Biodiversity Gain Plans: who gets hired once permission is granted
In England, most planning permissions now carry a biodiversity net gain requirement. It is one of the most reliable sources of work for ecologists and landscape teams, because it creates a task that has to be completed before building can begin.
The basics
Mandatory biodiversity net gain (BNG) applies in England to major development from 12 February 2024 and to small sites from 2 April 2024. Qualifying schemes must deliver at least a 10% gain in habitat value, measured with the statutory biodiversity metric. For most permissions, a Biodiversity Gain Plan must be approved by the local planning authority before development can start. This is built into the permission as a deemed pre-commencement condition, which is why it is such a clear trigger for work.
What changed in August 2026
Regulations that took effect on 6 August 2026 changed who is caught. Development on a site of 0.2 hectares or less is now exempt, unless it affects priority habitat. The separate exemption for self-build and custom-build housing was removed for applications made on or after that date, so many of those schemes now rely on the new small-site route instead. The 10% requirement itself is unchanged for development that is not exempt. Because the rules are still evolving, check the current government guidance for any specific scheme.
For anyone selling into this market the practical point is simple: larger sites and sites with priority habitat are where the work is concentrated.
Who gets hired, and when
- Ecologists: baseline habitat survey, biodiversity metric calculation, and drafting the gain plan. Habitat surveys are seasonal, so early contact matters.
- Landscape architects: redesigning layouts and planting schemes so that on-site habitat creation actually achieves the gain.
- Landscape contractors: delivering the habitat: native planting, wildflower meadow, hedgerows, ponds, and SuDS features that double as habitat.
- Habitat management and monitoring: significant on-site gains must be secured and maintained for 30 years, which means a management plan and recurring monitoring visits.
- Off-site providers and brokers: where a site cannot deliver the full gain on its own, developers buy biodiversity units from registered gain sites or, as a last resort, statutory credits.
- Legal and land agents: conservation covenants and planning agreements that secure the habitat long term.
Timing your approach
The window runs from the decision date to the start of groundworks. The applicant has a legal reason to appoint someone and a build programme that depends on it. Contact them in the first weeks after permission, mention the gain plan by name, and offer a clear scope: survey, metric, plan, and optionally delivery and monitoring.