The nature fronted legislation, biodiversity net gain (BNG), which rolled out earlier this year for all new major developments across England, has today expanded to all new small developments across England.

From today, under Schedule 7A of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 developers will be required to deliver a mandatory minimum uplift of 10% biodiversity net gain on all small developments, unless otherwise exempt.

Small developers are defined, by the government, as developments with fewer than 10 houses or with an area of fewer than 0.5ha, commercial sites with floor space below 1,000m2 or site areas below one hectare.

Oliver Lewis CBE, founder of Joe’s Blooms, which recently launched the world’s first digital solution to BNG, says: “With small sites now a part of biodiversity net gain, nature recovery will be at the heart of development in local communities and around the country.

“If the sector as a whole gets this right, BNG is an opportunity for the country to lead the world in how to enhance nature through the planning system.”

Pro Landscaper also launched its own digital insight guide to exploring and understanding the new statutory legislation earlier this month.

The 10% uplift for nationally significant infrastructure is still penned for late 2025.