Planning a development in Kent? ProHort provides Biodiversity Net Gain Assessment and Biodiversity Gain Plan services to help developers understand their site’s habitat value, plan measurable biodiversity improvements and address the statutory BNG requirements where they apply.
From the initial habitat baseline and biodiversity metric calculations to preparing a Biodiversity Gain Plan for submission, we can help you understand the ecological requirements affecting your project.
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Planning permission and approval of the Biodiversity Gain Plan are separate stages.
Where the statutory biodiversity gain condition applies, receiving planning permission does not, by itself, mean development can begin. The Biodiversity Gain Plan must be submitted to the relevant planning authority and approved before the development commences.
This makes Kent BNG condition discharge an important consideration when preparing a development programme. The plan should reflect the approved scheme, the biodiversity metric and the arrangements for delivering the proposed habitat gains.
The relevant planning authority will usually be the local planning authority that granted planning permission. This may include authorities such as Kent County Council in its relevant planning role, district and borough councils, or Medway Council, depending on the development and who determined the application.
For phased developments, additional arrangements may apply, including an overall Biodiversity Gain Plan and separate phase plans.
We support projects across:
Maidstone, Canterbury, Ashford, Medway, Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells, Sevenoaks, Dover, Folkestone & Hythe, Thanet and surrounding villages.
A Biodiversity Net Gain Assessment in Kent 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, most developments must achieve at least 10% biodiversity net gain. An assessment helps establish the site’s existing habitat value, identify potential losses and explore how the required gain could be achieved.
This is particularly important in Kent, where development sites can range from previously developed urban land and agricultural fields to areas close to chalk grassland, ancient woodland, traditional orchards and coastal habitats. Correctly identifying and assessing the habitats present is essential to producing a reliable biodiversity metric calculation.
A Biodiversity Net Gain Assessment will typically involve:
Habitat identification and mapping: identifying the habitats present within the site and recording their extent.
Habitat condition assessment: evaluating habitat condition using the relevant assessment criteria.
Biodiversity metric calculations: calculating the site’s baseline biodiversity value and modelling the effects of the proposed development using the applicable statutory biodiversity metric.
Habitat retention and enhancement: considering opportunities to avoid habitat loss and improve biodiversity within the development boundary.
Biodiversity gain recommendations: identifying potential ways to achieve the required biodiversity uplift, including on-site and, where necessary, off-site options.
The assessment provides an evidence base for understanding the site’s biodiversity value and informing the development’s approach to BNG. It is not the same document as the Biodiversity Gain Plan required at the later planning stage.
A Biodiversity Gain Plan in Kent sets out how a development will deliver the biodiversity gain required under the statutory framework.
Where the statutory biodiversity gain condition applies, the plan must be submitted to and approved by the relevant planning authority before development can begin. It builds on the approved development proposals and the supporting biodiversity metric information, explaining how the required gain will be achieved and secured.
For developers looking for Biodiversity Gain Plan services in Kent, preparing the document accurately is an important part of moving from planning permission towards starting work on site.
The content will depend on the development and its proposed approach to biodiversity delivery. A plan will typically address:
Biodiversity gain information: the development details and information needed to demonstrate how the statutory BNG objective will be met.
Habitat creation and enhancement: the habitats proposed, their locations and how they contribute to the required biodiversity gain.
Biodiversity metric information: the relevant metric calculation and supporting details showing the expected biodiversity outcomes.
On-site and off-site provision: details of how the development will meet its biodiversity requirements, including any registered off-site biodiversity units where applicable.
Habitat management and monitoring: arrangements for maintaining and monitoring significant on-site enhancements and other habitat gains where required.
Legal securing arrangements: relevant planning obligations or conservation covenants where these are needed to secure habitat delivery.
The plan must be consistent with the development proposals and the supporting evidence. Where habitat creation or enhancement is proposed, the details should be realistic for the site and capable of being delivered and maintained.
Kent has a varied ecological landscape, and the habitats present can influence the baseline biodiversity value of a development site and the opportunities available for enhancement.
The Kent & Medway Local Nature Recovery Strategy, published in November 2025, identifies local priorities for nature recovery and provides mapping to help direct action towards areas where it could make the greatest contribution. Its coverage includes Kent and Medway, so the strategy is relevant to projects across the wider area.
The Kent Downs are known for their chalk grassland, ancient woodland, veteran trees, wood pasture, traditional orchards, chalk rivers and heathland. These habitats can be important considerations when assessing sites within or near the National Landscape.
Where development affects or is close to these habitats, accurate habitat identification and condition assessment are particularly important. Enhancement proposals should also be appropriate to the ecological characteristics of the site rather than relying on generic planting or habitat creation measures.
Kent’s coastline and estuarine landscapes include habitats such as coastal and floodplain grazing marsh, saltmarsh, mudflats and other wetland environments. Areas around the Thames Estuary, Medway Estuary, Swale and east Kent coastline form part of this varied coastal landscape.
For development near these environments, the existing habitat baseline and the potential effects of the proposed works need careful consideration. The location and type of habitat enhancement should be informed by site conditions and relevant ecological evidence.
Traditional orchards and hedgerows are important features of Kent’s rural landscape. The Kent & Medway Local Nature Recovery Strategy identifies priorities for improving the extent, condition and connectivity of these habitats.
On agricultural and edge-of-settlement sites, existing hedgerows, trees, grassland and orchard habitat may contribute to the site’s biodiversity value. Retaining and enhancing suitable features can form part of a development’s BNG approach where the metric and site constraints support it.
Kent also contains ancient woodland, wet woodland, chalk rivers, ponds and other freshwater habitats. The Local Nature Recovery Strategy identifies woodland resilience, habitat connectivity and freshwater networks among its priorities.
Development near woodland edges, watercourses or wetland areas should be informed by the ecological characteristics of the site and any relevant planning or environmental constraints. These considerations can help shape appropriate habitat retention, enhancement and long-term management proposals.
ProHort can support developers and project teams with Biodiversity Net Gain Assessment and Biodiversity Gain Plan requirements in Kent.
Depending on the stage and needs of your project, support may include:
Reviewing site information, proposed layouts and relevant ecological reports.
Establishing and assessing the habitat baseline.
Preparing biodiversity metric calculations using the applicable statutory metric.
Identifying opportunities for habitat retention, creation and enhancement.
Preparing Biodiversity Gain Plan documentation.
Supporting the information needed for submission to the relevant planning authority.
Considering habitat management, monitoring and legal securing requirements where applicable.
Our approach is to understand the site, the proposed development and the relevant planning requirements before identifying the appropriate BNG work.
Whether you need an initial Biodiversity Net Gain Assessment or a Biodiversity Gain Plan to support condition discharge, ProHort can help you understand the next steps for your development.
Contact our team to discuss your site, the proposed works and the biodiversity information you may need.
No. The statutory BNG framework applies to most planning permissions in England, but exemptions and transitional provisions exist. Whether it applies depends on the development type, planning circumstances and relevant statutory criteria. The requirements should be checked for the individual project.
A BNG Assessment establishes the site’s habitat baseline and uses the applicable statutory biodiversity metric to calculate the effects of the proposed development. A Biodiversity Gain Plan sets out how the development will deliver the required biodiversity gain. Where the statutory condition applies, the plan must be approved by the relevant planning authority before development begins.
The same statutory biodiversity metric framework applies, but the habitats present on a Kent Downs site may require particular attention. Chalk grassland, ancient woodland, veteran trees, orchards and other locally characteristic habitats must be identified and assessed accurately. The site’s ecological context should inform any proposed enhancement.
The strategy identifies local priorities for nature recovery and maps areas where habitat creation and enhancement could make a valuable contribution. It can help inform decisions about suitable habitat improvements and local priorities. However, its mapped actions do not replace the statutory biodiversity metric or automatically determine the outcome of an individual BNG assessment.
Where the required biodiversity gain cannot be delivered entirely on site, registered off-site biodiversity units may be an option, subject to the statutory biodiversity gain hierarchy and applicable rules. The metric calculation and supporting documentation need to demonstrate how the remaining biodiversity unit requirement will be met.
In most cases, the relevant planning authority is the local planning authority that granted the planning permission. Depending on the location and type of development, this may be a Kent district or borough council, Medway Council or another determining authority. Applicants should confirm the correct authority for their specific permission.
