This alarming trend underscores the urgent need to reverse biodiversity decline and achieve nature recovery targets. The Environment Act 2021 is a step forward in tackling this crisis, aiming to halt species decline by 2030. It mandates development projects in England to deliver a minimum 10% net gain, effective from February 12, 2024, under Schedule 7A of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.
However, treating the 10% net gain target as merely a checkbox exercise misses the transformative potential of landscape design in addressing the biodiversity challenge. Understanding the local context is essential to determine which areas are worth preserving and enhancing, and which habitats and species to prioritise. A diverse mix of planting types can create rich habitats that support a wide variety of species. Simple changes, such as converting amenity lawns into species-rich grassland, can significantly impact pollinators, insects, birds, and reptiles by providing essential habitats.
The Wildlife Trust highlights the health benefits of wildlife-rich environments, promoting physical activity, mental resilience, and overall well-being. Integrating nature into our daily lives through thoughtful design in living and working spaces is crucial for building healthier communities and achieving government goals related to cleaner waterways, food security, and flood protection.
It’s recognised that the BNG metric's accuracy does not guarantee a 10% biodiversity gain, and we are starting to see increased requirements in Local Plans. The Cambridge Nature Network identifies Cambridgeshire as one of the UK’s most depleted counties, with Greater Cambridge's emerging Local Plan requiring a 20% net gain. This goal aligns with the Oxford-Cambridge Arc commitment to double nature, setting a high standard. Creating these spaces on a development's doorstep enhances human interaction with nature, but site constraints often make this challenging.
Beyond BNG
Building on the Environment Act's legally binding targets, the government’s 30by30 Policy paper, published on October 29, 2024, confirms the framework for conserving and managing 30% of our land and seas by 2030, meeting a COP15 commitment. Achieving this target requires a collaborative strategy aligning with goals for cleaner waterways, food security, and flood protection, among others.
This initiative aims to restore and enhance existing wildlife sites across the UK, providing:
- 9 new national river walks
- 3 new national forests
This strategy will underpin the Nature Recovery Network (NRN), informed by Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRS), connecting the 30x30 Strategy's delivery with BNG's implementation.
Impacts for Landowners and Developers
A national strategic approach is essential, with LNRS playing a crucial role in NRN delivery and offering potential benefits for landowners and developers in implementing Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG). LNRS prioritise areas for nature recovery, proposing specific actions to enhance biodiversity in strategically important locations with irreplaceable habitats. Off-site compensation within LNRS-identified areas allows for a 1.15 multiplier on BNG units, focusing efforts on habitats critical for biodiversity. For landowners and developers, this "strategic significance multiplier" can yield credit savings when creating or enhancing habitats in LNRS-identified locations.
Final Thought
Positioning landscape design as a tool for wildlife conservation is essential to addressing biodiversity decline. By prioritising biodiversity in development projects and employing innovative design strategies, we can create sustainable environments that support thriving ecosystems for future generations. A national approach integrating Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRS) can target irreplaceable habitats vital for biodiversity, helping to fulfill our international commitments.
By embracing thoughtful design principles and leveraging local ecosystems' richness, developers can amplify project benefits for wildlife while creating pleasant spaces for people to live, work, and play.
