The Biodiversity
Net Gain Tool

The Biodiversity Net Gain Tool offers small sites end-to end compliance with the new BNG law. BNG made quick, affordable, and hassle free.

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Fast. Affordable. Accurate.

Thousands of developers and architects have used our BNG tool. Get the BNG documents you need too!

As of the 2nd of April 2024, every planning application must either comply with BNG or provide detailed reasons and evidence about why it's exempt.With our Biodiversity Net Gain calculator:

Get a complete Biodiversity Gain Plan guaranteed to be compliant with the new laws

Receive all the necessary supporting documents including a completed Biodiversity Metric calculation and Ordnance Survey-powered maps

What you get with Joe's Blooms’s BNG tool

Joe's Blooms produces the documents you need to provide to the Local Planning Authority. You'll receive:

•

A completed small site metric

•

A completed Biodiversity Gain Plan

•

Baseline and post-development habitat plans

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Streamline your BNG with our BNG tool

Fast. Affordable. Accurate.

Affordable Prices with Free, Unlimited Revisions!

For a one-off payment per project get everything you need to fully comply with BNG, with unlimited revisions and support. Get a free quote today

Get Your BNG Solutions, Fast

Get reliable biodiversity compliance tailored for small sites. The average time from start to finish (including document completion) is under two hours.

24/7 Expert Support - Talk to Someone in the UK

Access our dedicated helpdesk anytime. Our premium service also connects you to an expert ready to assist every step of the way.

Extremely Simple Tools, Designed for You

Effortlessly navigate BNG compliance with our streamlined process. No prior skills or knowledge needed—just simple, effective tools.

No Ecologist or Consultant Needed

Self-service tools empower you to achieve full compliance independently. Easy to use and affordable, designed with you in mind.

A Tool Trusted by Leading Authorities

Our services have been featured on Natural England's website and we have partnered with leading authorities like the Planning Portal and UKHAB.

Produce best-in-class Biodiversity Gain Plans with our smart technology

We include everything you need to get your BGP approved:

•

A complete Biodiversity Gain Plan guaranteed to be compliant with the new laws

•

All the necessary supporting documents including a completed Biodiversity Metric calculation and Ordnance Survey-powered maps

Net gain needn’t let you or your planning application down: make biodiversity simple with the BNG Tool.

Use the BNG tool

What others say about us

“With the introduction of the new BNG requirements for planning applications, it was a lifeline discovering Joe’s Blooms website. The online experience was easy with helpful steps along the way and the results arrived in my inbox within a minute.”

William Ashley, Monks Green Farm

“A simple and affordable end-to-end solution that allows a small site to complete BNG in minutes, not days.”

Rico Wojtulewicz, National Federation of Builders

“Thank goodness we found Joe’s Blooms. It has saved the day and…we have had enormous help from the…very clever website and tools.”

Ken, Asgard Homes

Be ready for your next planning application

KADS Design Ltd faced a time-sensitive project: designing new garages in Bulkington, Warwickshire while the Local Planning Authority (LPA) mandated BNG compliance.

Small Site Metric Process

BNG Tool

10,000 m2

total area and less than 1,000m2 new commercial floorspace

10 %

on-site biodiversity net gain

The Solution:

Leveraging the Small Site Metric (SSM) Process:

Site qualifications: Under 10,000m2 total area and less than 1,000m2 new commercial floorspace
Advantage: Expedited process without external ecologists or consultants

Utilising Joe’s Blooms Biodiversity Net Gain Tool:

Site Mapping: KADS easily mapped existing habitats (sealed surface and vacant/derelict land)
Impact Assessment: Evaluated biodiversity impact of original plans
Collaborative Redesign: Conducted same-day site visit with the client
Iterative Design: Used the tool to adapt plans, incorporating trees and high-quality grassland habitats

The Results:

Rapid Turnaround: New, BNG-compliant design created within hours
Exceeded Requirements: Achieved over 10% on-site biodiversity gain
Mitigation Hierarchy Compliance: Fully aligned with environmental principles
Cost-Effective: Avoided expensive consultations and delays
Streamlined Submission: Quickly prepared and submitted all necessary documentation to the LPA

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Optimising Agricultural Development with our Biodiversity Net Gain Calculator

Bluestone Planning needed to secure their planning permission with a BNG metric sheet, overcoming obstacles such as biodiversity loss due to building over grassland.

Small Site Metric Process

BNG Tool

10,000 m2

total area and less than 1,000m2 new commercial floorspace

10 %

on-site biodiversity net gain

The Solution:

Leveraging the Small Site Metric (SSM) Process:

Site qualifications: Under 10,000m2 total area and less than 1,000m2 new building footprint
Advantage: Use of digital tools instead of external ecological consultants

Utilising Joe’s Blooms Biodiversity Net Gain Tool:

Habitat Mapping: Detailed mapping of all habitats within the red line
Design Adaptation: Explored possibilities for red line adjustment within client needs and BNG policy
Creative Solutions:
- Added small trees (saplings with DBH under 30cm) to field perimeter
- Improved grass mix in margins for increased species richness

The Results:

Successful Design Iteration: Transformed barren field margin into a species-rich area
Aesthetic Improvement: Enhanced the new development and wider site appearance
BNG Compliance: Met and exceeded requirements through on-site solutions
Efficient Documentation: Instantly generated SSM excel sheet and habitat plans
Streamlined Submission: Quickly prepared and submitted all necessary documentation to the Local Planning Authority

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the BNG requirements for 2024?

The UK government has introduced a mandatory biodiversity net gain (BNG) obligation, effective from February 2024. The key requirements are:

New developments must submit a Biodiversity Gain Plan.
This plan should demonstrate how they will provide a minimum net gain of 10% to biodiversity over 30+ years.
Developers need to use the Statutory Biodiversity Metric or the Small Site Metric to calculate the biodiversity value of their land and the impact of their development.

Find out more information here.

How does the BNG metric work?

The BNG metric, officially called the Statutory Biodiversity Metric, works as follows:

It assesses the impact of development projects on biodiversity.
It measures biodiversity loss and gain, quantifying the biodiversity value into units.
It provides a standardized approach for all projects across England to ensure biodiversity is measured consistently.
The metric takes into account various types of habitats, including grassland, hedgerows, lakes, woodland, and watercourses.
It calculates the number of biodiversity units present before development and the number needed to achieve the 10% net gain.

Read more about the Statutory Biodiversity Metric here.

How is BNG measured? How do you calculate net gain?

BNG is measured using the Biodiversity Metric tool, which quantifies biodiversity value in terms of "biodiversity units" (BUs). It measures:

The number of biodiversity units are there before development starts
The number of new biodiversity units that you need, to replace the units lost and achieve 10% BNG.

Depending on the size and type of your development, you will either need to complete the Statutory Biodiveristy Metric or the Small Sites Metric.

Read more about the BNG assessment here.

Which biodiversity metric should I use?

The choice of biodiversity metric depends on the size and type of your development:

Statutory Biodiversity Metric:
- Used for major developments
- Requires a qualified ecologist to complete
- More comprehensive and detailed
Small Site Metric (SSM):
- Can be used for 'small sites' that meet specific criteria:
  - 1 to 9 houses on land up to 1 hectare (or less than 0.5 hectares if number of houses is unknown)
  - New business buildings with space less than 1,000 square metres or total land less than 1 hectare
- Does not require a qualified ecologist
- Simpler version of the metric sheet

You should use the Small Site Metric if your development qualifies as a 'small site'. Otherwise, you'll need to use the Statutory Biodiversity Metric and likely engage a professional ecologist to assist with the calculations.

See all FAQs

The Biodiversity
Net Gain Tool

Thousands of developers and architects have used our BNG tool. Get the BNG documents you need too!

Streamline your BNG with our BNG tool

Produce best-in-class Biodiversity Gain Plans with our smart technology

The Concept of Biodiversity Net Gain

What others say about us

Be ready for your next planning application

Optimising Agricultural Development with our Biodiversity Net Gain Calculator

Pricing

Pay per site

From £495

Enterprise subscription

Frequently Asked Questions

Sign up to find out when the BNG Tool can support Large Sites and Off-Sites

Check if you are exempt from BNG