What is biodiversity?
The Landscape Institute defines biodiversity as:
"a fundamental measure of the state of nature and its ability to deliver these services. In simple terms, it is the variety and variability of life on earth, including genes, ecosystems, and species."
What is Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG)?
BNG is a requirement, by law, in England to deliver an increase in biodiversity of 10% in new developments.
"The Environment Act 2021, a significant piece of legislation that overhauls and replaces EU environmental frameworks, includes a commitment to halt species decline by 2030. As part of this commitment, the Act introduces a requirement for development in England to deliver at minimum a 10% net gain in biodiversity.
Land development has long had a deleterious effect on the natural environment. Biodiversity net gain is an approach to development and land management that aims to leave the natural environment in a measurably better state than it was beforehand."
The legislation came into effect in 2024, but developers should note that the baseline biodiversity will be backdated to 30th Jan 2020, should there have been any degradation since that date.
BNG and Landscape Architects
We are optimistic about the opportunities afforded by Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) legislation, which helps to encourage projects' early consideration of utilising the skills of Landscape Architects. BNG legislation requires development teams to think of landscape not only in terms of provision of functions and aesthetics, but also in terms of creating biodiverse habitats.
BNG targets can be met through techniques such as sustainable drainage (SuDS), natural flood management (NFM) and the value of existing and proposed green infrastructure (GI) on a site. Well considered developments, with early involvement of Landscape Architects, can balance serving the needs of both people and the environment, providing best value in a beautiful and biodiverse landscape.
Why 2B?
2B believes in maximising the potential of a site - which can be done on developments of all scales - for the benefit of the client, the community and the environment. This holistic thinking is key to our role as landscape architects; the Landscape Institute (LI), our professional body, supports this with published information.
2B staff are paying careful attention as the BNG legislation evolves; attending all available CPD sessions run by the LI and experts at Natural England. We understand the intricacies, potential pitfalls, and opportunities involved in designing landscapes for Biodiversity Net Gain.
We provide a professional and personal service which combines our experience from a wide range of projects; including SuDS, NFM and master planning, to give the best bespoke outcome for every project. 2B is able to draw on experts in relevant fields, including suitably qualified ecologists, to complement our own skills. We provide well-informed designs for our clients that fulfil all their requirements, including complying with BNG legislation.
.We were more than happy with your service, and are very pleased with the scheme - your ideas have enhanced the proposal. The masterplan looks very impressive and comprehensively covers all the issues. Thank you for the excellent job you have done.
