Issue details

To seek approval to consult on a Biodiversity Net Gain Supplementary Planning Document – setting out the Council’s approach to securing and implementing Biodiversity Net Gain in line with policy NE2 in the emerging Fareham Borough Local Plan 2037.

Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) is a relatively new concept for development proposals that aims to leave the natural environment in a measurably better state then it was before the development took place.

The concept first appeared in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) in 2012 and has been included and strengthened within subsequent reviews.  The emerging Fareham Local Plan 2037, which is reaching the end of the examination process and will soon be before the Council for adoption, contains Policy NE2 Biodiversity Net Gain with which states that ‘development of one or more dwellings or a new commercial/leisure building should provide at least 10% net gains for biodiversity from the existing baseline value of the site.

The Biodiversity Net Gain SPD will provide supplementary planning guidance to developers, planning applicants and borough residents as to how the Council will implement policy NE2 with regards to relevant planning applications in Fareham.

The document sets out the core concepts of BNG and the associated ‘Biodiversity Metrics’ and provides additional details as to the steps applicants need to take to submit the correct information alongside their planning applications.  It also provides guidance on meeting the BNG requirements, and possible solutions when encountering issues in achieving BNG.