The BNG Exemption Checker

Get a preliminary assessment on whether you are eligible for a BNG exemption!

From February 2024, a new mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain objective will start to apply for certain developments.

This tool is designed to help alert you to when and how the rules will change for your application. This tool will help determine whether or not your application needs to comply, or will need to comply, with the statutory Biodiversity Net Gain regime set out in Schedule 7A to the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

Get a free preliminary assessment on whether you are eligible for a BNG exemption!

Get a preliminary assessment in a few clicks, and see if we can help you!

Please note this tool only assesses whether your site has to comply with the legal regime set out in Schedule 7A to the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. This advice will be adapted as the legislation changes. We will also seek to add in certified best practices - so please keep checking in! The tool is free for all.

Since February 2024, a new mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain objective has came into force for certain developments.

This tool is designed to alert you about how the rules have changed for your application. It will help determine whether or not your application needs to comply with the statutory Biodiversity Net Gain regime set out in Schedule 7A to the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

Which tool should I use?

Access our BNG tools

Comply with BNG today

The Biodiversity Net Gain Tool is a new tool that offers small sites end-to end compliance with the new BNG law.

BNG loolUse our BNG tool

Calculate the value of your Biodiversity Units

Joe's Blooms Explore is a new digital tool that allows you to easily work out the Biodiversity Unit value of any piece of land.

Explore tool
Use our Explore tool

Take care of your BNG

Our easy-to-use tool ensures full biodiversity net gain compliance and control for Local Planning Authorities.

LPA toolAccess the LPA portal

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BNG is here. If you are keen to get ahead of the curve and stay updated with all the latest BNG news, please sign up here.

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FAQ

What is the new biodiversity net gain law?

The BNG law is a policy in England requiring development projects from April 2024 to achieve at least a 10% increase in biodiversity units on-site. This is measured using the Statutory Biodiversity Metric, which assesses the current and potential biodiversity impacted by development or restoration activities. The policy ensures compliance with the Environment Act 2021, aiming to balance development with nature conservation.

Check if you’re eligible for a BNG exemption.

What is the de minimis exemption for biodiversity net gain?

The de minimis BNG threshold for a development is based on the standards below.

A development that does not impact a priority habitat and impacts

  • less than 25 square metres (e.g. 5m x 5m) of non-priority onsite habitat (such as modified grassland)

  • or 5m for non-priority onsite linear habitats (such as native hedgerows).

If a development affects less than 25 square meters of non-priority habitat but negatively impacts 5 meters or more of non-priority linear habitat, or vice versa, the exemption will not apply, and all habitats will be subject to BNG.

Additionally, if any priority habitat within the red line boundary of the development is impacted, the exemption will not apply, and all habitats will be subject to BNG.

What sites are exempt from biodiversity net gain?

  • Planning applications that were made before day one of mandatory BNG on 12th February 2024.

  • Development below a de minimis threshold.

  • Small development applications that were made before Small Site BNG became mandatory on 2nd April 2024

  • Householder applications such as small projects for home extensions.

  • Self-build and custom-build applications when they meet certain criteria.

  • Developments undertaken mainly for the purpose of fulfilling the BNG planning condition for another development.

  • High Speed Railway Transport Network.

Learn more

I don’t know if I’m exempt from BNG. What do I do?

Don't worry, we have the solution. Our BNG Exemption checker can help determine whether your application needs to comply with the statutory BNG law.

Use the exemption tool above
, which has been reviewed by industry lawyers. Our checker will produce the necessary documentation to confirm your exemption status.

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