Planning a development in Chesterfield? ProHort provides Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) Assessments and Biodiversity Gain Plans to help developers, landowners, architects and planning professionals understand their biodiversity requirements and prepare the appropriate documentation.
Whether you are developing a residential site, redeveloping previously used land or planning a commercial project, understanding the existing biodiversity value of your site is an important part of the process.
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Chesterfield has a varied development landscape, with established residential neighbourhoods, commercial areas, former industrial land and settlements extending towards the surrounding countryside. These different settings can present different considerations when assessing biodiversity and planning habitat improvements.
For example, a redevelopment site within an established part of Chesterfield may contain existing vegetation that has developed since its previous use. A site on the edge of Hasland or near Calow may have a different combination of grassland, hedgerows and agricultural boundaries.
The River Rother and its associated habitats are another important consideration where development sites contain or adjoin watercourses, wetland areas or connected green spaces.
Understanding these characteristics early can help establish the biodiversity baseline and identify realistic opportunities for habitat retention, creation or enhancement.
Chesterfield Borough Council’s adopted Local Plan includes Policy CS9, which addresses green infrastructure and biodiversity. The policy highlights the importance of protecting and enhancing green infrastructure, improving habitat connections where possible and considering the long-term management of proposed green infrastructure.
For developers, this makes it important to consider biodiversity alongside the wider development layout, rather than treating it as a separate task at the end of the planning process.
ProHort provides site-specific BNG support to help you understand the ecological considerations affecting your proposal and prepare the relevant documentation.
We support projects across Chesterfield, covering all neighbourhoods including the town centre, Brampton, Newbold, Hasland, Whittington Moor, Staveley, Hollingwood, Inkersall, and the wider surrounding areas within the Chesterfield local authority boundary.
A Biodiversity Net Gain Assessment establishes the biodiversity value of a site before development and assesses how the proposed works could change that value.
Where statutory BNG applies, the assessment uses the applicable statutory biodiversity metric to calculate the relevant biodiversity units. These calculations help compare the site’s pre-development biodiversity value with the proposed outcome and establish the gain required.
For a Chesterfield development, the assessment may need to consider habitats such as grassland, scrub, trees, hedgerows, woodland and water-associated habitats, depending on what is present within the site boundary.
The results help inform the development layout and the options available for delivering the required biodiversity improvements.
The scope depends on the site, the proposed development and the information available. A BNG Assessment may include:
The assessment should reflect the actual habitats present rather than assumptions based on the site’s previous use or surrounding location.
Where habitat classification, condition or other ecological information needs further investigation, additional work may be necessary to establish an appropriate baseline.
Considering biodiversity during the early design stages can help identify opportunities to retain existing habitats and incorporate suitable improvements into the development.
This can be particularly useful where a site contains established trees, hedgerows, areas of grassland or vegetation that has developed on previously used land.
The assessment can help the project team understand how the proposed layout affects biodiversity value and whether changes could improve the available options for achieving the required gain.
Early consideration may also help identify whether on-site habitat measures are likely to be sufficient or whether other permitted forms of biodiversity provision may need to be explored.
A Biodiversity Gain Plan explains how the required biodiversity gain will be delivered and secured for a development where statutory BNG requirements apply.
It serves a different purpose from a BNG Assessment. The assessment establishes the existing biodiversity value and calculates the relevant changes, while the Biodiversity Gain Plan sets out the approach for delivering the required outcome.
For a Chesterfield project, this means bringing together the relevant assessment information, habitat proposals and delivery arrangements into a structured document for the appropriate planning authority to consider.
Where the statutory biodiversity gain condition applies, the Biodiversity Gain Plan generally needs to be approved by the relevant local planning authority before development begins, subject to the applicable legislation and any relevant provisions.
The precise requirements depend on the development and the proposed biodiversity strategy. A Biodiversity Gain Plan may include:
Biodiversity assessment information: Relevant baseline findings and biodiversity metric calculations.
Habitat creation and enhancement proposals: Details of the measures intended to achieve the required biodiversity gain.
Habitat plans and mapping: Information showing the location and extent of relevant habitat areas.
Off-site biodiversity provision: Details of registered off-site biodiversity units where these form part of the strategy.
Habitat management arrangements: Information about how habitats will be managed and monitored over the required period.
Delivery and responsibilities: Details explaining how the proposed measures will be implemented and secured.
The objective is to provide a clear explanation of how the required biodiversity outcome will be achieved and maintained.
The Biodiversity Gain Plan should be consistent with the relevant assessment findings and the development proposals. It is not simply a replacement for the original assessment.
Although the two services are connected, they have different roles within the development process.
A BNG Assessment establishes the biodiversity baseline and calculates the impact of the proposed development. It helps identify the biodiversity gain required and the potential options for achieving it.
A Biodiversity Gain Plan explains how the required gain will be delivered and secured. It brings together the relevant assessment information and biodiversity proposals into the formal plan required where the statutory condition applies.
For example, a redevelopment site near the River Rother may contain existing grassland, scrub or other habitats that need to be assessed before the proposed layout is finalised.
The assessment establishes the relevant biodiversity values and helps identify the measures needed to achieve the required outcome. The Biodiversity Gain Plan can then set out how the selected habitat improvements or other permitted provision will be delivered.
The two services therefore complement one another, but neither should be treated as interchangeable. The requirements for each project should be confirmed before work progresses.
Chesterfield’s mix of established urban areas, redevelopment sites, residential growth and green infrastructure means that the ecological considerations can vary considerably between projects.
The following local settings illustrate why the biodiversity approach should be tailored to the site itself.
Chesterfield has a history of industrial activity, and some redevelopment proposals may involve land that has previously been used for industrial, commercial or other purposes.
A site’s previous use does not automatically mean that its current biodiversity value is low. Vegetation may have developed over time, and grassland, scrub or other habitats may now be present.
A BNG Assessment helps establish the actual habitat baseline and how the proposed development may affect it. This is important before deciding which habitats can be retained and what improvements may be feasible.
For projects around former industrial areas, the assessment should be based on current site conditions and appropriate ecological evidence, rather than assumptions about the land’s history.
Where a development site contains or adjoins the River Rother, a tributary, a ditch or another wet habitat, the existing ecological features may influence the biodiversity assessment.
Depending on the site, relevant considerations could include the extent and condition of water-associated habitats, surrounding vegetation and the relationship between habitats within the site boundary.
Where suitable opportunities exist, habitat retention or enhancement may also be considered as part of the wider biodiversity strategy.
The appropriate measures will depend on the actual habitats present, the proposed works and any relevant site constraints. A location near a river does not, by itself, determine the biodiversity value of a development site.
Development around established neighbourhoods and settlement edges may involve a mixture of gardens, grassland, trees, hedgerows and other vegetation.
Where these features fall within the relevant site boundary, they may need to be considered in the biodiversity baseline and the proposed development calculations.
An early assessment can help identify which features should be considered during the layout process and where suitable habitat creation or enhancement may be possible.
The resulting strategy should reflect the actual ecological characteristics of the site rather than applying the same assumptions to every residential development.
Development and regeneration around Staveley and Brimington may involve a range of site types, including previously developed land, commercial premises and sites at the edges of established settlements.
The biodiversity considerations will depend on the specific location and existing habitats. A previously used site may contain different habitats from an undeveloped site, and the proposed works may affect those habitats in different ways.
A site-specific assessment helps establish the relevant biodiversity values and identify a practical route towards the required outcome.
Chesterfield Borough Council’s Local Plan recognises the importance of green infrastructure and habitat connections.
For suitable sites, biodiversity proposals can consider how existing habitat features relate to nearby green spaces and whether the development offers realistic opportunities to retain or improve those connections.
This could involve considering existing hedgerows, trees, planted areas or other habitat features as part of the development layout.
Any proposed improvements must be appropriate to the site’s ecological characteristics and capable of being delivered and maintained. Habitat connectivity should be considered alongside the relevant biodiversity calculations and planning requirements.
ProHort helps clients understand their site’s biodiversity position and prepare the appropriate documentation for their development.
We review the available information about the site, proposed development and planning position to establish the likely scope of work.
A site plan, proposed layout and any existing ecological reports can help identify the information already available and whether additional assessment may be needed.
Where required, we assess the habitats present and establish the relevant baseline biodiversity value.
The work considers the characteristics and condition of the habitats and the information needed to complete the applicable biodiversity calculations.
We use the applicable statutory biodiversity metric to assess the proposed changes to biodiversity value and identify the required gain where statutory BNG applies.
The calculations help inform the options available for achieving the required biodiversity outcome.
We consider suitable ways to deliver biodiversity improvements in light of the assessment findings, proposed layout and site constraints.
Depending on the project, the approach may involve habitat retention, on-site habitat creation or enhancement, registered off-site biodiversity units or a combination of permitted options.
Where required, we use the relevant assessment information and proposed biodiversity measures to prepare the Biodiversity Gain Plan.
The document explains how the required gain is intended to be delivered and secured, with supporting information appropriate to the development.
We can help you understand the documentation prepared for your project and respond to queries relating to our work as the process progresses.
The final submission and approval requirements depend on the applicable legislation, the relevant planning authority and the circumstances of the development.
Contact us, and we’ll confirm exactly what your Chesterfield site requires. We provide a planning-ready, proportionate route forward.
Yes. A site’s previous industrial or commercial use does not automatically mean it has low biodiversity value. Habitats may have developed since the site was last used, including grassland, scrub and other vegetation. A site-specific assessment is needed to establish the habitats present and calculate their relevant biodiversity value.
Where a development site contains or adjoins the River Rother or associated wet habitats, the relevant habitat features should be considered as part of the assessment where they fall within its scope. Their contribution will depend on the habitats present, their condition, the proposed works and the applicable biodiversity metric. The site’s proximity to the river alone does not determine its biodiversity value.
Yes. Chesterfield Borough Council’s adopted Local Plan includes Policy CS9, which addresses green infrastructure and biodiversity. It highlights matters such as protecting and enhancing green infrastructure, improving habitat connections where possible and making arrangements for the long-term management of proposed green infrastructure. The specific planning requirements for a development should be checked against the relevant policies and application circumstances.
Potentially, yes. The assessment needs to reflect the habitats present and their relevant characteristics and condition, rather than relying solely on the site’s previous use. The applicable statutory biodiversity metric and rules determine how those habitats are assessed and included in the calculations.
The effects will depend on the habitats present, the proposed layout and the relevant biodiversity requirements. Existing hedgerows and trees may need to be considered in the baseline and the proposed development calculations. Assessing them early can help identify opportunities for retention or suitable enhancement, although the contribution of each feature must be determined through the appropriate assessment.
Where statutory BNG applies, off-site biodiversity units may be an option if the required gain cannot be achieved entirely on site. Their use is subject to the applicable biodiversity gain hierarchy, metric trading rules and registration requirements. An assessment can help establish whether there is a shortfall and inform the options available for addressing it.
It is sensible to establish the requirement early, particularly if your planning permission includes a statutory biodiversity gain condition. Where that condition applies, the Biodiversity Gain Plan generally needs to be approved by the relevant planning authority before development begins. Preparing the necessary assessment information and biodiversity strategy in good time can help coordinate the plan with the wider development programme.
Useful starting information includes the site address or postcode, a plan showing the site boundary, the proposed development layout and any existing ecological reports. If you have already submitted a planning application or received correspondence about biodiversity requirements, this may also help establish the scope of work. The exact information needed will depend on the site and proposed development.
