Do you need a Biodiversity Gain Plan in Shropshire 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 Shropshire 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 Shropshire 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: Shrewsbury, Telford, Oswestry, Bridgnorth, Ludlow, Market Drayton, Wem, Ellesmere, Much Wenlock, Church Stretton and all surrounding towns, villages and rural areas across the county.Â
Planning Authorities across Shropshire 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 Shropshire‘s policy expectations.
Your Biodiversity Gain Plan is structured to meet Shropshire’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 Shropshire 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 Shropshire site needs and help you move forward without unnecessary delay.Â
Most qualifying developments in Shropshire must demonstrate compliance with mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain legislation. A Biodiversity Gain Plan confirms how at least 10 percent measurable biodiversity uplift will be achieved compared to the site’s baseline habitat value.
Yes. Agricultural land, farm diversification schemes and rural housing sites are not automatically excluded. Where development falls within the statutory scope, a Biodiversity Gain Plan is required regardless of rural location.
For larger or phased schemes, the Biodiversity Gain Plan must explain how biodiversity uplift will be delivered across phases. The Local Planning Authority will expect clarity on timing, sequencing and legal securing of habitat units.
Yes. Landowners may allocate agricultural land for habitat creation to generate off site biodiversity units. Where those units are used to support a development, the Biodiversity Gain Plan must clearly reference their registration and legal securing mechanism.
Where development occurs within or near the Shropshire Hills National Landscape, biodiversity proposals must be ecologically robust and landscape sensitive. The Biodiversity Gain Plan must demonstrate that habitat creation measures respect local character and avoid ecological degradation.
A compliant submission typically includes statutory Biodiversity Metric calculations, baseline habitat survey data, post development habitat proposals, mapping plans and confirmation of how habitat units will be legally secured and managed.
Yes. As a unitary authority, Shropshire Council acts as the Local Planning Authority for most sites within the county. It reviews and approves the Biodiversity Gain Plan prior to development commencing.
Developers can review planning information via Shropshire Council’s planning portal at:
https://www.shropshire.gov.uk/planning/
Where on site delivery is constrained, developers may rely partly or wholly on off site biodiversity units. The Biodiversity Gain Plan must demonstrate that these units are secured and meet statutory requirements.
If the plan contains inconsistent metric calculations, unclear habitat proposals or missing legal securing information, approval may be delayed. Development cannot lawfully commence until the Biodiversity Gain Plan has been formally approved.
ProHort supports developers and landowners in preparing compliant Biodiversity Gain Plans aligned with Shropshire Council requirements. We ensure metric accuracy, clear habitat delivery strategy and robust documentation to reduce approval risk.
