Do you need a Biodiversity Gain Plan in Kent before you can start work?
Where Biodiversity Net Gain applies, a Biodiversity Gain Plan becomes the legal document that allows work to begin. We put that plan together clearly, correctly and in a format councils approve, so your project moves ahead.
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You’ll need a Biodiversity Gain Plan in Kent if your planning permission includes a condition linked to Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG). The Biodiversity Gain Plan is the document that shows how the required biodiversity improvement will actually be delivered, how it will be maintained, and who is responsible for it.
Without an approved Biodiversity Gain Plan in place, many developments cannot legally begin, even where planning permission has already been granted.
Planning officers in Kent most frequently require formal Biodiversity Gain Plan evidence where development affects:
If this evidence isn’t provided in the correct format, many planning applications aren’t validated at all, or they are delayed by conditions later in the process.
We provide Biodiversity Gain Plan services across: Maidstone, Ashford, Canterbury, Dartford, Gravesend, Medway, Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells, Sevenoaks, Folkestone and all surrounding towns, villages and rural areas across the county.Â
Planning Authorities across Kent require a Biodiversity Gain Plan because Biodiversity Net Gain is now a statutory requirement under the Environment Act 2021. The Plan provides the legally enforceable route for delivering biodiversity improvements tied to a specific planning permission. Without an approved Plan, the BNG condition cannot be lawfully discharged, and development cannot commence on site.Â
We produce planning-ready BNG Assessments aligned to Kent’s policy expectations.
Your Biodiversity Gain Plan is structured to meet Kent’s planning requirements and typically includes:
Habitat delivery strategy — how and where biodiversity uplift will be achieved
Mapped habitat parcels — legally reliable plans linking habitats to the approved metric
Optional integration with a Habitat Management & Monitoring Plan (HMMP) where 30-year management is required
Submission-ready planning document — formatted for Local Planning Authority approval
This ensures your BNG condition in Kent can be discharged cleanly and lawfully.
We assess your existing BNG assessment, site layout and planning condition.
Habitat delivery proposals, mapping and management requirements are drafted.
The plan is aligned with your build programme and any wider ecological or planning documents.
 We respond to any LPA queries or amendments required.
Ready to secure approval and start on site? We’ll confirm what your Kent site needs and help you move forward without unnecessary delay.Â
Yes. Where development falls within the statutory scope of Biodiversity Net Gain legislation, a Biodiversity Gain Plan must demonstrate at least 10 percent measurable uplift compared to the approved baseline habitat value.
Chalk grassland can carry higher distinctiveness values within the Biodiversity Metric. The Biodiversity Gain Plan must accurately calculate baseline units and ensure that habitat losses are properly compensated or avoided.
Yes. Major housing schemes within the Thames Gateway and other growth areas must comply with statutory Biodiversity Net Gain requirements. The Biodiversity Gain Plan must clearly demonstrate how uplift will be delivered and legally secured.
Developments associated with ports, logistics or transport corridors are not exempt from Biodiversity Net Gain. The Biodiversity Gain Plan must quantify habitat impacts and confirm compliant uplift prior to commencement.
Many Kent sites involve intensive arable land. The Biodiversity Gain Plan must accurately assess baseline habitat condition and avoid overstating ecological value when calculating uplift.
Approval is handled by the relevant Local Planning Authority, such as Maidstone Borough Council, Canterbury City Council, Ashford Borough Council or others depending on location.
Planning guidance for Maidstone Borough Council can be accessed at:
https://maidstone.gov.uk/home/primary-services/planning-and-building
Yes. Road, rail or infrastructure schemes can reduce available habitat area. The Biodiversity Gain Plan must account for permanent habitat loss within the Biodiversity Metric calculations.
Where on site delivery is constrained, developers may secure registered off site biodiversity units. The Biodiversity Gain Plan must confirm legal registration and long term securing arrangements.
Risks include incorrect habitat classification, inconsistency between ecological surveys and layout drawings and unrealistic habitat proposals for chalk or coastal soils.
ProHort prepares technically robust Biodiversity Gain Plans tailored to Kent’s chalk, agricultural and growth corridor context. We ensure accurate metric modelling, realistic habitat proposals and clear securing mechanisms to minimise approval risk.
