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Consultation outcome

Improving the implementation of biodiversity net gain for minor, medium and brownfield development

Updates to this page

From:
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
Published:
28 May 2025
Last updated:
15 April 2026
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  1. Added the summary of responses and government response, and an area-based exemption evidence annex.

  2. We received a large number of responses to this consultation and are currently analysing the feedback. A full response will be published in due course. Any changes made in response to the consultation will be communicated in advance of their implementation, with expected timescales. The current BNG requirement remains in place and developers should continue to follow existing guidance and legislation when delivering BNG.

  3. First published.

This was published under the 2024 to 2026 Starmer Labour government

Applies to England

This consultation has concluded

Read the full outcome

Government response and summary of responses

HTML

Biodiversity net gain (BNG) area-based exemption evidence annex

PDF, 222 KB, 11 pages

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Detail of outcome

We received 25,024 responses to this consultation. 23,748 of these were campaign responses received by email from Wildlife Trust (WT) and Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) campaigns.

Defra will introduce secondary legislation in 2026 to start implementing the changes set out in the government response.

The current biodiversity net gain (BNG) requirement remains in place and developers should continue to follow existing guidance and legislation when delivering BNG.

Original consultation

Summary

We are seeking views on improving the implementation of biodiversity net gain (BNG) for minor, medium and brownfield development.

This consultation was held on another website.

This consultation ran from
to

Consultation description

We want to know what you think about the implementation of biodiversity net gain (BNG) for minor, medium and brownfield development.

BNG is a way of creating and improving natural habitats. BNG makes sure development has a measurably positive impact (‘net gain’) on biodiversity, compared to what was there before development.

This consultation 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 government is committed to encouraging economic growth through new development, while also supporting nature recovery. We think amending BNG to more efficiently embed nature-positive approaches within the planning system will help achieve this mission.

We are also consulting separately on BNG for nationally significant infrastructure projects.

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