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Issue - meetings

BIODIVERSITY NET GAIN

 

 

Meeting: 27/09/2023 - Cabinet Panel on the Environment (Item 80)

BIODIVERSITY NET GAIN

To receive a presentation on Biodiversity Net Gain and the site matching service from the County Council’s Biodiversity Net Gain and Local Nature Recovery Strategy Project Manager.

Decision:

A presentation was received from the Biodiversity Net Gain and Local Recovery Strategy Project Manager from Hertfordshire County Council on Biodiversity Net Gain and the Site Matching Service.

 

Minutes:

Audio recording – 50:24

 

The Biodiversity Net Gain and Local Recovery Strategy Project Manager from Hertfordshire County Council gave a presentation with slides and advised:

 

·         Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) was a mechanism within the planning system to deliver improvements to local diversity. The programme would be rolled out in phases, with major developments within the first phase.

·         All major developments would need to deliver at least 10% BNG, which must be secured for a minimum of 30 years.

·         Developers and landowners needed to be aware of the costs associated with delivering BNG over 30 years.

·         The first phase was meant to start in November 2023, but had been delayed to next year. Small sites would still be rolled out in April 2024.

·         Delivering gains onsite should be prioritised over offsite. Offsite gains were expected in some cases but should be near the site where possible.

·         Where there was no onsite or offsite possibility, there was a national credit system to deliver gains. Evidence would have to be provided to show that you had exhausted all onsite and offsite options.

·         The Site Matching Service aimed to connect those seeking BNG sites within Hertfordshire and request information on available sites.

·         There were separate processes for offering and seeking sites.

·         To advertise a site on the service, the minimum information that would need to be provided was habitat information, site location and site size. Providing additional information such as a site survey would improve matching chances.

·         Sites are matched by criteria such as habitat types, BNG units and strategic significance.

·         A single flat fee would cover listing and submitting a request for a site. If no matches were found withing 3 months, the site could be relisted for free, or a refund would be given.

 

The following participants asked questions:

 

·         Councillor Steve Jarvis

·         Councillor Michael Muir

·         Deolinda Eltringham

·         John Webb

·         Councillor Chris Hinchliff

 

In response to the questions, the Biodiversity Net Gain and Local Recovery Strategy Project Manager advised:

 

·         Once BNG became mandatory, developers and landowners would have to maintain BNG on the site for 30 years.

·         The Sustainable Hertfordshire ambition aimed to deliver 20% biodiversity enhancement on County-owned developments and land by 2030.

·         At the design stage for BNG sites, the ecologists would consider if the habitat would be appropriate for a future climate. Landowners would also have to think about incurred costs, such as fencing and management.

·         A S106 agreement could be used to protect BNG sites. DEFRA would be providing a new legal mechanism called Conservation Covenants which could be used to protect BNG sites.

·         BNG sites could be used for economic uses as long as it did not negatively affect the habitat.

·         When a planning application is received for a BNG site, the Natural England Framework would be used to determine the BNG unit score of the site.

·         The service aimed to get the best offer of BNG sites within the County, and would try to deliver BNG on local land.