Hereford BNG advice
Biodiversity Net Gain in Hereford
Plan your Hereford development around local habitats, planning requirements and practical biodiversity gains.
ACP Consultants can help with habitat surveys, biodiversity metric calculations and a practical BNG delivery plan for your Hereford site.
Local planning
Who decides planning applications in Hereford?
Herefordshire Council determines ordinary planning applications in Hereford, including the city centre, Aylestone Hill, Whitecross and southern growth areas. There is not a separate Hereford City Council planning authority: the City Council is a local parish/town-level body, not the statutory local planning authority. The county unitary council also manages minerals/waste planning.
Check the actual site boundary
Actual parish/site boundary and relevant made neighbourhood plan still need checking. Adjacent rural Herefordshire is under the same unitary council, but site allocations, designated habitats, flood zones and neighbourhood policies differ by parcel.
Local planning
Adopted and emerging planning policy
Use the adopted development plan and the actual site boundary to establish the local policy context.
Herefordshire Local Plan Core Strategy 2011–2031, adopted 16 October 2015, remains the operative strategic plan until its new replacement is adopted. LD2 Biodiversity and Geodiversity is the principal biodiversity clause; LD1 Landscape and Townscape and LD3 Green Infrastructure support design and nature networks. HD1 Hereford and HD2/HD4/HD5/HD6 address different growth locations.
| Policy | Status and purpose | What to consider |
|---|---|---|
| Core Strategy 2011–2031 | Adopted 16 October 2015 | Use operative adopted policy, site allocations and current national statute; 2024 withdrawn draft is not binding. |
| LD2 — Biodiversity and Geodiversity | Adopted designated-site, species and ecological network policy | Assess international and local habitat constraints, protected species, connectivity and opportunities for enhancement; separate HRA from biodiversity units. |
| LD1 Landscape and Townscape; LD3 Green Infrastructure | Adopted landscape and ecological infrastructure | Design realistic habitat, trees, riparian connections and green/blue infrastructure in new development. |
| HD1–HD6 Hereford growth provisions | Adopted strategic growth principles and urban expansion locations | Confirm exact allocation/permission for a parcel rather than assuming every plan proposal is delivered. |
LD2 requires development to conserve, restore and enhance designated sites and ecological assets and to support wider habitat networks. In Hereford, the River Wye SAC and actual sensitive tributary catchments may also require Habitats Regulations evidence. A statutory 10% gain is not an alternative to avoiding international site harm.
The replacement plan
Herefordshire previously published a 2024 Regulation 18 draft Local Plan. The council ceased further work on that draft after national housing/planning changes and is preparing a new Herefordshire Local Plan 2025–2045 under the 2026 plan-making system. Do not describe the 2024 draft allocations as emerging plan policy with significant operative weight.
How to apply emerging proposals
The current council 2025–2045 plan portal gives a notice of intention and a timetable still being prepared. It will replace the 2015 Core Strategy and Minerals/Waste plan only if and when formally adopted; a new-plan notice is not an allocation or consent.
Nature recovery
Which Local Nature Recovery Strategy applies?
Herefordshire Council is the responsible authority for the statutory Local Nature Recovery Strategy, approved on 14 August 2026 and published 21 August 2026. It identifies 37 priorities and 100 potential measures/supporting actions, with a Local Habitat Map of important existing features and appropriate recovery locations.
Hereford's urban riverbank, floodplain, woodland, traditional orchard, hedgerow and nature-rich urban spaces may connect to suitable mapped measures. Use the actual published parcel and specific proposed intervention to assess strategic significance; an opportunity polygon is not an automatic 15% biodiversity-unit uplift or permission to damage a protected river.
Local ecology
Local habitats and site considerations
Scope surveys around habitats within and connected to the site, and retain important ecological links.
River Wye SAC and urban riverside
Hereford straddles the River Wye, protected through the River Wye SAC. Riverbank and floodplain projects may need ecologist-led river condition, protected fish/otter, riparian habitat, water-quality and flood assessment. The statutory metric's area units do not substitute for watercourse or HRA work.
Historic city trees and building ecology
Older buildings, mature tree rows, city parks and green corridors may support bats or breeding birds. A hardstanding-heavy city plot can be statutory BNG exempt yet still require protected species and tree checks where the actual features warrant them.
Urban expansion and agricultural edges
The Hereford Core Strategy HD1 and HD2/HD4–HD6 policies identify strategic growth principles. Distinct field parcels may contain hedgerows, grassland, mature trees or streams. No whole expansion area should be assigned habitat condition without a site-specific UKHab survey.
Separate protected-site and species requirements
River Wye SAC and River Lugg tributary nutrient pressures are independent of BNG. Herefordshire Council's current guidance requires phosphate nutrient neutrality in the mapped River Lugg catchment for relevant proposals. It is inaccurate to say every site in Hereford city automatically pays the same Lugg mitigation tariff.
Check the site against the official Lugg catchment map, drainage and land use. The Council's nutrient guidance covers the Rivers Wye, Frome, Lugg and Clun with distinct sensitivity; River Clun nitrate and phosphate requirements should not be attributed to an urban Hereford plot without an actual impact pathway.
Local context
What local development and regeneration examples show
Herefordshire Council's Hereford Transport Hub next to the railway station has a documented planning application 233009, approved by the Planning and Regulatory Committee on 1 May 2024 with conditions. The design includes a bus interchange, cycle facilities, pedestrian areas and landscaped green space.
The council's 24 June 2026 update reported the hub approximately 75% complete, with planting underway and an anticipated opening later in 2026. The programme shows how planting, transport infrastructure and public space can be coordinated across a development.
Local project guidance
What can the Transport Hub and wider city schemes teach applicants?
A council-approved transport project and accompanying urban planting should be assessed against the actual permission boundary and its ecology conditions. The Transport Hub permission, reference 233009, was approved in May 2024. Establish which proposed habitats qualify in the metric and how they will be managed.
Where new cycle paths, hardstanding, retained trees, road drainage or planted space interact, reconcile the baseline UKHab survey with the built proposals, drainage and long-term ownership.
River Wye SAC effects and floodplain ecology must be considered independently of the quantitative biodiversity metric; do not borrow River Lugg nutrient credits for a site not within the mapped relevant catchment.
Planning evidence
Ecological evidence for a planning application
Build the application around a consistent habitat baseline, layout and survey scope.
Local evidence and survey scope
Herefordshire Council's current BNG webpage asks eligible applicants for a completed statutory/eligible Small Sites Metric, detailed existing habitat plan and a BNG report explaining baseline and proposed gain. Exempt applicants should provide a clear supporting statement and appropriate plan/photographic evidence.
The national final Biodiversity Gain Plan is generally approved after permission and before commencement. The council also scrutinises private residential gardens: major schemes heavily relying on unsecured private gardens may need a more balanced habitat strategy, even though garden parcels can be metric inputs under the national rules.
National application information
- Whether statutory BNG applies, with reasons for any exemption.
- The pre-development biodiversity value and completed statutory metric, with its version.
- Any relevant earlier baseline or explanation of habitat degradation.
- Details of irreplaceable habitat, where present.
- A scaled plan showing onsite habitats and the north direction.
See our habitat survey guide and BNG assessment service.
National requirements
Does statutory 10% BNG apply to this development?
Qualifying development in England normally needs at least 10% statutory Biodiversity Net Gain. For new applications from 6 August 2026, a whole red-line site of 0.2 hectares or less can be exempt if onsite priority habitat is not adversely affected. Wholly temporary development permitted for five years or less can also qualify, subject to the habitat condition. The dedicated self-build/custom-build exemption no longer applies to new applications from that date.
Application date, earlier permissions, section 73 history, development type and other exemptions affect the result. Assess the whole development site. Under the September 2026 NPPF, higher compulsory local BNG rates must relate to specific, justified and deliverable allocations; a general ambition for 20% does not establish a blanket requirement.
The biodiversity metric
How to calculate biodiversity units correctly
Choose the right metric
The current government statutory biodiversity metric workbook is version 1.1.1, updated 10 November 2026. GOV.UK permits published statutory metric versions where appropriate. Record the version used with the baseline and calculation. The earlier non-statutory Metric 4.0 is not the statutory submission tool. The Small Sites Metric is available only for eligible schemes.
Support strategic significance
Herefordshire's LNRS was officially published 21 August 2026. For an actual Hereford habitat parcel use the published mapped measure, site survey and proposed intervention for strategic significance. The presence of a River Wye corridor or city green network does not itself establish a High multiplier.
Project delivery
Habitat delivery, costs and programme
Plan habitat delivery
Dense Hereford redevelopment may need a balance of retained trees and riparian buffers, suitable onsite green/blue habitat and, where justified, legally registered offsite units. The current statutory major/non-major hierarchy determines order; river/SAC harm is not solved by purchasing biodiversity units.
The Council's Luston wetland phosphate credits are a separate nutrient-neutrality mechanism for the River Lugg catchment, not registered biodiversity units for ordinary Hereford developers.
Secure long-term management
For major development, the gain hierarchy normally prioritises suitable onsite creation or enhancement. For eligible non-major new applications from 6 August 2026, onsite and registered offsite gains can sit at the same hierarchy level. Statutory credits remain the last option. Significant onsite gains and registered offsite gains need legally secured management for at least 30 years.
Plan the habitat management and monitoring and Biodiversity Gain Plan together. Check registered offsite unit requirements where a shortfall remains.
What affects the budget
River Wye hydrology/flood risk and designated-site effects, urban bat survey work, substantial trees and phasing can increase habitat survey or ecological evidence effort.
Herefordshire nutrient mitigation credits, BNG units, survey/metric fees, legal monitoring and Habitat Management and Monitoring Plans are different categories. Obtain project-specific quotations for each required service or habitat-delivery element.
Plan the work in stages
Agree the site boundary and survey scope first. Use the baseline to test the layout, retention and realistic habitat gains. Then identify delivery land, management responsibilities and documents needed for the application and final gain plan.
Your site checklist
Seven checks before submitting a Hereford BNG assessment
Record the evidence for the full site before commissioning surveys or submitting the application.
| Check | What to collect | Decision supported |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Confirm the decision-maker | Actual parish/site boundary and relevant made neighbourhood plan still need checking. Adjacent rural Herefordshire is under the same unitary council, but site allocations, designated habitats, flood zones and neighbourhood policies differ by parcel. | Use the actual adopted planning policies and correct local validation list. |
| 2. Test national BNG eligibility | Full red-line area, application date, priority habitat impact, development type and any section 73 history | Check 6 August 2026 exemptions before assuming a metric is mandatory. |
| 3. Map existing habitat | UKHab parcels, condition, hedgerows, trees, watercourses and protected-species features | Select the correct baseline and appropriate statutory metric modules. |
| 4. Check nature recovery | Herefordshire LNRS approved 14 August, final public release 21 August 2026 — use its current official Local Habitat Map and site-specific proposed measures | Test strategic significance using actual published status and mapped habitat intervention. |
| 5. Identify special ecological duties | River Wye SAC/SSSI and floodplain, River Lugg catchment where actually mapped, hedgerows, bats/otters, watercourses, mature trees and possible priority grasslands. | Check separate HRA, licensing, nutrient or habitat protection before counting units. |
| 6. Plan a realistic gain | Onsite space, habitat trading and actual registered/allocated offsite units | Avoid relying on a marketing listing or assumed spatial-risk score. |
| 7. Secure management | Land manager, funding, legal agreement where required, HMMP and monitoring schedule | Prepare the relevant final gain plan and long-term management commitments. |
Project support
How ACP can help with your Hereford project
ACP can help you plan the surveys, calculations and documents your site needs. We agree the scope around your proposal, its planning stage and the habitats affected.
Survey, design and planning support
- Habitat surveys and condition assessments.
- Statutory metric calculations and design options.
- BNG reports and planning submission support.
- Gain plans and habitat management documents.
Local planning guidance
Hereford Biodiversity Net Gain FAQs
Answers to common planning, survey and habitat-delivery questions for projects in Hereford.
Which planning authority covers Hereford?
Herefordshire Council is the unitary planning authority. Hereford City Council is not a separate local planning authority. Actual parcels need the applicable Core Strategy, policy map and neighbourhood-plan checks.
Which adopted biodiversity policy applies in Hereford?
The Herefordshire Core Strategy, adopted 16 October 2015, includes LD2 Biodiversity and Geodiversity, alongside LD1 Landscape and LD3 Green Infrastructure. National 2026 BNG rules apply separately.
Has a new Herefordshire Local Plan been adopted?
No. The 2024 Regulation 18 draft was discontinued after national planning changes. The 2025–2045 replacement is in preparation; the 2015 Core Strategy remains the operative starting point.
When was the Herefordshire LNRS published?
Herefordshire Council approved its LNRS on 14 August and released it on 21 August 2026. It has 37 priorities and 100 measures/supporting actions with a Local Habitat Map.
Does the LNRS map guarantee extra units at Hereford?
No. The proposed habitat action must match a relevant published mapped measure and the statutory metric rules, supported by real baseline habitat and condition surveys.
Does every Hereford site need River Lugg nutrient neutrality?
No. The River Lugg phosphate budget applies to relevant development in the mapped nutrient catchment, with actual site drainage and Habitats Regulations pathway. A River Wye setting alone is not proof.
Can biodiversity units replace River Wye SAC mitigation?
No. Statutory BNG and Habitats Regulations Assessment protect different interests. Riverbank harm, water quality and designated species must be assessed separately.
Is the Hereford Transport Hub a completed BNG project?
A planning permission for application 233009 was approved in May 2024 and construction/planting was underway in June 2026. Assess the relevant permission and its ecological conditions for each phase.
What habitat surveys may be needed on a city plot?
Depending on features and works, UKHab/condition surveys, tree and bat assessment, protected birds, river or watercourse condition and ecological impact reports may be needed.
Does a site of 0.2 hectares or less qualify for BNG exemption?
A new eligible application from 6 August 2026 can qualify if the whole site is at most 0.2 hectares and onsite priority habitat is not adversely affected, subject to the other statutory conditions.
Can private residential gardens count towards BNG?
Herefordshire Council recognises appropriate garden habitats in the statutory metric, but major schemes relying heavily on unsecured gardens may be scrutinised for balanced long-term gain delivery.
What should I send ACP for a Hereford BNG scope?
Share the red-line plan, postcode, proposal, ecology records, drawings and submission date. Mention River Wye proximity, likely Lugg catchment, watercourses and any protected structures.
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.
Request a site-specific quotation
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Hereford BNG
Sources and references
Reviewed 10 November 2026.
Official planning and nature recovery sources
- Core Strategy adopted 16 October 2015
- Hereford Area Plan site options and HD1 background
- Notice and timetable for Local Plan 2025–2045
- New plan sets out how Herefordshire can help nature recover
- Local nature recovery strategy
- Biodiversity net gain
- Development in the River Lugg catchment
- Nutrient management guidance for developers
- Planning committee application 233009
- Hereford Transport Hub reaches 75 per cent
- National BNG guidance
- BNG exemptions
- Statutory metric tools and guides
- NPPF biodiversity policies