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Berkshire BNG / County planning guidance

Biodiversity Net Gain in Berkshire

Biodiversity net gain in Berkshire starts with your site, its habitats and the planning authority. Six councils use separate local plans and validation requirements. This guide connects those checks with practical habitat evidence and delivery.

ACP helps developers, architects, planners and landowners scope surveys, assess biodiversity units and prepare coordinated planning evidence. We can also advise on Biodiversity Gain Plans and long-term habitat management.

Discuss your Berkshire project →Find your planning authority

Reviewed 7 November 2026 · Berkshire LNRS published 7 October 2025

Six unitary councils / site boundaries / adopted plans

Which Berkshire council handles your planning application?

Berkshire does not have a county council handling all planning applications. Instead, its six unitary councils are responsible for planning within their own boundaries.

Start with the red-line boundary rather than your postal town. Then choose the right authority below. For minerals and waste proposals, check the relevant joint or area plan as well as the deciding council.

Bracknell Forest, Reading and Slough

Berkshire planning authorities: Bracknell Forest, Reading and Slough
AuthorityAdopted planning policy to start withWhat deserves a local check?
Bracknell ForestBracknell Forest Local Plan 2024 — LP53 Biodiversity, LP30/31 and, where relevant, LP32.June 2026 Biodiversity and Green Infrastructure SPD. The separate 2025 Thames Basin Heaths SPA SPD may affect residential proposals.
ReadingReading Local Plan 2019 — EN12 Biodiversity and the Green Network.Reading's partial update is still at examination; check existing green network, river corridors and ecology evidence.
SloughCurrent saved 2004 policies and other operative development-plan documents.The live BNG validation entry asks for a biodiversity statement, metric and baseline/proposed plans. The 2026 replacement Local Plan is not yet adopted.

West Berkshire, Windsor and Maidenhead, and Wokingham

Berkshire planning authorities: West Berkshire, Windsor and Maidenhead, and Wokingham
AuthorityAdopted planning policy to start withWhat deserves a local check?
West BerkshireWest Berkshire Local Plan Review 2023–2041, adopted June 2025 — SP11 Biodiversity and Geodiversity.Planning policy SP10 and SP11, relevant ecology information, and BNG monitoring fees for applications validated from April 2026.
Windsor and MaidenheadBorough Local Plan 2013–2033, adopted February 2022 — NR2 Nature Conservation and Biodiversity.River corridors, protected habitats, green networks and NR4 where SPA mitigation may apply.
WokinghamCore Strategy 2010 (CP7) and Managing Development Delivery 2014 (TB23).Current local BNG validation list and Thames Basin Heaths SPA. The newer NE2 and Loddon Valley proposals are still emerging.

BNG sits alongside ecological surveys, Habitats Regulations Assessment and other statutory consents. For minerals and waste, the Central and Eastern Berkshire joint plan covers Bracknell Forest, Reading, Windsor and Maidenhead, and Wokingham. Check the separate planning route for West Berkshire or Slough.

Four practical checks / one coordinated brief

Find your Berkshire BNG planning route

Work through these four checks to organise your project brief and find the relevant council guidance.

1. Which of the six unitary councils covers the site?

Locate the full red-line boundary. Berkshire has no county-wide planning council.

  • Bracknell Forest — Local Plan 2024, LP53 and June 2026 biodiversity SPD
  • Reading — Local Plan 2019; partial update under examination
  • Slough — operative saved policies; 2026 new-plan process
  • West Berkshire — adopted Local Plan Review 2025, SP11
  • Windsor and Maidenhead — adopted Borough Local Plan 2022, NR2
  • Wokingham — adopted CP7/TB23; Local Plan Update still emerging

For minerals and waste proposals, check the relevant separate or joint plan. Do not assume a county council decides the application.

2. Do the statutory BNG rules apply to this application?

Check proposal type, application date, full red-line area and priority-habitat impacts before choosing a metric.

For qualifying applications made on or after 6 August 2026, a site of 0.2 hectares or less may be exempt if development does not impact an onsite priority habitat. Other exemptions and transitional rules exist. An exemption does not waive other ecology duties or local policy.

Read current official BNG exemptions.

3. What do the adopted policy and local validation list ask for?

Review the relevant local-plan biodiversity policy, latest validation list and any adopted SPD. Slough, for example, has explicit biodiversity statement, metric and watercourse information requirements; Bracknell adopted new GI/BNG guidance in June 2026.

Check separately for designated sites, Thames Basin Heaths SPA, protected species, drainage and any Habitats Regulations mitigation such as SANG/SAMM. These are not the same as statutory BNG.

View a specific local BNG validation example.

4. What evidence will support the habitat proposal?

Assemble suitable habitat baseline mapping, condition survey, correct metric and edition, design plans and delivery assumptions. Explore the published Berkshire LNRS map for opportunities, but verify a suitable match to a particular mapped measure.

Record whether a Biodiversity Gain Plan, HMMP, registered off-site gains or legal agreements are needed. Significant onsite and registered offsite habitats generally need management for at least 30 years.

Explore Berkshire's published LNRS and map.

Request a Berkshire BNG scope review →

Adopted policy / emerging proposals / national framework

Why does the Local Plan date matter for Berkshire BNG?

The most recent adopted plan is not always the newest document you can find online. Reading and Wokingham have replacement policies under examination, whereas West Berkshire adopted its replacement in June 2025.

For example, Wokingham's emerging Loddon Valley Garden Village proposals seek 20% BNG for that particular strategic area. That does not mean an adopted borough-wide 20% requirement applies to every Wokingham site.

Similarly, Slough's new Local Plan work began under the 2026 plan-making system. Its earlier saved policies remain relevant until replaced, alongside national planning law and current guidance.

Record the policy name, adoption status, site boundary and source date in your project evidence. Do not assume a consultation draft has become law.

The current NPPF limits higher mandatory BNG standards to justified, deliverable, specific site allocations. It directs decision-makers to give no weight to other policies requiring gains beyond the statutory framework. Read NPPF policies N1(2) and N2(3) alongside the development plan.

Habitat survey / 10% objective / delivery evidence

How does biodiversity net gain work for a Berkshire development?

BNG compares the biodiversity value of habitats before and after a development. The statutory metric uses habitat types, area or length, condition and other factors to measure biodiversity units.

An early habitat survey allows the design team to identify valuable areas before the layout becomes fixed. Next, the proposed design can be assessed to test retention, enhancement and new habitats.

Where the statutory BNG condition applies, the completed Biodiversity Gain Plan must be approved before development commences. Some permissions also need a Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan and long-term legal arrangements.

For baseline surveys and project scoping, explore our BNG assessment service.

Application date / exemptions / statutory metric

Check the BNG rules and choose the right metric

Check BNG applicability before commissioning the calculation

From 6 August 2026, qualifying planning applications for sites 0.2 hectares or smaller can be exempt if the development does not impact on-site priority habitat. The area refers to the development site's red-line boundary, not just the footprint of a proposed building.

Other exemptions include qualifying householder proposals and developments meeting separate de minimis conditions. Importantly, the previous self-build and custom-build exemption does not apply to new applications made from 6 August 2026.

An exemption from statutory BNG does not mean that protected species, local biodiversity policies or ecological constraints can be ignored. Equally, eligibility for the Small Sites Metric is different from being exempt.

If you are uncertain, start with the application date, proposal type, actual red-line area and priority-habitat impacts. Then review the latest national rules and the council's local validation list.

Which metric should the assessment use?

The current official Statutory Biodiversity Metric was updated to version 1.1.0 on 3 November 2026. For new statutory work, use a valid statutory metric version and retain the workbook version in the evidence record.

An eligible scheme may use the Small Sites Metric. However, not all minor developments qualify, especially where important habitats, certain protected sites or watercourses are involved.

The metric separates area habitats, hedgerows and watercourses. A gain in one category cannot automatically offset a shortfall in another. The calculation must also satisfy the relevant trading rules.

For specialist methodology, see our Statutory Biodiversity Metric service and Small Sites Metric guidance.

Published 7 October 2025 / mapped priorities / ecological fit

What is the Berkshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy?

The Berkshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) was published on 7 October 2025. It was prepared under the leadership of the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, with the other five Berkshire authorities and partner organisations.

The strategy brings together a description of Berkshire, biodiversity priorities, potential recovery measures, priority species and an interactive Local Habitat Map. It can help show where restoration and better ecological connections may be beneficial.

Its priorities can inform planning and habitat design. Use them alongside the site survey and a realistic management proposal.

How to use the Berkshire Local Habitat Map for BNG

  1. Locate the site in the official Berkshire map and confirm the boundary matches your development.
  2. Review the baseline and opportunity layers. Identify any mapped recovery measures that relate to the land.
  3. Check ecological suitability. Compare the map with actual UKHab surveys, condition evidence, soils, hydrology and access.
  4. Record strategic significance carefully. Any metric treatment needs a documented match to the relevant measure and current statutory guidance.
  5. Test delivery and legal requirements. A mapped opportunity is not a registered habitat bank or an allocation of off-site units.

The LNRS can be particularly useful for considering habitat networks beyond an individual planning site. Nevertheless, a map designation should be treated as an evidence prompt, not as a substitute for fieldwork.

Official resource: Explore the published Berkshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy and Local Habitat Map.

Open the Berkshire Local Habitat Map to explore its baseline and opportunity layers.

River networks / heathland / woodland / urban habitats

Habitat and planning constraints across Berkshire

Berkshire contains different ecological landscapes. Therefore, good BNG advice needs to reflect local conditions rather than rely on a county-wide planting template.

Rivers, watercourses and floodplains

The Thames, Kennet, Lambourn and Loddon systems shape important green and blue networks. Some projects require watercourse metric calculations, river condition assessment and separate drainage or flood-risk review.

For example, Slough's local validation guidance sets out extra information for proposals near canals, rivers and ditches. The requirement depends on how the site boundary relates to the watercourse, so check the current council rule and the project's survey information.

Heathland and protected European sites

Parts of Berkshire fall within planning areas affected by the Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area. Relevant residential schemes may need mitigation to address recreational pressure, commonly through Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG) and Strategic Access Management and Monitoring (SAMM).

These measures protect a designated site under a separate legal test. They cannot simply be described as additional BNG without checking legal obligations, ecological additionality and the metric rules.

Bracknell Forest's current Thames Basin Heaths SPD took effect in May 2025, replacing its 2018 version. Other councils have their own policy routes. Site-specific screening remains essential.

Woodland, trees and grassland networks

Woodland, hedgerows, established trees, farmland and grasslands may affect a site's biodiversity baseline. Ancient woodland and veteran trees also require special consideration beyond a simple unit balance.

Where habitat creation is proposed, the design should address realistic establishment, target condition and management. For instance, woodland creation or species-rich grassland should only be recommended where the soil, space, water and long-term care support it.

Urban development and green infrastructure

Reading, Slough, Bracknell, Maidenhead and other built-up areas contain development opportunities as well as green networks and potentially valuable brownfield habitats.

Urban planting, appropriate sustainable drainage features and better habitat links can help. However, a small landscaped space must still meet the metric's habitat definitions, target condition and feasibility criteria before it can be relied upon.

Compare the ecology with the latest site layout before fixing landscape and drainage details.

Council validation / coordinated plans / monitoring

What local BNG evidence should Berkshire applicants prepare?

Local validation requirements help define the documents needed with an application. Therefore, coordinate the habitat survey, design plans and metric before submission.

For Reading and Windsor and Maidenhead, start with the adopted plan and the authority’s current application requirements. Finally, distinguish application-stage ecology evidence from the formal Biodiversity Gain Plan approved after permission and before commencement.

Gain hierarchy / registered units / long-term management

Can Berkshire development use off-site biodiversity units?

Yes, where the statutory route permits them and the required habitat units and trading rules are satisfied. However, off-site biodiversity units, statutory biodiversity credits and SANG/HRA mitigation are not interchangeable.

Registered off-site units represent eligible habitat creation or enhancement at another legally secured gain site. Their location affects the spatial risk factors, and the habitat type must match the relevant metric obligations. Meanwhile, statutory biodiversity credits remain a last-resort route.

For qualifying non-major applications made from 6 August 2026, on-site enhancement/creation and registered off-site gains sit at the same priority level within the revised biodiversity gain hierarchy. Other schemes and transitional cases can follow a different order. Avoidance of valuable habitats and separate planning ecology duties still matter.

What should a landowner check before offering off-site units?

A potential Berkshire gain site needs more than available acreage. It requires a credible habitat baseline, landownership and management rights, realistic proposals, statutory metric calculations, the appropriate legal securing and registration/allocation process.

It can also help to examine the Berkshire LNRS, habitat connectivity, water constraints and ongoing management costs. However, an LNRS opportunity area does not guarantee saleability or the availability of purchasers.

For further detail, see our off-site biodiversity units guidance and habitat management and monitoring plans.

Nine checks before submission

Your Berkshire BNG application checklist

Use the following checklist to organise your site information. It is also available in the route-finder asset above. This is a preparation aid, not a planning validation certificate.

  • Site and authority: final red-line location, site area, correct one of six councils, and any minerals/waste route.
  • Application status: proposal type, date, transitional provisions and applicable statutory exemption or condition.
  • Adopted policy: current Local Plan, local BNG guidance, SPD, validation checklist and relevant neighbourhood plan.
  • Baseline ecology: appropriate habitat/UKHab map, habitat condition evidence, hedgerows, watercourses and survey needs.
  • Protected constraints: designated sites, protected species, ancient woodland, flood/water constraints and any Thames Basin Heaths HRA route.
  • LNRS: check mapped Berkshire priority/opportunity and explain any strategic significance claimed.
  • Metric and layout: correct workbook and version, trading rules, pre-/post-development plans and realistic targets.
  • Delivery: proportionate BNG strategy, registered off-site allocation if needed, Biodiversity Gain Plan, HMMP, legal security and monitoring.
  • Submission: all source maps, method assumptions and report references agree with the current drawings and council checklist.

Planning note: A good submission explains the evidence and decisions. A metric percentage alone does not establish that the landscape can be built, managed or lawfully secured.

Scope / survey / practical delivery

How ACP can help with Berkshire BNG projects

1. Identify the correct scope

Send the site location, red-line plan, proposal and any council correspondence. We can help you identify the BNG questions, relevant surveys and likely technical outputs before work begins.

2. Survey habitats and test proposals

Where instructed, our ecological assessment can include habitat baseline mapping, appropriate condition surveys and statutory biodiversity metric calculations. We can then help the design team test realistic retention, creation and enhancement options.

3. Prepare delivery-ready information

The agreed scope may include the BNG report, Biodiversity Gain Plan information, management and monitoring advice, or review of suitable registered off-site units. We explain what must be supported by others, legally secured or approved by the authority.

Tell us which council covers your site, what the development involves and when you expect to apply. We can advise what evidence to gather first.

Explore our BNG reporting service and Biodiversity Gain Plan advice. For regional context, see BNG in South East England.

Practical answers / planning evidence

Berkshire biodiversity net gain FAQs

Does Berkshire have one biodiversity net gain planning policy?

No. Berkshire has six unitary local planning authorities with their own adopted plans and validation procedures. All must apply the relevant national statutory framework, but their additional local planning policies and supporting guidance differ. Start with the correct site boundary and council.

Who prepared the Berkshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy?

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead was the responsible authority. It led the strategy in partnership with the other five Berkshire councils and wider stakeholders. That role does not give Windsor and Maidenhead authority over planning applications elsewhere in Berkshire.

Has the Berkshire LNRS been published?

Yes. Berkshire's LNRS was published on 7 October 2025 and is listed as published by GOV.UK. The accompanying Local Habitat Map and strategy documents are available from the Royal Borough's nature recovery portal.

Can an LNRS opportunity area automatically increase my BNG score?

No. The map is evidence that may inform a strategic significance assessment, but the proposed habitat must align with the relevant strategy measure and current metric guidance. You must explain the site-specific ecological fit. The map is not a unit-sale or planning-approval register.

Are small planning applications in Berkshire exempt from BNG?

Some are. For applications made from 6 August 2026, a red-line development site of 0.2 hectares or less may be exempt where no on-site priority habitat is impacted. Other exemptions and transitional rules apply. Check local biodiversity policy and protected species separately.

Does every development in Wokingham have to achieve 20% BNG?

The 20% proposal concerns a specific emerging allocation. The 20% proposal is associated with the emerging Loddon Valley Garden Village strategic allocation. Its effect depends on the planning decision and policy status. The usual national target for non-exempt development is at least 10%.

Which Berkshire council needs a river condition assessment?

It depends on the scheme and the authority's rules. Slough publishes a specific watercourse-related BNG validation requirement for land close to canals, rivers or ditches. Watercourse metric rules may also apply elsewhere. Ask the ecologist to check the red line and current guidance, rather than assuming every water feature qualifies.

Is Thames Basin Heaths SPA mitigation the same as BNG?

No. SANG and SAMM measures address potential effects on a protected European site under the Habitats Regulations. BNG addresses measurable habitat value through a separate statutory calculation. They must be assessed and secured appropriately without double counting mandatory mitigation.

Does Reading's emerging Local Plan update replace the 2019 Local Plan?

Not unless it is formally adopted. The Reading Local Plan adopted in 2019 remains the operative plan in November 2026, while the Partial Update is undergoing examination and main-modifications consultation. Record the actual plan status for the application decision.

What is West Berkshire's biodiversity planning policy?

The West Berkshire Local Plan Review 2023–2041 was adopted on 10 June 2025. Its SP11 Biodiversity and Geodiversity is a key starting point, alongside SP10 Green Infrastructure and the applicable statutory BNG requirements. Check the council's planning process page for current validation and monitoring arrangements.

Can I buy biodiversity units outside Berkshire?

It may be possible to allocate suitably registered off-site units from elsewhere, provided the statutory metric's location, trading and allocation requirements are met. The spatial risk factor can affect how many units are needed. Do not assume that buying a unit from another county automatically satisfies the requirement.

When must a Biodiversity Gain Plan be approved?

For a permission subject to the statutory BNG condition, the Biodiversity Gain Plan must be approved before development begins. Councils may need other ecological information at application stage to determine the proposal. Phased or infrastructure schemes can have different procedural rules.

Talk to ACP   /   Site enquiries

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What to have to handA red-line plan, an existing ecology report or a request from the council can help us scope the work. Start with whatever you already have.

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Berkshire BNG

Sources and references

Reviewed 7 November 2026.