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The story
Bluestone Planning was commissioned by a client to help secure planning permission for a new agricultural building and to extend a gravel pathway on a field. The submission was made after 2 April 2024 and more than 25m2 of field would be built over. As a result, a Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) metric would have to be submitted.
The challenge Bluestone Planning faced
The proposed development would involve building over a portion of grassland, resulting in a substantial biodiversity loss if mitigating steps weren’t taken. The red line diagram only covered a small portion of the field (and a significant proportion of that being existing paving). This meant that it wouldn’t be possible to secure the necessary uplift through a general enhancement of the field. Instead, an appropriate set of specific BNG uplifts would be identified and used. However, because the total area of the site was under 10,000 m2, and the new building had a footprint of less than 1,000m2, the Small Site Metric (SSM) could be used and it would be possible for the team at Bluestone Planning to use digital tools rather than commissioning an external ecological consultant.
How Bluestone Planning was able to resolve their problem
The team at Bluestone Planning used the Biodiversity Net Gain tool to map out all the habitats within the red line and to look at possibilities for adapting the red line while staying within their client’s needs and within the requirements of the BNG policy.
By using digital tools, the team at Bluestone Planning found it was possible to adapt the site design so that a set of small trees (saplings with Diameter at Breast Height of under 30cm), could be added to the perimeter of the field. It was also deemed possible to improve the grass mix within the margins, to allow for a richer mix of species to be planted which would further boost the BNG score.
The results!
By iterating the design, Bluestone Planning was able to help their client to find a way to secure the necessary on-site uplift by transforming what was originally a barren field margin into a species-rich area, defined by high-quality grassland and small trees. This didn’t just meet the BNG requirements, but added to the aesthetics of the new development and the wider site.
By using the SSM and digital tools, the team at Bluestone Planning were able to find a on-site solution within the constraints of a limited red line. Once the specific targeted enhancements were agreed with the client, the digital tool was used to instantaneously generate the SSM excel sheet and habitat plans which were then submitted to the Local Planning Authority.
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