Today saw the Government announcement on the National Land Bank in an effort to support the target of delivering 1.5 million new homes before the end of the current five-year term.
I’ve heard many in the industry speak about delays in the planning system being a big challenge to this target
But what’s been missing from the conversation is the impact of 10% Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG), introduced in February last year.
As an industry, we’re still navigating the challenges:
* The two-month approval process for final BNG plans after planning permission is granted,
* The cost and availability of off-site credits,
* Legal agreements and availability of a suitable party to be responsible enforcement over 30 years,
* Delays caused by registering land as a biodiversity gain site and allocating it to your site,
* Are there enough ecologists to carry out the yearly inspections for 30 years?
The first four points need to be achieved before work can commence on site, in addition to satisfying the other planning conditions.
I genuinely believe the 10% BNG requirement will support the UK’s “30 by 30” commitment to protect 30% of biodiversity by 2030.
I can’t help but ask—is there a simpler, more efficient way to achieve cut time and cost out of this process?
What do you think?
