Biodiversity Net Gain: One Year On and Next Steps for UK Nature Recovery

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In October 2025, the Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) Implementation Board met to mark one year since its inception. The Board used this milestone to assess the progress achieved and to reflect on ongoing challenges and priorities to ensure successful and scalable delivery of the BNG policy. Ministers confirmed they plan to align BNG consultation responses with other national policy developments, such as updates to the National Planning Policy Framework and National Development Management Policies later this year. They emphasised that any amendments to exemptions or biodiversity metrics would require secondary legislation or further consultation, meaning no immediate changes are imminent. In this context, developers are advised to continue operating under the existing regulatory framework. Broad uncertainty persists across the sector, with many developers awaiting consultation outcomes before bringing forward new sites.

While the sector awaits policy clarity, the Future Homes Hub has introduced a BNG Good Practice Guide to assist homebuilders. This user‑friendly guide offers a practical checklist and tailored guidance to help industry stakeholders understand the steps and timelines required for effective on‑site BNG implementation. It includes real‑world narratives from practitioners such as ecologists, designers, legal advisors and developers—thus bringing the process to life through context, insight and accessible guidance. The interactive nature of the guide aims to streamline BNG processes, support SMEs in avoiding costly delays, and foster consistent delivery across developments.

Looking back further, the BNG Implementation Board was established in early 2025 to provide cross‑sector leadership and overcome the complexities associated with mandating biodiversity improvements. Co‑chaired by representatives from Defra and Berkeley Homes, the Board works collaboratively across government and industry to support on‑site delivery, address guidance issues and promote best practice. At its April 2025 meeting, the Board emphasised the need to align BNG with other nature recovery policies, and called for examples of where compatibility issues had arisen, highlighting the evolving policy landscape’s complexity.

The underlying policy framework has steadily advanced. BNG became mandatory for large development sites on 12 February 2024, and for small sites on 2 April 2024. Under the policy, developers must ensure a measurable increase in biodiversity of at least 10%. This increase may be achieved through on‑site habitat enhancements, off‑site gains, or by purchasing biodiversity credits. Developers must carry out baseline ecological surveys and develop Biodiversity Gain Plans explaining how they will adhere to mitigation hierarchies and achieve the required uplift.

Simultaneously, the ‘Homes for Nature’ initiative has been expanded to include high‑rise developments. Launched by the Future Homes Hub in September 2024, the commitment encourages developers to feature specific biodiversity measures such as nest bricks, hedgehog highways, pollinator planting and sustainable drainage systems. A new appendix released in July 2025 extends these requirements to apartment schemes, emphasising that nature recovery should not stop at ground level. The initiative has so far been adopted by 28 homebuilders, covering more than 100,000 new homes each year and delivering a minimum of 300,000 nesting bricks and boxes over the programme’s lifetime, which runs until 2030.

These developments reflect a growing recognition that delivering new housing and improving biodiversity are not mutually exclusive. The BNG policy and supporting initiatives are forging a shift in how new developments are designed and delivered, embedding nature recovery in planning from the outset.

What this means:
The BNG policy is moving from theory to practice. As we mark more than a year since the policy became mandatory, the sector faces a delicate balance of maintaining momentum while awaiting upcoming regulatory clarity. The Good Practice Guide and Implementation Board are providing critically needed support and collaboration to smooth that transition.
Looking ahead, alignment across national planning and nature policies will be essential to reduce uncertainty, enable efficient delivery, and maintain developer confidence. Integrating biodiversity measures into high‑density housing and apartments through ‘Homes for Nature’ represents a significant step forward in ensuring that nature features in all built forms.
Continued industry engagement with BNG processes, transparent reporting and capturing best practice examples will be vital. This collaborative learning will help ensure that nature recovery is embedded consistently and effectively across the built environment.

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