The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has published two new public consultations on the future of Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG), focusing on small sites and nationally significant infrastructure projects (NSIPs).
The first of these is seeking views on the implementation of BNG for minor, medium and brownfield development. It includes “options around extending exemptions, simplifying the small sites metric and increasing ease of access to the off-site market. It also addresses specific challenges for brownfield developments.”
The Landscape Institute (LI) has recognised, through its members, that there have been issues surrounding the Small Sites Metric (SSM), and would have welcomed a discussion with the government about including landscape and ecology professionals prior to any amendments going to consultation. BNG is a vital framework for ensuring development contributes to nature restoration and any weakening of legislation could not only threaten the delivery of biodiversity gain, but the multiple other benefits that enhancing nature offers local places. The LI will be carefully considering all factors, including the government target to halt species decline by 2030, in addition to building 1.5 million homes in England within the same timeframe, and the potential abuse of any exemptions. We would support improvements that simplify and speed up the process, provided the challenges highlighted in the consultation are not overridden but are revised to be fit for purpose.
The second consultation is seeking views on the implementation of BNG for nationally significant infrastructure projects (NSIPs). Legislation for introducing BNG to NSIPs was initially due to be applied from November 2025, but this has now been updated by the government to May 2026.
The LI is disappointed that there is now a six-month delay to the implementation of BNG for NSIPs, but we hope this will allow time to ensure lessons have been learnt from the current metrics and that no further extension will be required.
The LI will be responding to both consultations, with members of our newly formed Knowledge & Practice Committee and Policy & Public Affairs Committee working together on the response .
We encourage LI members and the wider landscape profession to send their responses too, to help to inform the next stage.
The LI plans to revitalise our work on biodiversity by creating a ‘Biodiversity in Practice’ Task and Finish Group, as well as working with partners, updating our guidance, providing case studies, and offering new CPD opportunities. If you would like to get involved in any future work in this area please contact Technical & Research Manager, Tracy Whitfield, at technical@landscapeinstitute.org.