The government has confirmed a delay in new regulations requiring developments to create a net improvement for the local environment, but only until January next year.
The requirement for developers to provide a 10% net biodiversity benefit (NBB) was due to come into force in November.
But the BBC reported this week that this was no longer the case, prompting a mixed reaction from the construction sector.
In a statement yesterday, the government announced that the rules will apply from January 2024 for new developments, whether industrial or commercial. They will be asked to provide a “net positive” for the local environment by creating habitats or green spaces, for example.
For small sites, the BNG will apply from April 2024 and is planned for infrastructure projects of national importance (such as HS2) from 2025.
Legislation covering the new rules will be introduced in November. Later that month, the government stated that it would publish “all guidance and regulations” related to the BNG.
This will include a statutory metric for calculating the BNG, as well as advice to property owners, developers and local planning authorities on their roles and responsibilities.
The government said the guidelines and regulations will “ensure that developers and planning authorities have access to the tools and information they need” to implement the BNG.
Biodiversity Minister Trudy Harrison said the BNG would “ensure new developments work for both wildlife and people”.
He added: “The updated timetable and guidance we are setting out today will help smooth the transition before net biodiversity gains are operational in January 2024.”
Before the new timetable was confirmed, Victoria Hills, chief executive of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), said her organisation’s recent research showed the government was “running out of time” to prepare local planning authorities for to the requirements of the BNG.
He welcomed the delay “to ensure the guidance is ready”, adding that the RTPI hoped “immediate clarity and support from the government will come quickly”.
The UK Green Building Council, whose membership includes many of the country’s biggest contractors, described the reported delay as “another blow to sustainable development”.
