Leeds City Council Issue New Biodiversity Net Gain Guidance

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New guidance has been published by Leeds City Council – Achieving net gain for biodiversity – guidance for developers, see what this means for your developments.

The highlights:

Aim to achieve a minimum of 10% net gain for biodiversity, this will soon become mandatory through The Environmental Bill.

All habitat creation and enhancement will need to be managed in the long term (30 years) to achieve the target conditions as set in the biodiversity net gain assessment.

If net gain can’t be achieved from your development what are your options?

  1. Re-design to achieve net gain;
  2.  Off-site habitat creation and enhancement under the control of the applicant (ideally on land within the same Local Planning Authority).
  3. Use a Habitat Bank (such as the Environment Bank) to deliver the Biodiversity Units required.
  4. Within Leeds City Council a Biodiveristy Credit can be applied based on the Biodiveristy Units required from the biodiversity net gain assessment. Specifically within Leeds City Council 1 Biodiversity Unit will be £20,000. 

Please note that additional costs will also apply in relation to the long-term monitoring of habitats and facilitation fees. For further details please see the Leeds City Council website.

 

 

 

 

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