County Durham BNG advice
Biodiversity Net Gain in County Durham
Plan your County Durham development around its habitats, local planning policies and biodiversity net gain requirements.
ACP Consultants can help with habitat surveys, biodiversity metric calculations and a practical BNG delivery plan for your County Durham site.
Local planning guidance
County Durham BNG: key requirements at a glance
| Question | What to know first |
|---|---|
| Who decides the application? | Usually Durham County Council within the County Durham unitary area. Darlington is a separate council with its own Local Plan. |
| Which adopted Local Plan? | The County Durham Plan, adopted 21 October 2020, including Policies 40, 41, 42 and 43. |
| Is there a local biodiversity SPD? | Yes. The Biodiversity SPD took effect 4 April 2025. It provides important planning-stage document guidance. |
| Is the county LNRS published? | Yes. The County Durham LNRS was published in spring 2026, led by Durham County Council. |
| Is 10% always mandatory? | No. Eligible projects generally need at least 10%, but 2026 exemptions and transitional rules may apply. |
| When is the final Gain Plan approved? | For applicable permissions, after permission and before commencement. Durham's local SPD also asks for earlier draft documents. |
| Can a 10% gain solve a protected-site issue? | No. Habitats Regulations, protected species and other nature conservation duties remain separate. |
Local planning guidance
Which planning authority covers my County Durham development?
County Durham's council area is a unitary planning jurisdiction. It contains many towns and rural landscapes, but it does not have a separate planning authority for each former district.
| Location or proposal | Correct starting point | Important distinction |
|---|---|---|
| Durham City, Chester-le-Street, Stanley and Consett | Durham County Council | Adopted County Durham Plan and any applicable made neighbourhood plan. |
| Bishop Auckland, Shildon, Spennymoor and Crook | Durham County Council | County policies, local habitat evidence and any site-specific ecological designations. |
| Barnard Castle, Teesdale, Weardale and the North Pennines | Durham County Council | Upland peatlands, grassland, river habitats and potentially internationally designated sites. North Pennines National Landscape is not a separate planning authority. |
| Peterlee, Easington, Seaham and the Durham Heritage Coast | Durham County Council | Durham Coast SAC, nearby coastal bird interests and other possible effects, depending on the site. |
| Sedgefield, Newton Aycliffe and surrounding communities | Durham County Council | County plan, landscape, hedgerow, drainage and biodiversity requirements. |
| Darlington and land inside Darlington Borough | Darlington Borough Council | Separate Darlington Local Plan 2016–2036, adopted 17 February 2022. Do not apply County Durham SPD as its adopted local guidance. |
| Development consent orders for eligible nationally significant infrastructure | Relevant national decision-maker | Separate NSIP BNG regime for applications submitted from 2 November 2026. |
Confirm the authority from the actual red-line parcel, not only the postcode, postal town or ceremonial county name. In particular, Darlington is not governed by Durham County Council's adopted Local Plan.
For the wider hierarchy, see BNG in North East England and the ACP BNG locations guide.
Local evidence worksheet
County Durham BNG planning worksheet
Which biodiversity documents and checks belong to your project?
Use these routes to find official guidance before commissioning surveys. This worksheet does not determine an exemption, award biodiversity units or replace professional ecological assessment.
Check the authority
Confirm Durham County Council or Darlington Borough from the red-line boundary, not just a postal address.
Check national BNG
Record application date, area, priority habitat effects and any lawful exemption or transition.
Check separate nature duties
Match the LNRS measure and screen designated sites, water and protected species as relevant.
Choose your evidence route
My development is in Durham County Council's area
Start with the County Durham Plan, adopted 21 October 2020. Review policies 40 (trees and hedges), 41 (biodiversity), 42 (international sites) and 43 (protected species and sites). The Biodiversity SPD took effect in April 2025.
County Durham Plan documents · Adopted Biodiversity SPD and adoption report
My site may fall within Darlington Borough
Darlington Borough Council is a separate planning authority. It adopted its Local Plan 2016–2036 on 17 February 2022. Do not use Durham's SPD as if it were Darlington's adopted local policy. Verify the red-line boundary.
I think my proposal is exempt because it is small
For applications made from 6 August 2026, a red-line site of 0.2 hectares or less may qualify if no onsite priority habitat is affected. Other exemptions and transitional rules can apply. A site is not exempt just because it is one dwelling or has limited commercial value.
My non-exempt Durham application needs documents
Durham's adopted 2025 Biodiversity SPD §6.29 calls for a draft Biodiversity Gain Plan, statutory metric and draft Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan at the planning application stage for non-exempt outline and full proposals. The final Gain Plan is normally approved after permission and before commencement.
Check the council's latest validation checklist and national gain-plan rules before submission.
My site appears on the County Durham LNRS map
The Durham County LNRS was published in spring 2026. Read the official statement of priorities alongside its habitat opportunity map. To support strategic significance, record the exact mapped measure and demonstrate that the proposed habitat matches and is ecologically suitable.
Durham Council's LNRS strategy · National LNRS status and boundaries
My proposal is close to the Durham Coast or North Pennines
Depending on the pathway, Durham Coast SAC, Moor House–Upper Teesdale SAC, North Pennine Moors SPA, Castle Eden Dene SAC and other designated sites can need separate Habitats Regulations evidence. No single blanket distance proves an effect. Nutrient, drainage and species questions are also distinct from statutory BNG.
I need the current metric, off-site units or delivery route
Use the current statutory biodiversity metric (v1.1.0 as at 8 November 2026) where applicable. Record distinct area, hedgerow and watercourse units and trading rules. Any off-site gain must have suitable legal security, registration and allocation. Do not assume unit availability from a habitat-bank advertisement.
Information to have ready for an ecology enquiry
Local planning guidance
What do County Durham's adopted biodiversity policies require?
The County Durham Plan was adopted on 21 October 2020. Its relevant policies remain part of the development-plan framework while the new replacement plan is prepared.
Policy 40 — Trees, woodlands and hedges
Policy 40 seeks to retain trees, hedges and woodlands with ecological, landscape or amenity value. Where impacts cannot be avoided, the development must address them under the policy.
A good BNG design should therefore begin with existing valuable trees and hedgerows. It should not treat all habitat losses as interchangeable units.
Policy 41 — Biodiversity and geodiversity
Policy 41 addresses biodiversity conservation, enhancement and harm. It expects applicants to protect ecological assets and deliver net gains where relevant. The statutory BNG system has since introduced a measurable minimum for qualifying development.
Read these policies alongside the adopted 2025 Biodiversity SPD and the current statutory BNG requirements.
Policy 42 — Internationally designated sites
Policy 42 is the starting point where a proposal might affect an internationally designated site. The council or other competent authority must determine whether a Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) is needed.
A positive metric score does not cancel an adverse effect on a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) or Special Protection Area (SPA).
Policy 43 — Protected species and nationally or locally protected sites
Policy 43 addresses protected wildlife and important national and local nature conservation sites. Depending on the development, surveys may need to consider bats, birds, otters, water voles, great crested newts or other receptors.
Species surveys and mitigation requirements are additional to the BNG calculation. An environmental report should make clear which evidence supports each legal or policy test.
The council's adopted plan and related documents are available from its Development Plan for County Durham resource.
Local planning guidance
Why is Durham's adopted 2025 Biodiversity SPD important?
Durham County Council's Biodiversity SPD came into effect on 4 April 2025. It adds practical planning guidance to the adopted County Durham Plan; it is not itself a replacement Local Plan.
It covers ecological scoping, the mitigation hierarchy, biodiversity design, statutory BNG evidence, Habitats Regulations and monitoring.
A local requirement to address before submitting
The adopted SPD's paragraph 6.29 states that, for non-exempt new development, outline and full applications should be accompanied at application stage by:
- A draft Biodiversity Gain Plan explaining the proposed delivery route.
- The applicable statutory biodiversity metric calculation.
- A draft Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan (HMMP) as supporting evidence.
This is a particularly important local distinction. National law normally requires the final Gain Plan's approval before commencement, but Durham expects meaningful draft information much earlier to understand whether gains are feasible.
For a new application, check how the current planning validation checklist and the 2026 exemptions interact with the 2025 SPD. The scale and detail of supporting information should remain proportionate, while the published local requirement must not be ignored.
Use the 2025 adopted SPD and adoption report and the council's Planning Application Validation Checklist.
Local planning guidance
Is Durham preparing a new Local Plan?
Yes, but it has not replaced the adopted 2020 plan. Durham County Council began a new plan-making process in 2026. The initial scoping consultation ran from 22 June to 17 August 2026.
The emerging process considers future housing, infrastructure, jobs, transport, climate and environmental policies. Its eventual content and adoption depend on later consultation and examination.
For your application, use the adopted County Durham Plan and Biodiversity SPD, any made neighbourhood plan and the current validation requirements.
Find the current new County Durham Plan consultation materials.
Local planning guidance
Has County Durham published its Local Nature Recovery Strategy?
Yes. Durham County Council is the responsible authority for the County Durham Local Nature Recovery Strategy, published in April 2026. The national government register confirmed publication by 15 May 2026.
The LNRS sets out priorities for helping nature recover. Its Statement of Biodiversity Priorities and Local Habitat Map should be read together. They identify existing important wildlife areas and locations where particular recovery actions could make a meaningful difference.
This strategy is different from the North of Tyne, South of Tyne and Wear, and Tees Valley LNRS areas. The North East Combined Authority supports County Durham's strategy, but it does not replace Durham County Council as the responsible authority.
What does the LNRS mean for a developer or landowner?
Start with a site boundary, then explore the official map. Identify any mapped opportunity and the specific measure that the strategy associates with that location.
Possible themes include grassland recovery, woodland connectivity, better river and wetland condition, hedgerow networks and upland peatland restoration. These are themes for assessment, not assertions that every land parcel is suitable.
A map layer is not a land-use consent, a blanket requirement to restore habitat or proof of a commercially viable habitat bank.
Use the County Durham LNRS official page and the national LNRS status register.
Local planning guidance
How does the LNRS affect strategic significance in the metric?
The statutory biodiversity metric includes a strategic-significance factor for suitable habitat locations. The LNRS can inform this calculation where the mapped measure matches the habitat proposed.
Do not award a high strategic significance merely because a scheme is in County Durham or near a wildlife reserve. For example, a woodland proposal needs to match the strategy's mapped opportunity and be ecologically feasible.
The 2025 Biodiversity SPD originally referred to an interim habitat network map while the LNRS was being prepared. However, the LNRS is now published. Therefore, check the current local mapping method and the statutory metric user guide before assigning a category.
Keep a dated record of the map, measure, land parcel, habitat type and reason for the selected strategic-significance value.
For methodology, see our statutory biodiversity metric assessment service and the BNG GIS mapping guide.
Local planning guidance
Which County Durham developments need 10% BNG in 2026?
Eligible planning applications in England generally need to deliver at least 10% statutory biodiversity gain. However, exemptions and transitional provisions have changed.
| Proposed project or permission | Initial position — check statutory conditions |
|---|---|
| Red-line development site of 0.2 hectares or less, applied for from 6 August 2026 | May be exempt where development does not affect an onsite priority habitat. Application date and habitat evidence matter. |
| Householder planning application | Normally exempt under the householder category. |
| Development affecting below 25 m² of habitat and less than 5 m of linear habitat | The de minimis exemption may apply if all conditions, including protection of onsite priority habitat, are met. |
| Wholly temporary development permitted for five years or less, applied for from 6 August 2026 | A new conditional exemption may apply, including reinstatement and no priority-habitat impact. |
| New self-build or custom-build application from 6 August 2026 | The old dedicated exemption ended; consider whether any other current exemption applies. |
| Earlier application or relevant section 73 permission | Check the original application date and specific transition and saving provisions. |
| Eligible nationally significant infrastructure application from 2 November 2026 | Separate NSIP biodiversity gain statement and decision-making framework, not a routine Durham planning submission. |
A small building is not automatically exempt. Start with the red-line area, application date and evidence of priority habitats. Even if BNG is exempt, bat, protected-site, tree, hedgerow and watercourse duties can remain.
Our BNG exemptions guide explains the main categories. The controlling source is the current GOV.UK BNG exemptions guidance.
Local planning guidance
Which biodiversity metric applies in November 2026?
The statutory biodiversity metric is the recognised calculator for mandatory BNG. It measures habitat value using the relevant area, hedgerow and watercourse modules and their trading rules.
As at 8 November 2026, Defra's statutory metric calculation tool is version 1.1.0, updated on 3 November 2026. Earlier statutory tool versions can remain valid, but an old non-statutory Biodiversity Metric 4.0 calculation cannot be submitted as a substitute.
For eligible lower-complexity sites, the Small Sites Metric may be suitable. However, it has specific restrictions. A small red-line area or a single building does not establish eligibility.
A reliable calculation depends on correct habitat classification, UKHab survey evidence, habitat condition, parcel size and any hedgerow or watercourse length. It should also reflect realistic habitat creation and long-term management.
See Small Sites Metric assessments, habitat condition assessments and the current Defra metric downloads.
Local planning guidance
What habitats make County Durham BNG assessments different?
County Durham stretches from upland moors and Pennine dales to inland settlements, farmland and the North Sea coast. The habitat on the actual site is what counts, but local landscape context helps identify likely constraints and appropriate restoration choices.
| Landscape | Habitat and survey considerations |
|---|---|
| North Pennines and upper Teesdale/Weardale | Blanket bog, wet heath, upland grassland, limestone flora, peatland hydrology and designated upland bird habitat. |
| Durham Coast, Seaham and Easington | Magnesian limestone coastal grassland, vegetated cliffs, erosion, nesting birds and coastal visitor effects where relevant. |
| Castle Eden Dene and wooded valleys | Ancient and semi-natural woodland, shaded ravines, habitat continuity, bats and other species as appropriate. |
| Wear, Derwent and Tees river corridors | Watercourse condition, riparian habitat, freshwater connectivity, drainage and possible water vole or otter use. |
| Bishop Auckland, Consett, Durham and former industrial land | Grasslands, trees, hedgerows, vacant land and potentially valuable open-mosaic habitat on previously developed land. |
| Agricultural areas near Sedgefield and Newton Aycliffe | Cropland margins, species-rich hedgerows, field ponds and connected habitats. |
Natural habitats vary even between adjacent fields. Therefore, an ecologist needs to verify UKHab classifications, condition and the consequences of any development before calculating units.
Local planning guidance
What designated sites might trigger a separate assessment?
Some County Durham developments can affect internationally or nationally protected sites. No county-wide survey requirement or exclusion buffer can replace site-specific impact screening.
| Designated site or landscape | Example interest or pathway | Why this is distinct from BNG |
|---|---|---|
| Durham Coast SAC | Rare magnesian-limestone vegetated sea cliffs, coastal habitat processes and potentially adjacent land use. | Habitats Regulations protection is separate from the metric. |
| Northumbria Coast / Teesmouth and Cleveland Coast bird sites | Wintering, breeding or passage birds, disturbance, recreation and habitat used beyond designated boundaries where supported by evidence. | HRA screening must reflect actual interest features and effects. |
| Moor House–Upper Teesdale SAC | Upland blanket bog, calcareous and other grassland, freshwater and rocky habitats. | Peatland and SAC effects cannot simply be offset by buying standard units. |
| North Pennine Moors SPA | Breeding upland birds and their feeding, nesting and disturbance requirements. | Species and SPA conservation objectives may impose additional tests. |
| Castle Eden Dene SAC and other designated woodland sites | High-value woodland and characteristic habitats. | Consider ancient woodland, designated interests and potentially irreplaceable habitat. |
| Local SSSIs and wildlife sites | Designated habitats or species across the county. | Planning-policy assessment and statutory protections may apply even outside the 10% metric. |
The planning authority or other competent authority decides whether a Habitats Regulations Assessment is necessary. The applicant may need to provide the evidence to support that decision.
A scheme can achieve a positive BNG result yet remain unacceptable if it causes legally protected harm. See GOV.UK protected-site planning advice and the Durham Coast SAC designation record.
Local planning guidance
How do rivers, water quality and peatlands affect BNG?
Rivers and ditches are not interchangeable with ordinary area habitats. Some qualify for separate watercourse units and need appropriate condition surveys.
Where a proposal changes runoff, abstraction, drainage or sewage, the planner may also need water-quality evidence. Nutrient neutrality is not automatically a blanket County Durham BNG requirement. Assess it only where an actual designated-site impact pathway or other relevant planning obligation calls for it.
Similarly, peatland in the North Pennines demands careful hydrological and ecological judgement. Habitat restoration must not be proposed in a location or form that damages an existing priority habitat, protected feature or water regime.
For technical work involving ditches and watercourses, see river condition assessments and ditch condition assessments.
Local planning guidance
Does nutrient neutrality affect some County Durham developments?
Yes, in certain mapped protected-site catchments. The adopted April 2025 Durham Biodiversity SPD, paragraphs 7.5–7.8, explains that Natural England identified nitrogen enrichment at the Teesmouth and Cleveland Coast SPA and Ramsar site. Relevant new overnight accommodation and other development likely to increase nitrogen loading within the affected River Tees catchment may require a nutrient budget and separate Habitats Regulations evidence.
The southern part of County Durham can fall within this catchment. However, the requirement depends on the actual site, wastewater and drainage pathways, development type and current Natural England methodology. It is not a blanket nutrient-neutrality requirement for every County Durham proposal.
A small part of western County Durham is also identified in wider River Eden SAC catchment information. Natural England revised the River Eden nutrient-sensitive boundary on 5 February 2026. Therefore, no conclusion should be drawn from an old map or a County Durham postcode alone; first verify the current boundary and actual phosphorus pathway.
Where either nutrient assessment is needed, it remains separate from the BNG metric. A biodiversity unit is not automatically a nitrogen or phosphorus mitigation credit, and a positive 10% metric does not establish that protected water-quality requirements are met.
Official guidance: Durham's adopted Biodiversity SPD, section 7, Natural England's nutrient-neutrality calculators and Cumbria Nutrient Neutrality Partnership's River Eden catchment guidance.
Local planning guidance
What biodiversity documents should a Durham planning application include?
Durham's adopted 2025 SPD is more specific than a generic national checklist. For non-exempt applications, its paragraph 6.29 calls for a draft Gain Plan, statutory metric and draft HMMP at application stage.
A proportionate project pack may therefore include:
- A dated BNG applicability or exemption explanation, with the relevant red-line and application information.
- A scaled site boundary and existing habitat plan.
- A competent baseline UKHab survey, with condition information as appropriate.
- A completed statutory metric, with separate modules where relevant.
- A draft Biodiversity Gain Plan explaining avoid/minimise and delivery options.
- A draft HMMP, proportionate to the proposed habitat gains and the council's published requirement.
- A clear outline of post-development habitat design, trading rules, any likely shortfall and legal delivery route.
- Where applicable, protected-species, designated-site, trees, nutrient, flood or other separate assessments.
However, these documents do not all serve the same purpose. The national minimum information, a council's current local-list validation requirements, and documents required to determine an application must be distinguished.
Use the BNG planning validation guide. Before submission, inspect Durham's current dated validation checklist and published SPD, not a copied historic requirement.
Local planning guidance
When is the final Biodiversity Gain Plan approved?
For qualifying developments, the statutory Gain Plan is normally submitted after permission and approved before development starts. The planning authority must be satisfied that the biodiversity gain objective is met.
Durham's earlier draft information requirement helps demonstrate deliverability at planning stage. It does not convert a draft plan into the legally approved final Gain Plan.
Significant on-site gains and registered off-site biodiversity gains commonly require a legally secured management commitment of at least 30 years, with suitable monitoring and reporting.
For relevant proposals, the council may require a planning obligation, condition, conservation covenant or other legal mechanism. The correct instrument and monitoring arrangements depend on the land, gain route and policy.
Read Biodiversity Gain Plans, Habitat Management and Monitoring Plans and the step-by-step BNG process.
Local planning guidance
Can developers and landowners use off-site BNG units?
Where the statutory rules allow, a developer can secure biodiversity gains through on-site habitats, registered off-site units or a lawful combination. Statutory biodiversity credits are the last resort.
From 6 August 2026, relevant minor development that remains subject to BNG may consider on-site and registered off-site options at the same level under the amended hierarchy. Major development retains the applicable stronger prioritisation of on-site habitats.
For County Durham landowners, a habitat opportunity identified in the LNRS is not itself a saleable unit. A compliant gain site needs an appropriate baseline, a 30-year legal commitment, registration, gain calculations and allocation to the developer. The proposed habitats must also meet ecological and trading-rule requirements.
Do not rely on an unverified list of local banks as proof of stock, prices or availability.
For habitat trading, registration and legal security, use our off-site biodiversity units guidance.
Local planning guidance
Worked example: a former industrial-edge site in County Durham
Illustrative scenario only. This is not an ACP project or an actual statutory metric calculation.
A developer is assessing a former works yard beside grassland and a hedgerow near a County Durham town. There is also an old drainage ditch at one boundary.
A sensible early sequence would be:
- Verify the boundary: confirm Durham County Council, the application category and whether any 2026 BNG exemption genuinely applies.
- Survey the baseline: establish whether the brownfield land includes ecologically valuable open-mosaic habitat, rather than assuming it is all low value.
- Avoid harm: retain the strongest hedgerows and any important vegetation before selecting building footprints.
- Check the LNRS: identify whether a proposed habitat measure is mapped and suitable at the exact location.
- Run each metric module: calculate area, hedgerow and ditch/watercourse units where relevant, with distinct trading rules.
- Prepare the early documents: if BNG applies, coordinate the draft Gain Plan, metric and draft HMMP under Durham's 2025 SPD.
- Review other duties: check any protected-species, contamination, drainage, flood or designated-site issues separately. 8. Confirm delivery: ensure proposed habitat creation and 30-year maintenance are realistic, with off-site units only where justified.
A positive area-unit percentage does not remove a hedgerow-unit shortfall. Likewise, a good metric score does not replace a relevant HRA or species licence.
Local planning guidance
How ACP supports County Durham BNG projects
| Stage | What we examine | Practical output |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Scope | Actual LPA, site, permission route, exemption date, protected features and Durham SPD requirements. | A focused survey and evidence plan. |
| 2. Survey | UKHab baseline, condition, hedgerows, watercourses and any likely ecological constraints. | Habitat data and mapped baseline. |
| 3. Test | Statutory metric, layout alternatives, LNRS suitability, trading rules and delivery viability. | Transparent proposed gain route. |
| 4. Support the application | Draft BNG evidence, relevant planning documents and separate ecological reports. | Coherent material for the planning submission. |
| 5. Plan delivery | Final Gain Plan requirements, management, legal security and monitoring. | A route towards pre-commencement approval and long-term delivery. |
ACP can advise on proportionate ecological evidence. Durham County Council remains responsible for deciding the planning application and any statutory Gain Plan approval.
Local planning guidance
County Durham BNG preparation checklist
Planning aid: Explore our County Durham BNG planning and LNRS evidence worksheet below. It separates planning-stage BNG evidence from designation checks and the later gain-plan approval.
Local planning guidance
FAQs: Biodiversity Net Gain in County Durham
Is Biodiversity Net Gain mandatory for every planning application in County Durham?
No. Eligible planning applications normally require at least 10% BNG, but statutory exemptions apply. The answer depends on the red-line area, habitat impact, application date and permission route. Other nature conservation duties may still apply to exempt proposals.
Which council handles biodiversity net gain in Durham and Darlington?
Durham County Council is the local planning authority in its unitary area. Darlington Borough Council has separate planning powers and a different adopted Local Plan. Confirm the site boundary before choosing guidance.
What is County Durham Plan Policy 41?
Policy 41 deals with biodiversity and geodiversity. It addresses conservation, enhancement and significant harm, and sits alongside Policy 40 on trees/hedges, Policy 42 on internationally designated sites and Policy 43 on protected species and protected sites.
Was County Durham's Biodiversity SPD formally adopted?
Yes. It came into effect on 4 April 2025. It provides practical planning advice that supplements the adopted 2020 County Durham Plan. It is a material consideration, not a new statutory Local Plan.
Does Durham require a draft HMMP before planning permission?
The adopted SPD's paragraph 6.29 asks non-exempt outline and full applications for a draft Biodiversity Gain Plan, statutory metric and draft HMMP as supporting application information. Check the current council validation checklist and the project's exemption status.
Is the new County Durham Plan adopted in 2026?
No. The replacement was at an early scoping stage in 2026. The initial consultation ran from 22 June to 17 August 2026. The October 2020 adopted plan remains the relevant starting point.
Has County Durham's Local Nature Recovery Strategy been published?
Yes. The council-led strategy was published in April 2026 and recorded by GOV.UK by May 2026. Its local habitat map and statement of priorities guide opportunities for nature recovery but do not themselves grant planning permission.
Are developments of 0.2 hectares or less exempt?
They may be for applications made from 6 August 2026, subject to the statutory conditions, including no impact on onsite priority habitat. Earlier applications and some section 73 permissions follow different rules. Evidence of the red-line area and habitats matters.
Is the BNG requirement 10% or 20% in County Durham?
The national statutory minimum is generally 10% for eligible development. Durham's 2025 SPD encourages applicants to maximise worthwhile gains where possible, but this is not evidence of a blanket adopted mandatory 20% target.
Can a project close to Durham Coast SAC pass by buying biodiversity units?
Not automatically. Buying units can help meet statutory BNG, but cannot resolve an adverse protected-site effect. The competent authority may require Habitats Regulations screening or appropriate assessment, depending on the proposal and its impact pathways.
Can I use off-site units from within County Durham?
Potentially. Units must be valid, legally secured, registered and allocated to the development. The biodiversity metric's trading rules and spatial requirements apply. Local advertisements or conservation initiatives do not confirm live stock or suitable prices.
When is the final Biodiversity Gain Plan approved?
For eligible ordinary planning permissions, the final Gain Plan is normally approved after planning permission but before development starts. Durham's earlier requirement for draft information helps the council assess deliverability during the planning application.
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County Durham BNG
Sources and references
Reviewed 10 November 2026.
National BNG guidance
Local planning and nature recovery
- County Durham Plan documents
- Adopted Biodiversity SPD and adoption report
- Darlington adopted Local Plan and policies map
- council's latest validation checklist
- Durham Council's LNRS strategy
- Durham Coast SAC record
- new County Durham Plan consultation materials
- Cumbria Nutrient Neutrality Partnership's River Eden catchment guidance