Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) is transforming the way we approach development, ensuring that new developments leave the natural environment in a better state than before. As we navigate the evolving landscape of policy, planning, and on-the-ground implementation, collaboration is crucial.
In this exclusive interview, we sit down with Neil Beamsley, one of the key people driving BNG forward— a real trailblazer who is shaping best practices and delivering real impact. From overcoming challenges to seizing opportunities, Neil shares his insights, experiences, and vision for a greener, more sustainable future. Let’s dive into the conversation.
Hi Neil, tell us about yourself and the role you do?
I am Group Head of Biodiversity for Bellway Homes. This is a new role for the company which is a direct reflection of the growing importance of biodiversity in the residential development sector due to new legal requirements such as Biodiversity Net Gain. My role is to lead our strategic approach to the delivery of our BNG duty which involves a lot of internal training, advocacy work and collaboration with external stakeholders. I also provide support and guidance to colleagues in our network of local divisional offices, helping them to deliver their BNG requirements (and other ecology related requirements). I am an ecologist by background, having previously worked as an ecological consultant, local planning authority ecologist and for the wildlife Trusts.
General Understanding of BNG
How would you describe BNG and its importance to housebuilding?
BNG is a means of standardising how biodiversity impact is assessed and mitigated as a result of the development process. The key difference is that the impact is now measurable and therefore more transparent. From a developer perspective, this is a good thing as the standard approach means we can have greater certainty about how impacts are viewed by the Local Planning Authority. Therefore, by understanding the BNG process and the rules which sit behind it, we can deliver a compliant scheme with more certainty that it will be acceptable.
What role do housebuilders play in delivering BNG, and how do you see this evolving in the future?
For most sites, the developer will be responsible, with support from their consultant team, for designing the BNG solution, securing this through planning and then establishing the initial habitat types required. Once we complete a site and hand the asset across to the Residents Management Company (the ManCo) it will be the delivery responsibility of the ManCo and the agents they employ to undertake habitat management activity.
As BNG is so new, this chain of management is still untested, therefore we will need to monitor and review this as time goes by to ensure that the BNG duty is maintained in the manner intended. It is likely that ManCos and their managing agents will be approached sooner, and they will become a more organic part of the site master-planning process.
How has Bellway adapted to the mandatory BNG requirements?
Bellway is determined to be a sector leader for BNG, and therefore we have been ahead of the curve in terms of delivery. Through our internal Key Performance Indicator (KPI) process we undertook to deliver BNG on all new sites submitted to planning from July 23, more than six months ahead of the legal requirement. We also now have our Bellway BNG+ promise, meaning that where practicable, we will always aim to deliver more than the minimum 10% gain on new sites submitted to planning from July 2024.
In practical terms we are thinking about Biodiversity delivery from the very earliest stages of development. This means that any new site we secure contractually has to be able to demonstrate that BNG is achievable. We are also working hard to embed the BNG ‘Green Thread’ philosophy. This means that at every stage of development there is a constant green thread for colleagues to have reference too, meaning BNG is always a conscious part of planning and delivery.
Implementation & Challenges
What are the biggest challenges you’ve faced in integrating BNG into your developments?
There are many, but perhaps the biggest is the need for a fundamental biodiversity mindset shift. Biodiversity has not always been the top priority for some developers, however with BNG being a legal requirement it now sits at the very top of the priority tree. It therefore must be given more time and thought to be delivered successfully. This change is made all the more challenging by the fact that BNG is underpinned by significant technical detail and nuance, and therefore it is going to take time before it can be viewed as fully integrated.
How do you balance the commercial pressures of development with the need to enhance biodiversity?
The BNG Statutory Framework (The BNG rule-book if you like) requires a hierarchical approach to BNG delivery. We must therefore safeguard existing good quality onsite habitat, enhance it, mitigate and then if we still cannot achieve a 10% seek additional biodiversity gain offsite from third party providers. This is a logical approach. However, housing developers primarily create the basis for new communities, and those communities require not only biodiversity, but also green space for recreation, water storage solutions and pleasant views. These more anthropogenic needs are not necessarily consistent with creating high quality habitats. Therefore, we must, through sound design, balance biodiversity and community needs to create a sustainable overall site design solution.
Are there any misconceptions within the industry about BNG that you think need addressing?
BNG is not about creating ‘onsite nature reserves’. Such an approach would be impractical. Instead, we must work hard to deliver a better onsite balance for biodiversity, while accommodating other land use needs. Our ability to deliver ‘offsite’ BNG solutions is in reality the opportunity create a genuine landscape scale improvements for our native biodiversity.
Practical Approaches & Best Practices
Can you share an example of a project where BNG has been successfully implemented? What were the key lessons learned?
We are only just starting to transition into the BNG delivery phase. In reality most of our sites which have required BNG are still within the planning system (BNG became a live planning requirement from the 12th February 2024). We do however have an increasing list of sites whereby BNG has been a fundamental part of the master-planning process and the site, once completed, will provide a genuine contribution to the improvement of local biodiversity.
What practical steps do you take to ensure that BNG commitments are met from planning through to post-construction management?
Communication is the key to good BNG delivery. For the approach to be a success, it must integrate with the existing planning process rather than working against it. It therefore becomes relevant to all of the disciplines that you would usually expect to find on a developers planning delivery team. In reality this means much more discussion around constraints and opportunity planning from the very early stages, right through to the delivery of habitats on site. This is the BNG green-thread that I mentioned earlier.
How do you work with ecologists, local authorities, and managing agents to ensure long-term biodiversity benefits?
We firstly try to work with ecologists who speak the language of development, by which I mean they understand the commerciality of the development process and therefore what is and is not achievable. Ecologists are key to BNG delivery as they essentially have a new and far more influential role to play than ever they have before. Their outputs need to achievable so that the LPA has confidence we can deliver the BNG solution presented and, fundamentally, that the managing agents are given a set of delivery requirements which are both workable and within their skill sets.
Long-Term Impact & Future Outlook
How do you think BNG will shape the future of housebuilding in the UK?
Fundamentally I hope that the noise which has been surrounding BNG recently (of which there has been a lot!) will die down and it will become just another technical challenge to solve in order to gain planning approval. As BNG matures and good-practice starts to evolve with it, the transition between BNG theory and onsite reality will become hopefully become smooth and seamless.
Do you see BNG as a regulatory hurdle or an opportunity to create more desirable and sustainable developments?
It’s a challenge, but one that ultimately will deliver a much wider societal good and genuine biodiversity improvement. BNG is a genuinely world-leading approach and therefore it’s in everyone’s interest to make it a success.
What advice would you give to other housebuilders who are starting to embed BNG into their projects?
Early planning is essential, as is working with the right team who understand the process and are able to embed BNG into the wider project delivery requirements.
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