Guidance and regulation

Planning practice guidance on biodiversity net gain. Biodiversity net gain is a way of creating and improving biodiversity by requiring development to have a positive impact (‘net gain’) on biodiversity.

• From: Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
• Updated: 1 May 2024

Annual confirmed sightings of the Asian hornet (Vespa velutina) in the UK.

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
• Updated: 15 May 2024

• Asian hornet sightings recorded since 2016

  This page will be updated with details of confirmed sightings. Sightings…

Tools and guides for measuring the biodiversity value of habitat for biodiversity net gain (BNG).

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
• Updated: 12 February 2024

• Transferring data from 4.0 to the statutory biodiversity metric calculation tool

  To ensure that your project is still compliant with guidance and that your…

A guide to the types of development that will be exempt from the mandatory biodiversity net gain (BNG) requirements.

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
• Updated: 2 April 2024

Guidance on what BNG is and how it affects land managers, developers and local planning authorities.

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
• Updated: 22 February 2024

How to identify, stop the spread and dispose of Japanese knotweed in England.

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and 2 others
• Updated: 17 February 2023

When and how to measure a habitat or development’s impact on biodiversity.

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
• Updated: 27 February 2024

Get permission or a licence to trap crayfish, eels, elvers, salmon, sea trout, lamprey and smelt in England. How to apply and rules to follow.

• From: Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science and 2 others
• Updated: 13 January 2023

How to report dead wild birds.

• From: Animal and Plant Health Agency and 1 others
• Updated: 15 February 2023

Check if your import, export or re-export needs a permit or certificate under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

• From: Animal and Plant Health Agency and 1 others
• Updated: 5 April 2024

What you must do to avoid harming birds and when you’ll need a licence.

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and 1 others
• Updated: 29 March 2015

The prices of statutory biodiversity credits from the date biodiversity net gain (BNG) becomes mandatory.

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
• Updated: 12 February 2024

How local planning authorities can ensure that developers and land managers meet the requirements for biodiversity net gain (BNG). 

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
• Updated: 8 May 2024

What you need to do if you find, own or look after a listed invasive non-native (alien) animal in England and Wales.

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
• Updated: 20 September 2022

What you need to do as a developer to meet biodiversity net gain (BNG) requirements.

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
• Updated: 12 February 2024

List of priority habitats and species in England (‘Section 41 habitats and species’) for public bodies, landowners and funders to use for biodiversity conservation.

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and 1 others
• Updated: 10 November 2022

When and how you need to register your item or apply for an exemption certificate to deal in ivory.

• From: Animal and Plant Health Agency and 1 others
• Updated: 26 July 2023

Information for developers and local planning authorities explaining statutory biodiversity credits, and the process of buying them.

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
• Updated: 12 February 2024

How to dispose of dead wild birds or ask for them to be removed.

• From: Animal and Plant Health Agency and 1 others
• Updated: 13 December 2022

Find out which licence you might need to carry out work that affects wildlife and its habitat, how to apply and when you might need to pay.

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and 1 others
• Updated: 25 October 2023