The Regulations, which came into force on 6 August 2026, amend the Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) exemptions regime for developments requiring planning permission under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (TCPA). BNG, introduced under the Environment Act 2021, requires developments (with certain exceptions) to deliver at least a 10% increase in biodiversity value relative to the pre-development biodiversity value of the onsite habitat. It has applied to most TCPA developments since early 2024.
