Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) 23/24 - 24/25
Case reference EIR2024/01577
Received 18 September 2024
Published 4 October 2024
Request
Please find below some questions about how the council is implementing Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG):
1. Please can you indicate what, if any, software the council has obtained specifically to help with implementing the following aspects of BNG?
a. Validation of applications, including checking that the correct version of the Biodiversity Metric has been submitted.
b. Determination of applications subject to BNG, including assessment of ecological considerations.
c. Determining if the biodiversity gain objective (biodiversity gain condition) is met.
d. Monitoring of planning obligations set out under S106 agreements or Conservation Covenants, analogous to other planning obligations.
e. Ecological monitoring of BNG habitats, a new statutory duty required by legislation, including ensuring that individual habitats on a given site are progressing in line with expectations set out in the Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan.
f. Statutory reporting of BNG habitat progress under the NERC Act Biodiversity Duty.
2. Is the council generating income, or planning to generate income, by charging BNG monitoring fees? If so, how are you calculating this fee?
3. Please answer the questions below to indicate if the council has made use of the government’s new burdens funding for BNG in the financial year 23/24:
a. How much of the funding was spent by the council in this year?
b. What was the funding spent on?
4. Please answer the questions below to indicate if the council has made use of the government’s new burdens funding for BNG in the financial year 24/25:
a. How much of the funding was spent by the council in this year?
b. What was the funding spent on?
Response
Please find below some questions about how the council is implementing Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG):
1. Please can you indicate what, if any, software the council has obtained specifically to help with implementing the following aspects of BNG?
Answer: None, but the Service Area are exploring options.
a. Validation of applications, including checking that the correct version of the Biodiversity Metric has been submitted.
Answer: None, however applications are checked by a validations team.
b. Determination of applications subject to BNG, including assessment of ecological considerations.
Answer: None, but the Service Area are exploring options.
c. Determining if the biodiversity gain objective (biodiversity gain condition) is met.
Answer: None, but the Service Area are exploring options.
d. Monitoring of planning obligations set out under S106 agreements or Conservation Covenants, analogous to other planning obligations.
Answer: None, but the Service Area are exploring options.
e. Ecological monitoring of BNG habitats, a new statutory duty required by legislation, including ensuring that individual habitats on a given site are progressing in line with expectations set out in the Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan.
Answer: None, but the Service Area are exploring options.
f. Statutory reporting of BNG habitat progress under the NERC Act Biodiversity Duty.
Answer: None, but the Service Area are exploring options.
2. Is the council generating income, or planning to generate income, by charging BNG monitoring fees? If so, how are you calculating this fee?
Answer: The Service Area have advised there is currently no monitoring fee arrangement in place, however options are being explored.
3. Please answer the questions below to indicate if the council has made use of the government’s new burdens funding for BNG in the financial year 23/24:
a. How much of the funding was spent by the council in this year?
Answer: The Service Area have advised they were allocated £43,467 and all funding was used by the Council.
b. What was the funding spent on?
Answer: Staff training and staff costs.
4. Please answer the questions below to indicate if the council has made use of the government’s new burdens funding for BNG in the financial year 24/25:
a. How much of the funding was spent by the council in this year?
Answer: The Service Area have advised they have been allocated £43,467, however this is paid in arrears next financial year, once an evidence of spend has been provided.
b. What was the funding spent on?
Answer: Currently not assigned
Documents
This is Herefordshire Council's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.
You can browse our other responses or make a new FOI request.