The document summarizes key aspects of the UK Environment Bill, including establishing an Office for Environmental Protection and strengthening biodiversity protections. It discusses how the bill will require new developments in England to achieve at least a 10% biodiversity net gain starting in 2023. Biodiversity net gain aims to leave the natural environment in a better state after development by measuring and offsetting impacts. The document also outlines the national planning process for biodiversity net gain compliance and related strategies to enhance nature recovery across the country.

1. www.gov.uk/natural-england
Environment Bill and Net Gain
update
09 December 2020
Julia Coneybeer – Senior Advisor, Net Gain team

2. Environment Bill
• Covers range of key aspects – air quality,
water, waste & resource, nature &
biodiversity, conservation covenants
• Sets up Office for Environmental
Protection (OEP)
• Nature and biodiversity:
– Local Nature Recovery Strategies
– Biodiversity Net Gain
– Strengthened biodiversity duty on
public authorities

3. Environment Bill – the latest
• 1st Reading 30th January 2020
• Public Bill Committee Stage
• Covid -19 = DELAY
• Estimated spring/summer 2021
Royal Assent.
• Transition period – estimated
Spring/summer 2023
Biodiversity Net Gain becomes
mandatory
• Secondary legislation being
worked on

4. Biodiversity net gain
Net gain is an approach to development, and/
or land management, that aims to leave the
natural environment in a measurably better
state than it was beforehand.

5. Mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain
Key Themes
• Measurable net gain
• Spatial delivery hierarchy
(on-site, local + strategic)
• Benefits for nature, people, LPA + developer
• Does not replace existing protections/legislation

6. Types of Net Gain

7. Biodiversity Net Gain Now
• 25 Year Environment Plan
• National Planning Policy Framework
(NPPF)
• Planning Practice Guidance (PPG)
• Design Guides – NIC + MHCLG
• National Policy Statements
• Biodiversity metric 3.0

8. Mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain – Key
Components
The Environment Bill
• England only
• Amends the Town & Country Planning Act
(TCPA)
• Likely to become law – 2023
• Minimum 10% gain required calculated
using Biodiversity Metric & approval of
net gain plan
• Habitat secured at least 30 years
• Delivered, on-site, off-site or via statutory
biodiversity credits
• National register for net gain delivery sites
• Does not change existing legal protections
• Does not apply to Nationally Significant
Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) or Marine

9. Additional Related Components of the
Environment Bill
Local Nature Recovery Strategies
• Locally developed, spatial strategies for
nature working within a national framework.
• Identify opportunities and priorities for
enhancing the natural environment
• Inform and underpin the national Nature
Recovery Network (NRN)
• Can be used to target net gain delivery
Conservation Covenants
• Legally binding private voluntary
agreements between landowners &
responsible bodies
• Can be used as alternative to planning
obligations to secure BNG outcomes

10. Environment Bill – Envisaged Biodiversity
Net Gain Process

11. Other workstreams
• British Standard – BS8683 due
early ‘21. A process standard for
voluntary use by BNG projects
• Marine Net Gain – proposals under
early development for offshore wind +
wider application
• Environmental Net Gain – working
with NCC + Government. Launch of a
voluntary tool in 2021 that can be
combined with the biodiversity metric
• Planning White Paper – Emphasis
on strategic approach + design &
codes

12. Further Information
• 25 Year Environment Plan https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/25-year-
environment-plan
• National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF)
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_d
ata/file/810197/NPPF_Feb_2019_revised.pdf
• Planning Practice Guidance https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/planning-
practice-guidance
• The Environment Bill https://services.parliament.uk/bills/2019-21/environment.html
• National Infrastructure Commission Design Principles
https://nic.org.uk/app/uploads/NIC-Design-Principles.pdf
• MHCLG National Design Guide
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_d
ata/file/843468/National_Design_Guide.pdf
• The Biodiversity Metric 2.0 – beta test version
http://nepubprod.appspot.com/publication/5850908674228224
• Biodiversity Net Gain: Good Practice Principles for Development
(CIRIA/CIEEM/IEMA) https://cieem.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Biodiversity-Net-Gain-
Principles.pdf