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Cambridgeshire BNG / County planning guidance

Biodiversity Net Gain in Cambridgeshire

Biodiversity net gain in Cambridgeshire starts with the right planning authority, habitat evidence and design. Five city and district councils use separate local plans. Peterborough is a separate unitary authority, sharing the same nature recovery strategy.

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

Discuss your Cambridgeshire project →Find your planning authority

Reviewed 8 November 2026 · Cambridgeshire and Peterborough LNRS published 23 December 2025

Habitat baseline / statutory metric / practical design

How does biodiversity net gain work in Cambridgeshire?

For most developments that are subject to statutory BNG, the objective is at least a 10% increase in biodiversity value. This is measured against a baseline of habitats within the development boundary.

An ecologist identifies and maps habitats using a suitable UKHab assessment and the statutory biodiversity metric. Habitats need the appropriate condition and distinctiveness information. The metric then compares existing biodiversity value with the proposed habitat retention, creation and enhancement.

A biodiversity unit is not the same as a percentage of the site left unbuilt. Habitat type, area, condition, time to reach target condition, difficulty and strategic significance can all affect calculations. Hedgerow and watercourse units are treated separately from area habitats.

Therefore, early habitat assessment can improve site design and reduce avoidable habitat losses. This matters particularly where watercourses, fen habitats, established trees or priority habitats limit what can be replaced.

For detailed methodology and deliverables, read about ACP's BNG assessment and habitat surveys and statutory biodiversity metric calculations.

Five city and district councils / Peterborough / county matters

Which planning authority covers your Cambridgeshire site?

There are five city or district planning authorities within the Cambridgeshire County Council area. They handle most ordinary residential and commercial planning applications.

Peterborough City Council is a separate unitary authority. However, it is relevant to this wider Cambridgeshire guide because the published Local Nature Recovery Strategy covers both areas.

Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City Council also have separate minerals and waste planning functions under a shared minerals and waste plan. They are not interchangeable with the five ordinary local planning authorities.

Cambridge, South Cambridgeshire and East Cambridgeshire

Planning authorities: Cambridge, South Cambridgeshire and East Cambridgeshire
Site locationPlanning authority for most ordinary applicationsAdopted plan and important current distinction
Cambridge cityCambridge City CouncilLocal Plan adopted October 2018; shared Greater Cambridge replacement is not yet adopted
South Cambridgeshire, including Northstowe, Waterbeach and CambourneSouth Cambridgeshire District CouncilLocal Plan adopted September 2018; shared Greater Cambridge replacement is still emerging
East Cambridgeshire, including Ely and SohamEast Cambridgeshire District CouncilLocal Plan 2015, amended October 2023; Natural Environment SPD

Fenland, Huntingdonshire and Peterborough

Planning authorities: Fenland, Huntingdonshire and Peterborough
Site locationPlanning authority for most ordinary applicationsAdopted plan and important current distinction
Fenland, including March, Wisbech, Chatteris and WhittleseyFenland District CouncilLocal Plan adopted May 2014; Fenland 50 is being prepared
Huntingdonshire, including Huntingdon, St Neots and St IvesHuntingdonshire District CouncilLocal Plan to 2036 adopted May 2019; Local Plan to 2046 is at pre-submission stage
Peterborough and surrounding unitary areaPeterborough City CouncilLocal Plan adopted July 2019; proposed 2024–2043 replacement is under consultation

Minerals, waste and county projects

Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City Council have separate planning functions under the joint Minerals and Waste Local Plan, adopted July 2021.

These routes differ from ordinary housing and commercial applications. Check the site boundary, proposal and relevant authority before submission.

The council area also matters where a project crosses a planning boundary. Larger developments may require coordinated assessments, but sharing an LNRS does not make Peterborough and Cambridge a single local planning authority.

Published 23 December 2025 / mapped habitat opportunities

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Local Nature Recovery Strategy

The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) was published on 23 December 2025. The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority is the responsible authority. Cambridgeshire County Council led its development with local partners, including Natural Cambridgeshire.

The strategy covers Cambridge City, South Cambridgeshire, East Cambridgeshire, Fenland, Huntingdonshire and Peterborough. It therefore provides a shared nature recovery context even though individual planning authorities still determine most applications.

Its Local Habitat Map distinguishes:

  • Areas of Particular Importance for Biodiversity (APIBs): existing designated and other qualifying important biodiversity areas.
  • Areas that Could Become of Particular Importance for Biodiversity (ACBs): places with potential to contribute to nature recovery.
  • Mapped potential measures: actions designed to help restore or enhance priority habitats and ecological networks.

The strategy highlights opportunities for connected wetlands, fen and peat landscapes, river corridors, grasslands, woodland, farmland and urban green space. The right measures depend on the habitat and location.

However, a site inside an opportunity area does not automatically receive a higher biodiversity metric score. The proposed measure must match the mapped habitat opportunity and the current metric's strategic-significance criteria.

Likewise, the LNRS map is not a replacement for a field survey, a protected-site assessment or evidence that off-site units are registered and available.

Cambridgeshire County Council LNRS overview and Local Habitat Map.

Habitat context across the county

Cambridgeshire has a distinctive landscape. The Fens include low-lying agricultural land, drains, peat soils and surviving wetland habitats. River corridors such as the Great Ouse, Cam and Nene can support habitat connectivity and water-dependent species.

Elsewhere, southern Cambridgeshire includes chalk grassland and farmland habitats. Areas around Wicken Fen, the Great Fen, Ouse Washes and Nene Washes illustrate the importance of site-specific habitats and protected designations.

Not every Cambridgeshire development is near a designated site, nor is every drain a priority watercourse. An ecological review should use current maps, records and surveys to establish which constraints actually apply.

Application date / site area / priority habitats

Does your Cambridgeshire application need statutory BNG?

Statutory BNG does not apply to every planning application. An exemption depends on the application type, date, red-line boundary and impacts on onsite priority habitat.

For qualifying new planning applications made on or after 6 August 2026, development on a red-line site of 0.2 hectares or less is exempt where it does not adversely affect onsite priority habitat.

Other exemptions can apply, including householder applications and the de minimis rule. The latter requires separate tests for impacts on area and linear habitats. A new exemption for certain wholly temporary development permitted for five years or less also started in August 2026.

The former specific exemption for self-build and custom-build homes was removed for new applications made on or after 6 August 2026. Applications made earlier, and some section 73 variations, have separate transitional rules.

Do not assume that a project is exempt solely because it is small or self-built. Similarly, an exemption from the statutory 10% objective does not remove duties towards bats, birds, designated sites, priority habitats or other ecological matters.

For the detailed decision rules, consult ACP's BNG exemptions guide or the current government exemptions guidance.

Adopted plans / emerging proposals / national framework

What do the Cambridgeshire councils require for BNG?

Statutory BNG is national, but the adopted development plan and relevant validation guidance remain local. This is particularly important in Cambridgeshire because several replacement Local Plans are progressing at different stages.

Cambridge City: adopted 2018 plan and proposed 20% for major schemes

Cambridge City Council adopted its Local Plan on 18 October 2018. Relevant policies include 69, Protection of Biodiversity and Geodiversity Sites, and 70, Protection of Priority Species and Habitats. Policy 71 deals with trees.

Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire are preparing a shared Greater Cambridge Local Plan. The Proposed Submission consultation closed on 25 September 2026. This is not yet an adopted replacement.

Its emerging Policy BG/BG proposes a minimum 20% BNG for major development, with onsite delivery preferred where feasible. It retains the national minimum for other non-exempt development.

The joint Cabinet submission recommendation is scheduled for 17 November 2026, followed by planned full council decisions. These future steps do not mean the 20% policy is already binding. Always check which plan is operative when the application is determined.

South Cambridgeshire: NH/4 and the shared emerging Greater Cambridge plan

South Cambridgeshire's Local Plan was adopted on 27 September 2018. It includes NH/4, Biodiversity, alongside policies for sites of biodiversity importance, green infrastructure and ancient woodland.

The same emerging Greater Cambridge BG/BG proposal would affect South Cambridgeshire if the joint plan is eventually adopted. However, its 20% major-development provision is not yet an adopted blanket rule.

Established area action plans can also remain relevant for places such as Northstowe and Cambridge's growth fringes. The correct planning area and adopted allocation should be checked before assuming a particular habitat strategy will be accepted.

East Cambridgeshire: ENV7 and the Natural Environment SPD

East Cambridgeshire adopted its Local Plan in April 2015 and amended it in October 2023. The later amendment chiefly affected housing strategy, rather than replacing the biodiversity policies.

Relevant adopted policy includes ENV7, Biodiversity and Geology. The council also adopted its Natural Environment Supplementary Planning Document in September 2020.

The council's BNG guidance supports practical onsite or suitable local off-site delivery. However, its preferences do not override the revised August 2026 gain hierarchy for qualifying non-major applications.

The council identifies incomplete BNG information, ecology evidence and tree information as potential application validation issues. The exact requirements still depend on the proposal.

Fenland: adopted LP19 and the Fenland 50 process

Fenland's current Local Plan was adopted on 8 May 2014. Policy LP19, The Natural Environment, addresses habitat protection and opportunities for enhancement.

The replacement Fenland 50 Local Plan is being prepared under the newer plan-making system. It reached its first formal gateway in July 2026. A later consultation and eventual adoption are planned, but not complete.

Consequently, a biodiversity policy in an older draft cannot be treated as the current adopted plan. Fenland provides separate biodiversity checklists for major and smaller applications, a BNG supporting statement and post-decision Gain Plan guidance.

Huntingdonshire: LP30 and its emerging Local Plan to 2046

Huntingdonshire adopted its Local Plan to 2036 on 15 May 2019. Its Policy LP30, Biodiversity and Geodiversity, requires an appropriate appraisal where development may affect biodiversity.

The council consulted on its Pre-Submission Local Plan to 2046 between 16 September and 28 October 2026. That consultation has closed, with submission for examination intended before the end of 2026.

The replacement is therefore still emerging. Developers should use the adopted 2019 plan, national legislation and current validation rules while noting any material emerging proposals.

Peterborough: unitary authority, adopted LP28 and 2043 proposals

Peterborough City Council adopted its Local Plan on 24 July 2019. Policy LP28, Biodiversity and Geological Conservation, is a relevant adopted policy. The council's 2019 Green Infrastructure and Biodiversity SPD provides supplementary guidance.

Peterborough's emerging Local Plan 2024–2043 is in Regulation 19 consultation from 2 October until 12 November 2026. Its draft includes LP38, Biodiversity and Geological Conservation, along with policy proposals for the Nene Valley, peat soils and green infrastructure.

Those policies remain proposals. Peterborough is a separate unitary planning authority, even though its LNRS and minerals/waste framework operate jointly with Cambridgeshire.

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough: minerals and waste applications

Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City Council adopted a joint Minerals and Waste Local Plan on 28 July 2021. It governs relevant minerals and waste development, including restoration and safeguarding considerations.

A replacement plan began scoping consultation in August 2026. The consultation closed in October, but the new plan is not adopted.

For quarry, waste and related county development, confirm the applicable planning authority and restoration obligations. Ordinary housing applications should not be submitted to the county council solely because the site is in Cambridgeshire.

Check proposed higher targets against national policy

The September 2026 NPPF limits higher mandatory BNG standards to justified, deliverable, specific site allocations. It directs decision-makers to give no weight to other requirements above the statutory framework. Therefore, the emerging Greater Cambridge 20% proposal needs consideration alongside current national policy.

Read NPPF policies N1(2) and N2(3) and the proposed BG/BG policy before fixing a higher target.

Council validation / application stage / gain-plan stage

What planning evidence do Cambridgeshire applicants need?

A BNG assessment may involve a red-line habitat baseline, metric workbook, pre-development habitat plan and details of how the gain could be achieved. However, application-stage information must be distinguished from the formal Biodiversity Gain Plan, which is normally approved after permission and before commencement.

Greater Cambridge Shared Planning publishes validation checklists for different application types. They refer to the statutory metric in Excel format and scaled habitat plans where relevant.

East Cambridgeshire’s application guidance identifies missing BNG, ecology and tree evidence as potential validation issues. Meanwhile, Fenland’s application forms include separate major and minor biodiversity checklists and BNG statements.

Huntingdonshire and Peterborough also have their own planning procedures. Therefore, do not copy one council's checklist and treat it as valid across the county.

Use the checklist for your application type alongside the current national rules.

Washes and fenland / peat soils / watercourses / habitat networks

What ecological constraints affect BNG in Cambridgeshire?

A 10% biodiversity metric result does not, by itself, satisfy every environmental planning requirement.

Protected habitats

Sites associated with the Ouse Washes, Nene Washes, Wicken Fen and other reserves may require separate consideration of nature conservation designations. A Habitats Regulations Assessment or protected species survey can be necessary where the site and likely impact justify it.

Peat and wetland habitats

Habitat creation on low-lying land may depend on water levels, soil condition and long-term management. A suggested wetland enhancement is not automatically feasible or appropriate.

Watercourses and drainage

The River Cam, Great Ouse, Nene and their tributaries can raise watercourse-unit, flood risk, water quality and species questions. The latest metric user guide contains specific guidance on projects spanning multiple waterbody catchments.

Trees, hedgerows and connectivity

Mature trees and connected habitats can offer ecological value and affect what is practical to retain. They should be considered before development layouts are fixed.

Use current maps, ecological records and the site survey to establish which constraints apply to your project.

Six steps / coordinated planning evidence

How should you approach a Cambridgeshire BNG assessment?

1. Confirm the correct planning route

Find the city, district or unitary authority and confirm the red-line boundary. Check application type, application date and any relevant historic permission.

2. Screen statutory exemptions and other ecological duties

Record whether the application is in scope. Where an exemption is claimed, document the factual basis. Identify protected sites, priority habitats, species and separate assessment requirements.

3. Undertake appropriate baseline surveys

Use proportionate UKHab habitat mapping, condition assessment and any necessary ecological investigations. Retain a defensible record of what is already on the land.

4. Check the LNRS and current metric

Consult the shared Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Local Habitat Map. Use the applicable statutory biodiversity metric. The latest published tool is version 1.1.0, updated November 2026. Earlier statutory versions can still be accepted under current government guidance.

5. Improve the design and test delivery options

First look for unnecessary habitat losses that can be avoided. Then test realistic retention, enhancement and creation. Check trading and spatial-risk rules if off-site units are needed.

6. Prepare planning evidence and delivery arrangements

Submit the information required at application stage. For in-scope permissions, secure approval of the formal Biodiversity Gain Plan before development starts. Arrange appropriate long-term management and monitoring where required.

ACP's Biodiversity Gain Plan service and Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan guidance explain these later stages.

A practical worksheet / six evidence checks

Cambridgeshire BNG: six questions to prepare your site brief

Use these questions alongside the planning authority comparison above. Record the evidence for your ecologist or planning team before fixing a delivery target.

Use the question, fact to check and corresponding evidence as a brief for your ecologist or planning team.
QuestionWhy it mattersDocument or check
1. What is the application date and permission history?6 August 2026 exemptions and non-major hierarchy differ from saved and section 73 cases.Application number, original permission and government exemption guidance.
2. Can a statutory exemption be justified?A site of 0.2 hectares or less can qualify only if the priority-habitat and other conditions are met. Householder/de minimis are distinct.Scaled red-line plan, land area, habitat-impact statement and relevant legal test.
3. Which habitats and protected features are present?Fens, peat, trees, hedges and rivers differ in habitat condition, permissions and survey needs.UKHab survey, condition sheets, species records and current constraints/designation mapping.
4. Does the mapped LNRS measure genuinely fit the proposal?Being inside an ACB is not automatic strategic significance, registration or permission.Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Local Habitat Map, the matching potential measure and metric evidence.
5. Is a local higher target already adopted?Draft 20% Greater Cambridge BG/BG is for major development but remains under plan-making; Peterborough and other councils have separate policies.Operative adopted plan, emerging-plan status, current NPPF and local validation checklist.
6. What delivery route is lawful and feasible?Onsite/offsite hierarchy, habitat trading, legal security, registration, allocation and 30-year management must align.Current statutory metric, draft landscape/management proposal, and government gain sites register where off-site units are proposed.

Discuss your Cambridgeshire site evidence →

Gain hierarchy / registration / long-term management

Onsite gain, off-site units and 30-year management

The statutory gain hierarchy helps determine the appropriate route.

For major development, avoiding harm and suitable onsite measures generally take priority before registered off-site delivery. Statutory biodiversity credits are the final option.

For qualifying non-major applications made on or after 6 August 2026, onsite enhancement, onsite creation and registered off-site gains sit at the same priority level under the revised hierarchy. Credits remain the final option. Transitional cases must be checked separately.

Off-site delivery requires the right habitat units, metric trading compliance, appropriate legal security, gain-site registration and formal unit allocation. A landowner's proposed habitat scheme or a mapped LNRS opportunity is not evidence that suitable units are already available for sale.

Significant onsite gains and registered off-site gains generally require legally secured habitat management for at least 30 years. This should influence feasibility and maintenance responsibilities from the outset.

For options and procurement considerations, see ACP's off-site biodiversity units guide and the government biodiversity gain sites register.

Ten checks before submission

Cambridgeshire BNG planning checklist

  • Identify the correct city, district, unitary or county minerals/waste authority.
  • Check the red-line site area, application date and any section 73 history.
  • Record whether an exemption genuinely applies under current national rules.
  • Screen protected sites, priority habitats, watercourses, trees and species.
  • Obtain proportionate UKHab mapping and habitat condition evidence where required.
  • Review Cambridgeshire and Peterborough's published LNRS and mapped potential measures.
  • Use the current approved statutory metric family and applicable habitat trading rules.
  • Check the adopted local policy, separating proposed Greater Cambridge 20% from binding policy.
  • Confirm your planning authority's current validation checklist and other reports.
  • Agree the intended onsite/offsite delivery route, Gain Plan timing and long-term management.

Survey scope / biodiversity calculations / delivery advice

How ACP can help your Cambridgeshire BNG project

A useful BNG assessment needs to answer a specific planning question. ACP can help scope a suitable baseline survey, interpret habitat evidence, calculate biodiversity units and consider practical gain options.

We can also help you identify separate ecology information that may affect the development programme. The scope should reflect the site and proposal, not a generic assumption that every Cambridgeshire application needs the same surveys.

Read our BNG process guide and BNG consultant services for related support.

For the wider planning context, explore BNG in the East of England.

Local planning questions / practical answers

Cambridgeshire biodiversity net gain FAQs

Is BNG compulsory for every planning application in Cambridgeshire?

No. Statutory BNG generally applies to qualifying applications but there are exemptions and transitional provisions. Application category, red-line site area, date and priority habitats must be checked.

Is 20% BNG already compulsory in Cambridge?

The proposed Greater Cambridge BG/BG policy seeks at least 20% for major development, but the plan is not adopted. Its submission decisions are scheduled for November and December 2026. Higher targets must also be assessed against current national policy.

Does the proposed Greater Cambridge 20% rule apply to Peterborough?

No. The emerging joint Greater Cambridge Local Plan is being prepared for Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire, not Peterborough. Peterborough is a separate unitary planning authority with its own Local Plan.

Is a development of 0.2 hectares or less exempt?

A new exemption can apply to qualifying applications made on or after 6 August 2026, where the red-line site is no larger than 0.2 hectares and no onsite priority habitat is adversely affected. Verify any saved or varied permission separately.

Are self-build houses automatically exempt?

No. The former self-build and custom-build-specific exemption was removed for new applications made from 6 August 2026. An applicant can still test a different exemption if its conditions are met.

When was the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough LNRS published?

It was published on 23 December 2025. The Combined Authority is responsible for the strategy, which covers the county area and Peterborough. Its Local Habitat Map is available online.

Does being in an LNRS opportunity area automatically improve a BNG score?

No. The relevant habitat, mapped potential measure, location and metric rules must align. A mapped opportunity is not a registered biodiversity gain site or proof of the site's habitat condition.

Which Local Plan applies to Ely or Soham?

East Cambridgeshire District Council is normally the planning authority. Its Local Plan was adopted in 2015 and amended in 2023. The adopted Natural Environment SPD provides additional guidance.

Which Local Plan applies to Huntingdon or St Neots?

Huntingdonshire District Council's adopted Local Plan to 2036 remains the operative local plan. Its proposed replacement to 2046 was consulted on in September and October 2026 but is not yet adopted.

Can a development use off-site biodiversity units?

Yes, where the current gain hierarchy and metric trading rules permit. Units need to be suitable, legally secured, registered and allocated. An advertised habitat bank is not a guarantee of available matching units.

Will a 10% BNG metric remove the need for protected species or flood assessments?

No. Protected species, designated sites, river or drainage impacts, flood risk and other planning requirements are assessed separately. The right additional evidence depends on the specific proposal.

What should I send ACP for a Cambridgeshire BNG quotation?

Send the site postcode or red-line plan, planning authority if known, proposed works, latest drawings, application stage and existing ecology information. This helps define a suitable scope without assuming survey outcomes.

Talk to ACP   /   Site enquiries

What does your site need next?

Tell us where the site is, what you plan to build and how far the application has progressed. We’ll use that context to discuss the surveys, calculations or plans your project needs.

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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Cambridgeshire BNG

Sources and references

Reviewed 8 November 2026.