Biodiversity in Hart

Our Corporate Plan commits us to protecting and enhancing biodiversity in Hart. We do this by managing our natural sites and keeping a careful eye on the potential impact of proposed developments. We work with local groups on projects that enhance our natural sites.

Our Biodiversity Action Plan commits us to:

• continue to protect habitats and species and enhance existing areas for wildlife
• effectively manage and monitor nature conservation sites
• create new habitats through planning policy
• continue raising awareness of biodiversity within the community
• raise awareness of biodiversity among council staff and members
• make biodiversity a key consideration in council decision-making
• monitor and review local biodiversity and our Biodiversity Action Plan

We've agreed to develop a Biodiversity and Carbon Offsetting Strategy. This will improve biodiversity in the district and move us towards being a more sustainable council. When the strategy is published, we will share this here. 

Since 2018, we have made some significant improvements to biodiversity in Hart, including:

• planting wildflower verges and roundabouts across the district
• working to improve Fleet Pond, including habitat creation and scrub clearance
• creating wetlands at Bramshot and Edenbrook country parks to provide additional habitats for waterfowl, dragon flies, newts and other species
• started our Whitewater Wetland Creation Project

• The National Trust
• The Eco Hub
• Kew Gardens

Biodiversity Net Gain is an approach to improve the sustainability of development. It makes sure development has a measurably positive impact (‘net gain’) on biodiversity, compared to what was there before.  

Biodiversity Net Gain measures the biodiversity of a site using the Defra Biodiversity Metric, which follows the mitigation hierarchy of ‘avoid – mitigate – compensate’. It assesses the impact of development and aims to create new habitats as well as enhance existing ones.

The Environment Act 2021 requires a minimum of 10% net gain for all major development and small sites, unless your proposal is listed under the exempt developments criteria.

Developments must achieve this net gain within 30 years and manage and monitor the net gain site for this period.

Applicants should refer to the BNG Planning Practice Guidance when considering their application.

We have produced a biodiversity technical advice note which details our approach to Biodiversity Net Gain, including validation requirements and how to provide on-site and off-site Biodiversity Net Gain. 

The current Biodiversity Net Gain planning requirements for major development are:

• submission of latest version of Biodiversity Metric
• submission of Biodiversity Gain Plan or statement
• demonstrate 10% Biodiversity Net Gain

Applications should continue to make provision in line with policy NBE4 of the Hart District Council Local Plan April 2020 and meet the validation requirements detailed in the biodiversity technical advice note.

This includes the submission of the latest DEFRA metric, and a plan showing how on-site net gain shall be achieved, or a statement detailing the intention to purchase off-site credits where necessary. 

See the planning validation requirements for further details on submission requirements.

Minor developments will soon need to use the recently released Small Sites Metric. We will publicise the introduction through this webpage and through validation updates.

• Government Biodiversity and Ecosystems page
• Biodiversity Net Gain Technical Guidance for Developers and Planners (in-depth guidance including Biodiversity Offsetting)
• DEFRA Biodiversity Metric Download user guide and metric spreadsheet)
• CIEEM: Biodiversity Net Gain Report and Audit Templates (includes useful templates for biodiversity gain and monitoring reporting)
• BSI Standards BS 8683:2021 (process standards)
• Planning Advisory Service FAQs