Clear progress for nature related projects in Government’s Biodiversity Net Gain consultation response, but attitude pitting nature against development continues

• The Rivers Trust has responded to Defra’s changes to Biodiversity Net Gain aimed at improving the implementation of BNG for minor, medium, and brownfield development.

• The comments follow a detailed response from The Rivers Trust Movement to Defra’s BNG consultation last year, drawing on real-world examples of the Movement’s work in river catchments across England.

• Concerns also raised over weakening of Biodiversity Net Gain and requirements for assessing river health when developing sites, including for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs), in England and Wales.

The Government has today announced the consultation outcome on improving the implementation of Biodiversity Net Gain. Whilst some clear steps forward have been made to unblock biodiversity-boosting projects, the Government has persisted with the overall weakening of this nature-positive policy.

The Rivers Trust is glad to see that a new exemption for habitat creation projects will go ahead later this year. Unblocking these biodiversity-boosting works is essential to achieving nature recovery and meeting our environmental targets. This is the kind of forward-looking reform The Rivers Trust has been calling for, that accelerates positive delivery for growth, communities and nature.

However, the Government is also planning an exemption on development sites of less than 0.2 hectares, which will have the overall effect of shrinking the funding available from Biodiversity Net Gain. Their own evidence shows that the 0.2 hectares exemption delivers savings for development, but at a far greater cost to nature – around six times higher than any savings made. This imbalance risks prioritising short-term development viability over the long‑term recovery of biodiversity at a time when nature urgently needs stronger protection. Whilst The Rivers Trust is relieved that the Government has stepped back from the most sweeping exemptions proposed, this represents a continued attitude that pits the environment against growth, with the environment frequently missing out.

Opportunities have also been missed in ensuring some of the largest development projects, known as Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs), contribute as much as they should to national nature recovery. Restricting Biodiversity Net Gain to directly impacted habitats substantially reduces the BNG obligation on NSIPs and further erodes the overall effectiveness of Biodiversity Net Gain.

The Rivers Trust Chief Executive, Mark Lloyd said: “Housebuilding and growth do not need to be at-odds with nature recovery. Time and again evidence has shown that nature is not a blocker. In fact, a flourishing natural environment, based around thriving rivers, is essential to creating happy and healthy communities, as well as being a fundamental basis for long-term economic growth.”

“With the Government’s Environmental Improvement Plan targets rapidly approaching, we should be focussing on making Biodiversity Net Gain a stronger and more effective policy, not looking to water it down. It should also be considered that insufficient public money is available to support nature restoration at the pace and scale required, and the Government must focus efforts on urgently strengthening nature markets to draw in private sector finance.”

“The Government is proposing improved guidance and digitisation for Biodiversity Net Gain, which we had called for, but it is continuing down a path that risks stunting nature recovery despite the UK being one of the most nature deprived countries in the world.”