Biodiversity Net Gain support for Birmingham developments, from assessing existing habitats to preparing your Biodiversity Gain Plan.
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Biodiversity Net Gain is a statutory requirement for qualifying developments in England. It generally requires at least a 10% increase in biodiversity value, subject to applicable exemptions and transitional provisions.Â
A BNG Assessment establishes the existing biodiversity value of a site and calculates how the proposed development is expected to change that value using the statutory biodiversity metric.
A Biodiversity Gain Plan sets out how the required biodiversity gain will be delivered after planning permission. Where statutory BNG applies, the plan must be approved by the relevant planning authority before development commences.
These services work together but have different purposes. The assessment establishes the baseline and helps inform the development design, while the gain plan explains how the biodiversity requirements will be delivered. ProHort supports developments across Birmingham, including the city centre, Digbeth, Aston, Edgbaston, Selly Oak, Erdington, Sutton Coldfield, Hall Green, Northfield and surrounding neighbourhoods.
Birmingham contains a diverse mix of built-up areas, industrial heritage, parks, waterways and residential green spaces. These features can influence the habitats present on a development site and the opportunities available for biodiversity improvements.Â
A site’s previous use does not necessarily determine its biodiversity value. Habitat type, condition, extent and location all need to be considered when preparing the baseline assessment.
Previously developed sites can support habitats such as scrub, grassland and early-successional vegetation. These habitats may have developed during periods when land was vacant or unmanaged, and their biodiversity value should not be assumed to be negligible.Â
For regeneration projects, an accurate baseline assessment can help identify ecological constraints before the layout is finalised. It can also help the design team understand where existing habitats may be retained, where improvements could be made and whether further measures may be needed to achieve the required biodiversity outcome.
This is particularly relevant where a development must balance building footprints, access, drainage and landscaping within a limited site area.
Birmingham’s canal network and waterways, including the River Rea and River Tame, form part of the city’s wider green and blue infrastructure. Depending on their condition and surrounding habitats, these corridors can provide opportunities for wildlife movement and habitat enhancement.
Where waterways or associated habitats fall within a development site, they should be considered as part of the ecological baseline and proposed design. The scope for retaining or improving these features will depend on the site’s characteristics, the development proposals and any relevant constraints.Â
A BNG Assessment can help establish how existing habitats contribute to the biodiversity calculation and whether proposed habitat measures are suitable for the location.
Birmingham’s parks, gardens, street trees, green spaces and planted areas contribute to the city’s natural environment. New developments may also include landscape planting, green roofs and habitat-based sustainable drainage features.
These measures can support biodiversity when appropriately designed, but their contribution to statutory BNG must be assessed using the applicable metric rules. General landscaping should not automatically be treated as equivalent to habitat creation or enhancement.
Considering these features early helps the project team explore practical ways to incorporate biodiversity into the wider development design.
Birmingham City Council publishes guidance explaining how developers should approach BNG, including biodiversity calculations, the biodiversity gain hierarchy, significant on-site gains, off-site provision and the information required to support planning applications.
The council’s guidance emphasises the importance of considering biodiversity at the site selection and design stages. Developers should follow the biodiversity gain hierarchy, prioritising the avoidance and reduction of biodiversity impacts before considering habitat creation and other delivery options.
The council also provides a BNG-specific pre-application advice service. This is a chargeable service and can help applicants discuss biodiversity considerations with the council’s ecologists before submitting an application. Pre-application advice does not guarantee planning permission or approval of a Biodiversity Gain Plan.
The information needed for an individual project depends on the development, its planning status and the applicable national and local requirements. Reviewing these requirements early can help reduce avoidable delays caused by incomplete or inconsistent supporting information.
A BNG Assessment provides the baseline information and biodiversity calculations needed to understand the effect of a proposed development.
Our assessment work can include:
Habitat identification and mapping: recording the relevant habitats within the site boundary.
Habitat condition assessment: evaluating habitats against the applicable condition criteria.
Statutory biodiversity metric calculations: calculating the baseline biodiversity value and modelling the proposed habitat changes.
Biodiversity design advice: identifying potential opportunities to retain, enhance or create suitable habitats.
Planning support: providing assessment information to help the project team understand its BNG position and prepare the relevant supporting documents.
For Birmingham’s urban and regeneration sites, this work can help establish a clearer picture of the existing habitat value before development proposals are finalised.
A Biodiversity Gain Plan explains how a development will achieve the required biodiversity gain following planning permission.
Where statutory BNG applies, the plan must be approved by the relevant planning authority before development starts. It needs to be consistent with the approved development proposals, the relevant metric calculations and the arrangements for delivering biodiversity improvements.
Our support can include:
Reviewing the existing BNG Assessment, metric calculations and planning information.
Preparing the Biodiversity Gain Plan using the relevant project documentation.
Coordinating habitat proposals with the development and landscape plans.
Identifying the proposed approach to on-site and, where necessary, off-site biodiversity delivery.
Considering relevant habitat management, monitoring and securing arrangements.
Supporting the submission process and responding to relevant queries or requests for amendments.
Where habitat creation or enhancement requires long-term management, those arrangements must be addressed in accordance with the applicable statutory requirements.
Our approach connects the initial assessment with the planning and delivery stages of BNG.
We consider the site location, proposed works, available drawings and existing ecological information to establish the likely scope of assessment.Â
We identify and map relevant habitats, assess their condition and calculate the site’s baseline biodiversity value using the applicable statutory biodiversity metric. Â
We consider potential options for retaining existing habitats, enhancing suitable areas and creating new habitats. These opportunities are assessed alongside the available space and wider development requirements.Â
We model the expected habitat changes and assess whether the proposals can meet the applicable biodiversity gain requirement. If a shortfall remains, the project team can explore alternative design measures or suitable off-site options.Â
We provide the relevant assessment information to help the project team coordinate its BNG calculations and habitat proposals with the wider planning submission.
Following planning permission, where statutory BNG applies, we can support preparation of the Biodiversity Gain Plan using the relevant metric information and habitat delivery arrangements. The plan must be approved by the relevant planning authority before development commences.Â
Urban development can place competing demands on limited land, particularly where building layouts, access, drainage, landscaping and existing habitats need to be considered together.
Introducing BNG at an early stage gives the project team more opportunity to assess these factors before design decisions become difficult or costly to change.
Early assessment can help you:
Understand the site’s existing biodiversity value.
Identify potentially valuable habitats on previously developed land.
Consider opportunities for habitat retention and enhancement.
Explore realistic biodiversity measures within a constrained layout.
Assess whether off-site biodiversity units may be required.
Coordinate BNG information with planning and landscape proposals.
The appropriate approach depends on the site’s habitats, the proposed development and the applicable statutory requirements. Early consideration helps establish a sound basis for making these decisions.
Contact us, and we’ll confirm exactly what your Birmingham site requires. We provide a planning-ready, proportionate route forward.Â
Birmingham City Council publishes guidance on the information required to support planning applications affected by statutory BNG, including biodiversity metric calculations and supporting information about how biodiversity gain will be delivered. Requirements depend on the application and development, so applicants should check the council’s latest guidance and local information requirements before submitting.
Yes. Birmingham City Council offers a chargeable BNG-specific pre-application advice service, which provides an opportunity to discuss biodiversity considerations with the council’s ecologists before submitting a planning application. Fees depend on the scale of the development, and advice does not guarantee that an application or Biodiversity Gain Plan will be approved.
Yes. Vacant or previously developed sites can support habitats such as scrub, grassland and early-successional vegetation. The biodiversity value depends on the habitats actually present and their condition, rather than the site’s former industrial use alone. A site-specific assessment is needed to establish the baseline.
The biodiversity gain hierarchy sets out the order in which developers should consider ways to deliver biodiversity gain. It prioritises avoiding adverse impacts on habitats, then reducing impacts, before considering on-site habitat enhancement and creation, off-site gains and statutory biodiversity credits as a last resort. Considering the hierarchy early can help Birmingham developments make better use of their available land and existing habitats.
Potentially. Where waterways and associated habitats occur within a development site, their biodiversity value can form part of the baseline assessment. Retaining or enhancing suitable habitats may contribute to the proposed biodiversity outcome, subject to the applicable metric rules and the feasibility of the proposed measures.
Not necessarily. Landscaping can include features that benefit biodiversity, but ornamental planting or general landscape improvements do not automatically deliver statutory biodiversity units. The habitats proposed must be suitable for assessment under the applicable statutory biodiversity metric, and the calculations must demonstrate whether the required gain can be achieved.
Where statutory BNG applies, meeting the target in the metric calculations does not remove the requirement for a Biodiversity Gain Plan. The plan explains how the gain will be delivered and must be approved by the relevant planning authority before development commences.
Useful information includes the site address or location plan, the proposed development layout, the site boundary, any existing ecological reports and details of the current or intended planning application. If some documents are not yet available, an initial discussion can help establish what information is needed to define the assessment scope.
