planning Practice Guidance for Biodiversity Net Gain (opens new window).