Derbyshire Wildlife Trust ahead of the game as major planning permission law rings in

12th February 2024

Following a delay to the original deadline in November 2023, Biodiversity Net-Gain becomes mandatory today (12 February 2024). In order to gain planning permission, developers are now required by law to deliver a minimum of 10% net-gain in biodiversity with newly created or enhanced habitats secured, for at least 30 years, on all new sites.

As the protector of wildlife across the county, Derbyshire Wildlife Trust has been delivering ecosystem services for 60 years on the land it owns and manages for nature. The charity has been preparing for this landmark legislation for the past few years and believes the new laws will be powerful in bringing developers, local authorities and land owners together to provide the best outcomes for nature's recovery. 

Whilst some development schemes will be able to achieve the required biodiversity enhancements on their own sites, some will need to be delivered at off-site locations, creating a marketplace for BNG units. 

Backed by the Trust’s specialist local knowledge and expertise, its in-house ecological consultancy and ecosystem service provider, Wild Solutions is the only BNG provider that is focused on making more space for nature rather than maximising the number of BNG units per hectare. 

Through a process called habitat banking, the Trust is taking a nature led approach to BNG by creating high quality and resilient habitats, delivered in the best place for nature, before the loss occurs. These new spaces for nature are accessible for the public to enjoy and will provide additional ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, flood risk management and water quality improvements.  

The sites will be managed in perpetuity for nature, under the stewardship of Derbyshire’s leading conservation charity and all the profits generated through the Wild Solutions consultancy will be reinvested to secure the best outcomes for nature and have a greater impact for wildlife.  

Owned by Derbyshire Wildlife Trust and managed by Wild Solutions, Wild Whittington, 60 acres of land located 5km north of Chesterfield City Centre, has recently become the first habitat bank in Derbyshire to be secured with a Section 106 agreement with the local planning authority (LPA), Chesterfield Borough Council.   

The Wild Whittington habitat bank allows developers and planning authorities to source off-site Biodiversity Net Gain units to support development schemes and local nature, with further habitat banks across the county to be announced in the weeks ahead.  

Matt Buckler is Director of Natural Solutions at Derbyshire Wildlife Trust and oversees the Trust’s commercial consultancy, Wild Solutions. He says: 

“This legislation has brought much needed focus to nature-based solutions and how they can help meet environmental and climate emergencies. BNG becoming mandatory is great news for nature and offers a significant opportunity for Derbyshire Wildlife Trust to leverage its expertise to support this new approach, while remaining true to its charitable status and strategic goals. 

“Like all nature based solutions, it has to be done right to have the true impact and that is where the passion, experience, skills and dedication of the Trust are essential. We understand the challenges BNG will raise for developers, landowners, LPAs and other stakeholders, and we are well placed to support them with the bespoke, well-rounded solutions they need now, whilst making more space for nature and helping its recovery.” 

Find out more about BNG and Wild Solutions, or get in touch by emailing wildsolutions@derbyshirewt.co.uk.