Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) for Equestrian Developments: What you Need to Know
For equestrian developments, BNG is now a standard part of the planning process and an important consideration at the earliest design stage. Whether you are proposing a new stable yard, indoor arena, gallops or wider equestrian facility, understanding how Biodiversity Net Gain works can help avoid delays and improve the overall planning strategy.
What you need to know about BNG
BNG requires a development to achieve a minimum 10% increase in biodiversity value. This is measured using Natural England’s statutory biodiversity metric, which assigns a value to habitats based on factors such as type, condition, distinctiveness and strategic significance.
The BNG process
The process generally involves:
A baseline survey of the site’s existing habitats carried out by a qualified ecologist.
Using the statutory biodiversity metric to calculate the site’s existing “biodiversity units”. Importantly, BNG now applies to habitats across the full red-line boundary of a planning application, not just those directly impacted by construction.
Designing the project to create or enhance habitats, aiming for a final biodiversity score of at least 110% of the baseline value.
Securing habitat management for a minimum of 30 years, ensuring any biodiversity enhancements are maintained and monitored over the long term.
On-Site BNG for Equestrian Projects
For equestrian developments, BNG can often be achieved through practical and well-integrated landscape measures. These may include planting new native hedgerows, creating species-rich grassland or swales as part of a Sustainable Drainage System (SuDS), or incorporating bat and bird boxes into stable buildings.
In many cases, equestrian sites are well suited to on-site biodiversity improvements because of the amount of surrounding land available. Integrating these measures into the initial site design is usually more cost-effective than retrofitting solutions later in the planning process.
Off-site Units and Biodiversity Credits
If the required 10% gain cannot be achieved on-site, developers may need to secure off off-site biodiversity units from habitat providers elsewhere. These units must be formally registered and legally secured.
Where neither on-site nor off-site options are available, statutory biodiversity credits can be purchased from the government as a last resort. However, this is typically the most expensive route, making early ecological input and on-site habitat integration the preferred approach.
What’s Changing?
As with most planning policy, BNG requirements continue to evolve. Recent government announcements suggest that some very small developments (under 0.2 hectares) may become exempt in the future, although many equestrian schemes are unlikely to qualify because of the land area involved. For this reason, it remains sensible to assume that Biodiversity Net Gain will form part of the planning process unless confirmed otherwise by your consultant or local authority.
To Conclude
They key thing to understand is that Biodiversity Net Gain is no longer an optional extra in equestrian planning, it is a core requirement for most developments. However with early ecological advice and careful site design, BNG can usually be incorporated in a practical and cost effective way, often enhancing the overall quality of the equestrian environment at the same time.