Issue details

DEFRA is providing funding to help local planning authorities in England implement mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) in the planning system. SYMCA has been allocated a grant of £26,807 to assist with the delivery of BNG implementation work carried out in 2024/25.

Biodiversity Net Gain is an approach to development that ensures habitat for wildlife is left in a measurably better state than it was in prior to the development. This became mandatory under Schedule 7A of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as inserted by Schedule 14 of the Environment Act 2021 in February 2024).?

The intention is to use the grant for:
• SYMCA seeking legal advice on behalf of the four Local Authorities (and SYMCA itself) to develop a common approach to entering either Section 106 agreements or Conservation Covenants with private landowners
• To assess how SYMCA can use the funding to help deliver environmental priorities, such as tree planting, whilst meeting the legal requirement of BNG

Grant acceptance is required by 28th June, resulting in the acceptance of the grant award on behalf of the MCA Board, and inclusion in MCA papers thereafter.