Planning a development in Cornwall? ProHort provides Biodiversity Net Gain Assessment and Biodiversity Gain Plan services to help developers understand site habitat value, calculate biodiversity changes and plan measurable habitat improvements. From rural and coastal developments to former mining land and projects around Cornwall's towns, we can support the BNG process using the applicable statutory biodiversity metric and the information required for your development.
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Cornwall has a specific local planning consideration that developers should be aware of.
In addition to the national BNG information requirements, Cornwall Council identifies a Biodiversity Net Gain Statement as a local requirement for major applications. This statement can request further information about expected post-development habitats, off-site gains, significant on-site enhancements and draft habitat management arrangements. It should not be confused with the national Biodiversity Gain Plan submitted after permission has been granted.
The exact information needed depends on the application type and the relevant validation requirements. Developers should check the latest Cornwall Council guidance and validation guide for their proposal.Â
We work throughout Cornwall, supporting projects in Truro, Falmouth, Penzance, St Austell and surrounding communities.
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A Biodiversity Net Gain Assessment in Cornwall establishes the ecological baseline of a development site and calculates how the proposed works are expected to affect its biodiversity value.
Where the statutory BNG framework applies, developments are generally required to achieve at least 10% biodiversity net gain. A BNG assessment for development in Cornwall helps establish the existing habitat value, identify potential losses and explore how the required biodiversity uplift could be achieved.
Cornwall’s landscape creates a varied set of ecological considerations. A site may contain traditional field boundaries and Cornish hedges, wet grassland, scrub, woodland, coastal habitats or vegetation associated with historic mining and quarrying. These features should be identified and assessed according to their actual habitat type and condition, rather than making assumptions based on the site’s current or previous land use.Â
A biodiversity metric assessment will typically consider:
Habitat identification and mapping: identifying and mapping the habitats within the development site, including relevant grassland, woodland, scrub, hedgerow and watercourse features.
Habitat condition assessment: evaluating habitat condition using the relevant criteria within the applicable statutory biodiversity metric.
Baseline biodiversity calculations: calculating the site’s existing biodiversity value before the proposed development.
Development impact assessment: modelling how the proposed layout and habitat changes could affect biodiversity units.
Habitat retention and enhancement: identifying opportunities to retain existing habitats and improve their condition.
Biodiversity gain recommendations: considering suitable on-site habitat creation and enhancement, alongside off-site options where required.Â
The resulting biodiversity net gain report in Cornwall provides an evidence base for understanding the site’s biodiversity value and informing the development’s BNG strategy. It can also help identify potential constraints and opportunities while the site layout and proposals are being developed.Â
A Biodiversity Gain Plan in Cornwall explains how a development will deliver the biodiversity gain required under the statutory framework.
It is a separate stage from the initial BNG assessment. The assessment establishes the habitat baseline and calculates the expected biodiversity changes, while the Biodiversity Gain Plan sets out how the required gain will be achieved for the permitted development.
Where the statutory biodiversity gain condition applies, the plan must be submitted to and approved by the relevant planning authority before development begins. It brings together the relevant biodiversity metric information, habitat proposals and arrangements for securing the proposed gains.
For developers seeking a Biodiversity Gain Plan consultant in Cornwall, the document needs to be consistent with the approved development proposals and supported by the necessary evidence.Â
The information required will depend on the development and its biodiversity strategy. A plan will typically address:
Development and biodiversity information: details of the permitted development and how the biodiversity gain objective will be met.
Biodiversity metric calculation: the relevant statutory metric calculation showing the site’s biodiversity value and the proposed post-development position.
Habitat plans: appropriately scaled plans identifying the existing and proposed habitats within the development site.
Habitat creation and enhancement: details of the habitats to be retained, created or enhanced and how they contribute to the required biodiversity gain.
On-site and off-site provision: details of the proposed approach, including registered off-site biodiversity units where these are needed.
Habitat management and monitoring: arrangements for maintaining and monitoring significant on-site habitat enhancements where required.
Legal securing arrangements: relevant planning obligations or conservation covenants where these are needed to secure habitat delivery.Â
The Biodiversity Gain Plan is a standalone document. It is distinct from the biodiversity metric calculation and supporting documents such as a Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan. The supporting information should be consistent and sufficiently detailed to demonstrate how the proposed biodiversity gains will be delivered.Â
A Cornwall BNG assessment needs to reflect the characteristics of the individual site. This is particularly important where historic land use, traditional agricultural boundaries or the surrounding landscape influence the habitats present.
Cornish hedges are a distinctive feature of the county’s landscape. These traditional stone-faced earth banks can support a variety of vegetation and wildlife, depending on their structure, management and surrounding habitat.
Where present within or alongside a development site, Cornish hedges should be considered carefully during habitat mapping and assessment. Their contribution to the biodiversity baseline will depend on the relevant habitat classification and metric criteria. Retaining suitable boundaries and maintaining connections between habitats may also form part of the development’s wider biodiversity approach.
Cornwall’s mining heritage has left a distinctive landscape of former mine workings, spoil heaps, quarries and other previously developed areas. Although these sites may appear heavily modified, some can support valuable open habitats, scrub, grassland and rocky features.
A site’s former industrial use does not automatically mean it has low biodiversity value. Existing habitats should be identified and assessed on site, with particular attention to their condition and ecological characteristics.
Where development is proposed on former mineral or industrial land, understanding the habitat baseline early can help avoid overlooking features that may influence the metric calculation and the proposed biodiversity strategy.
Cornwall’s upland and rural landscapes include heathland, moorland, mires, wet pasture and species-rich grassland. Bodmin Moor and the surrounding landscape provide an important local context for considering these habitats.
Wet grassland and rush pasture can also occur within agricultural and river-valley settings. Their condition, water regime and relationship with neighbouring habitats may influence how they are assessed and what enhancement opportunities are appropriate.
Cornwall’s coastline includes a varied mix of coastal grassland, dunes, rocky habitats, beaches, estuaries and saltmarsh. Inland, rivers, streams, ponds and wetlands form further parts of the county’s ecological network.
Development close to these environments should consider the existing habitat features and the potential for effects on habitat condition and connectivity. Proposed enhancements need to be suitable for the site’s location and ecological conditions rather than relying on generic planting or landscaping measures.
Whether you need an initial Biodiversity Net Gain Assessment or a Biodiversity Gain Plan to support condition discharge, ProHort can help you understand the ecological information and next steps for your development.
Contact our team to discuss your site, proposed works and BNG requirements.Â
No. The statutory BNG framework applies to most planning permissions in England, but exemptions and transitional provisions exist. Cornwall Council also has local information requirements for certain applications, including a Biodiversity Net Gain Statement for major applications. The requirements for an individual proposal should be checked against the current national rules and Cornwall Council’s validation guidance.Â
Where Cornish hedges are present within the development site, their habitat characteristics should be considered as part of the baseline assessment. Their classification and biodiversity value depend on the relevant metric criteria and the features present. Retaining suitable hedges and maintaining habitat connections may also form part of the development’s biodiversity strategy.
Yes. Former mining and quarry sites can support habitats such as grassland, scrub and open, rocky vegetation. Their previous industrial use does not automatically mean that they have low biodiversity value. The habitats present should be identified and assessed according to their actual condition and ecological characteristics.
Cornwall Council identifies a Biodiversity Net Gain Statement as a local requirement for major applications. It provides additional information beyond the national minimum requirements, including details about expected post-development habitats, off-site gains and significant on-site enhancements. Applicants should check the current validation guidance to confirm what applies to their application.
Yes, registered off-site biodiversity units may be used where the required biodiversity gain cannot be delivered entirely on site, subject to the statutory biodiversity gain hierarchy and applicable rules. The metric calculation and supporting information should explain the remaining unit requirement and how it will be met.
The strategy provides regional nature recovery priorities and mapping for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. It can help inform habitat enhancement opportunities and the wider ecological context of a development, but its proposed actions are not automatically binding requirements for every planning application. It does not replace the statutory biodiversity metric or the need to assess the individual site.
