Shropshire BNG advice
Biodiversity Net Gain in Shropshire
Plan your Shropshire 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 Shropshire site.
Local planning guidance
Is 10% Biodiversity Net Gain mandatory in Shropshire?
Qualifying planning applications in England normally require at least 10% statutory Biodiversity Net Gain. This applies to appropriate developments in both Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin, subject to exemptions and transitional arrangements.
National BNG rules changed on 6 August 2026. For new qualifying applications made on or after that date, a red-line development site of 0.2 hectares or less may be exempt where no onsite priority habitat is affected.
Certain wholly temporary developments with permission for five years or less may also qualify, provided no onsite priority habitat is affected. The dedicated self-build/custom-build exemption ended for new applications from that date.
A small building or a site of 0.2 hectares does not automatically establish exemption. Confirm the actual red-line boundary, priority habitat impacts, application date, development type and any earlier section 73 permission.
Other protection duties can still apply when statutory BNG is exempt. These include bats, breeding birds, ancient woodland, protected wetlands and separate Habitats Regulations Assessment.
Use our BNG exemptions guide and the current government BNG guidance before claiming a statutory exemption.
Local planning guidance
Which planning authority covers a site in Shropshire?
Historic Shropshire contains two unitary council areas. Their council boundaries determine the planning application route, although a joint nature recovery strategy covers both.
| Current planning authority | Principal places and application areas | Main planning and ecology check |
|---|---|---|
| Shropshire Council | Shrewsbury, Oswestry, Ludlow, Bridgnorth, Market Drayton, Whitchurch, Church Stretton and many rural settlements | Current adopted 2011 Core Strategy and 2015 SAMDev Plan; related neighbourhood plans, Shropshire Environmental Network and local validation. River Clun SAC catchment is particularly sensitive. |
| Telford & Wrekin Council | Telford, Wellington, Newport, Madeley, Ironbridge, Dawley and surrounding settlements | Telford & Wrekin Local Plan 2011–2031, adopted January 2018; its own current validation list and ecological survey requirements. Its 2026 replacement is not yet formally adopted. |
| Cross-boundary or specialist consent | Development extending across a council boundary, highways, minerals, waste or potentially nationally significant infrastructure | Confirm the competent authority and consent process for the whole red-line site. New NSIP BNG rules have a separate regime from ordinary TCPA applications. |
The Shropshire Hills National Landscape is a protected landscape designation, not another local planning authority. It does not change which council determines an application.
Similarly, nearby Welsh sites fall under a different legal planning framework. An English postcode, cross-border habitat or shared river catchment cannot replace an actual planning-boundary check.
Local planning guidance
Which Shropshire Local Plan policies remain in force?
Shropshire Council's adopted Development Plan comprises its Core Strategy adopted in 2011 and Site Allocations and Management of Development Plan (SAMDev) adopted in 2015, alongside applicable made neighbourhood plans.
These documents remain part of the operative planning framework even though their original 2006–2026 plan period is ending. A new Local Plan only supersedes them when it is formally adopted.
Key nature-related provisions include:
| Adopted policy | Planning focus | Practical BNG relationship |
|---|---|---|
| CS6 — Sustainable Design and Development Principles | Sensitive design and conservation/enhancement of the environment | Integrate existing biodiversity, green space and landscape features into the design. |
| CS17 — Environmental Networks | Protection and enhancement of Shropshire's natural, historic and environmental assets and networks | Consider mapped wildlife corridors and stepping stones, not just the gain-unit arithmetic. |
| MD12 — The Natural Environment | Designated sites, habitats and species and appropriate assessment or mitigation | Check the conservation impact and distinct legal duties alongside statutory BNG. |
| MD2 — Sustainable Design | Sustainable layout, local character and environmental assets | Protect site features, trees, hedgerows and compatible landscaping from the outset. |
The council also uses the Shropshire Environmental Network (SEN) map, which identifies core habitats and ecological corridors. This network remains relevant to planning policy separately from national mandatory BNG.
For the operative plan, use the Shropshire adopted Local Plan page.
Local planning guidance
Has Shropshire adopted a new 2038 or 2046 Local Plan?
No. Shropshire's previous proposed Local Plan to 2038 was withdrawn from examination in 2025. Its draft housing allocations and environmental policies were not adopted.
The council began preparing a completely new Local Plan to 2046 under the 2026 plan-making system. It issued a notice on 8 May 2026, then formally passed Gateway 1 on 30 September 2026.
The 2026 initial consultation concerned the approach, evidence and local development framework. A separate Strategic Environmental Assessment scoping consultation ran from 11 September to 21 October 2026.
At this stage, the new plan remains in preparation. It has not adopted new housing allocations or BNG percentages.
The current adopted 2011 Core Strategy and 2015 SAMDev therefore remain the starting point for planning applications. Any emerging material should be used with its appropriate planning weight.
Read Shropshire's next Local Plan and the adopted plan documents.
Local planning guidance
What BNG and ecology policies apply in Telford & Wrekin?
Telford & Wrekin Council adopted its Local Plan 2011–2031 on 11 January 2018. It remains the operative development plan for the Borough on 8 November 2026.
The adopted plan includes NE1 ecology and biodiversity protection. The council's application-validation guidance identifies this adopted policy alongside requirements for ecological surveys where a proposal may affect wildlife, habitats or biodiversity.
The council separately explains that statutory BNG is normally at least 10% for qualifying development. It encourages higher voluntary gains where appropriate.
An encouraged higher gain is not automatically a legal requirement for every site. Furthermore, other adopted habitat, tree, landscape or green infrastructure protections can apply independently of the headline metric.
Before preparing an assessment, check the current Telford & Wrekin adopted planning policies, project type and local validation checklist.
Sources: adopted Telford & Wrekin Local Plan and Telford & Wrekin BNG guidance.
Local planning guidance
Does Telford & Wrekin now require 20% Biodiversity Net Gain?
Qualifying non-exempt development normally requires at least 10% statutory BNG. The emerging plan encourages a higher voluntary ambition.
The replacement Telford and Wrekin Local Plan to 2041 was submitted for independent examination on 12 September 2025.
Inspectors issued their final report in October 2026. They found the plan sound subject to recommended modifications, including an approach that encourages developers to aim for 20% BNG while retaining the mandatory 10% statutory minimum.
| Policy source | What it says | Legal status on 8 November 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| National statutory BNG | Normally at least 10% for qualifying development | In force, subject to exemptions and transitions. |
| Adopted 2018 Telford Local Plan | Ecological protection and enhancement through operative policies, including NE1 | The current development plan until replaced. |
| Emerging 2041 Local Plan, proposed NE3 | Statutory 10%, with 20% as an aspiration, subject to plan wording and the Inspectors' modifications | Not adopted on this research date. |
| Emerging NE4 Development Greening Factor | Proposed additional planning-design/green infrastructure approach for relevant developments | Draft or recommended-modification stage, not a current adopted obligation. |
The Cabinet is scheduled to consider adoption recommendations on 12 November 2026, with Full Council consideration expected on 26 November 2026.
The replacement remains an emerging plan until formally adopted.
The September 2026 NPPF, policies N1(2) and N2(3), also limits mandatory local BNG above statutory 10% to specific justified and deliverable site allocations. Voluntary 20% ambitions are different from compulsory higher targets.
Local planning guidance
When was the Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin LNRS published?
The Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) was published on 22 April 2026. Shropshire Council is the responsible authority, working with Telford & Wrekin Council, Natural England and local environmental partners.
The strategy sets out 16 nature recovery priorities and 51 actions. These cover habitats, farmland, rivers, wetlands, meadows, woodland, hedgerows, veteran trees, species and more nature-friendly urban areas.
Some actions have defined mapped locations. Others, including some hedgerow, water management or urban wildlife measures, can apply across wider parts of the county.
A shared LNRS does not merge the planning powers of the two councils. Applications still use the correct council's adopted plan and validation list.
The strategy provides two key maps: an Existing Nature Network and an Opportunity Network. Together, these help guide suitable protection and restoration.
You can explore the published joint LNRS and its priority actions.
Local planning guidance
Can the LNRS map increase the biodiversity metric score?
A qualifying habitat intervention may achieve a higher strategic significance score within the statutory metric when the location and proposed work match relevant published LNRS priorities and mapped measures.
However, a mapped opportunity alone does not guarantee a High score or a 15% uplift.
| LNRS layer | What it represents | Appropriate project use |
|---|---|---|
| Existing Nature Network | Areas of Particular Importance for Biodiversity, including existing important and protected habitats | Investigate conservation constraints, habitat baseline and avoidance. |
| Opportunity Network with mapped actions | Areas that Could Become of Particular Importance for Biodiversity where relevant interventions may help nature recover | Match the actual proposed habitat, parcel location and mapped action before considering High strategic significance. |
| Unmapped LNRS actions | Useful initiatives such as wider hedgerow restoration, wildlife-friendly urban space or general land management | Guide design, but do not assume they automatically receive the mapped-measure metric multiplier. |
| Shropshire Environmental Network | An existing Shropshire planning-policy ecological network and corridors map | Assess separately under adopted CS17/MD12. It is not interchangeable with the new statutory LNRS map. |
For example, mapped A3.5 riparian buffers, A10.3 species-rich grassland and A14.1 nature recovery within new development can inform project design where they are actually relevant.
The ecologist must still verify the existing UKHab habitat, condition, site constraints, proposed management and applicable statutory metric rules.
Local planning guidance
Why is River Clun SAC especially sensitive for development?
Part of the River Clun is a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) designated for the rare freshwater pearl mussel.
The river has been in unfavourable declining condition, with high nutrient and sediment pressures. These threaten mussel survival, recruitment and restoration.
For development that could add pollution or otherwise affect the catchment, the planning authority must consider Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA). A statutory 10% BNG gain does not remove that requirement.
Why a routine nutrient-neutrality claim may not be enough
Shropshire Council's current guidance explains that nutrient-neutral development may still be difficult to justify in this catchment. Available land or pollution-reduction measures may need to be reserved for restoring the SAC itself.
Natural England's published August 2024 position similarly warned that permission needs confidence that new development will not compromise restoration of the river to favourable conservation status. This is a stronger test than simply balancing added nutrients against generic offsets.
The exact assessment depends on the scheme, location, drainage, wastewater route and the most recent Natural England advice. Agree the assessment and mitigation requirements for the particular proposal.
A genuine project may require specialist water-quality and HRA assessment before its BNG strategy can be settled.
Local planning guidance
Which habitats are most important for BNG in Shropshire?
Shropshire Hills grassland, heath and uplands
The Long Mynd, Stiperstones and surrounding hills contain species-rich grassland, heathland, mature trees and upland habitat mosaics. Appropriate grazing, soils and hydrology matter when restoring them.
The Shropshire Hills National Landscape is not a separate planning authority. However, its adopted landscape management guidance and conservation objectives can affect design.
Fenn's, Whixall and Bettisfield Mosses
This internationally important raised bog SAC spans the English-Welsh border. It supports active and recovering bog, wet woodland and unusual wetland species.
Peatland hydrology is critical. Tree planting, drainage or unsuitable ground works can harm bog conservation even where landscaping appears to add habitat.
River Severn, Teme, Onny and tributaries
Watercourses, floodplains and wetland corridors provide major nature-recovery opportunities. Their condition depends on water quality, river morphology, bank habitats and floodplain management.
A watercourse-affected development may require a specialist river condition assessment and the separate metric watercourse module.
Meres, mosses, veteran trees and hedges
Shropshire's meres, ponds, old orchards, mature trees and field hedgerows can support important biodiversity. Retaining these features may be more appropriate than trying to replace them with standard planting.
Protected species and agricultural emissions
Bats, breeding birds, great crested newts, otters and other protected species may need dedicated surveys and avoidance measures. Some agricultural developments may also need ammonia or nitrogen-deposition assessment affecting sensitive designated sites.
Design principle: Survey and protect existing valuable habitat first. Then select realistic BNG improvements that suit the site and local recovery measures.
Local planning guidance
Shropshire BNG: a practical seven-check scoping worksheet
Use this original worksheet to identify evidence gaps before commissioning the final metric. It is not an automatic legal exemption decision, map-based biodiversity calculator or planning approval.
| Check | Evidence to collect | What it resolves |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Which council? | Red-line site map, Shropshire Council or Telford & Wrekin Council, relevant application type | Adopted plan and local validation route. |
| 2. Does statutory BNG apply? | Date, site hectares, affected onsite priority habitat, development category and section 73 history | Correct August 2026 exemptions and current hierarchy. |
| 3. What habitats exist? | UKHab parcels, condition, photos, trees, hedgerows, watercourses, protected species | Defensible baseline and metric modules. |
| 4. Which nature-recovery map? | Shared 2026 LNRS mapped action, Shropshire Environmental Network if relevant | Habitat connectivity and justified strategic significance without an automatic multiplier. |
| 5. Are protected sites affected? | River Clun SAC catchment, Fenn's/Whixall Mosses, other designated sites, water and air pathways | Any independent Habitats Regulations or species assessment. |
| 6. Can gains be delivered? | Feasible onsite habitat, properly registered offsite options, unit trading and allocation | Practical, legally secure biodiversity delivery. |
| 7. Who maintains the habitat? | Landowner, funding, legal agreement, management/monitoring programme and planning stage | Appropriate Biodiversity Gain Plan and HMMP evidence. |
Next step: If you cannot confirm the authority, habitat baseline, mapped LNRS measure or protected-site pathway, obtain suitable ecological advice before claiming a compliant BNG outcome.
Ask ACP to review the evidence for your Shropshire development
Local planning guidance
What BNG documents accompany a Shropshire planning application?
For development subject to mandatory BNG, the national application-stage information normally includes:
- A statement explaining whether the biodiversity gain condition applies.
- The pre-development biodiversity value and completed appropriate statutory metric, including the tool version or publication date.
- Any earlier proposed baseline date and reasons.
- Habitat degradation information and supporting calculations where relevant.
- The presence and description of any irreplaceable onsite habitat.
- A scaled plan of existing habitats, with north indicated.
The actual local planning authority may also ask for necessary, material and proportionate extra ecological information under its current validation checklist.
Shropshire Council
The council provides guidance on when a project requires an ecological assessment, along with its Environmental Network map and specific River Clun/ammonia information.
Telford & Wrekin Council
Telford's April 2024 Local Validation List contains a specific BNG Statement and Statutory Metric section, plus an ecological survey/report trigger where habitat impacts are possible.
Confirm the current checklist and the evidence needed for the application type, including any exemption or transitional case.
Both councils remain the decision-makers for their areas, even though the nature-recovery strategy is shared.
Read the Shropshire ecological assessment guidance and Telford submission requirements.
Local planning guidance
Which biodiversity metric applies in November 2026?
The statutory biodiversity metric measures habitat value before and after development. It considers habitat type, area or length, condition, strategic significance and creation or enhancement risks.
The government's latest statutory biodiversity metric is version 1.1.0, updated 3 November 2026.
GOV.UK confirms that any published statutory metric version can be used, where appropriate. Older pre-statutory Biodiversity Metric 4.0 is not itself a current statutory calculation tool.
The Small Sites Metric is available for eligible smaller proposals, but not simply because a project has a low floor area or few dwellings. Check the development type and habitat eligibility criteria.
The published Shropshire and Telford LNRS can inform the proposed strategic-significance entry only where the intervention matches suitable mapped actions and current statutory rules.
For technical work, see statutory biodiversity metric calculations and Small Sites Metric assessments.
Local planning guidance
When is the final Biodiversity Gain Plan approved?
For qualifying development, the final Biodiversity Gain Plan is normally submitted and approved after planning permission, but before development commences.
The original application needs the national BNG information and any justified additional local ecological evidence. Some councils request early draft habitat plans or details, which should not be confused with the final statutory gain-plan approval.
For significant onsite gains and registered offsite gains, legal security and a Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan (HMMP) normally support delivery and management over at least 30 years.
Habitat work also needs credible establishment methods, realistic land ownership, maintenance funding and monitoring. A theoretical metric score alone is not proof that the gain can be maintained.
See our Biodiversity Gain Plan guide and Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan service.
Local planning guidance
Can a Shropshire developer use local offsite biodiversity units?
Potentially. A registered offsite gain site can provide eligible units when the development satisfies the metric's habitat-trading, spatial-risk, legal-security and allocation rules.
For major development, the gain hierarchy generally favours suitable onsite gain before registered offsite provision. For eligible non-major applications made from 6 August 2026, onsite and registered offsite gains can be considered at an equivalent level. Statutory credits remain the last option.
Shropshire Wildlife Trust: Betchcott Hill habitat bank
Shropshire Wildlife Trust promotes Betchcott Hill, a 50-hectare restoration property in the Shropshire Hills, as a habitat bank offering dry acid grassland, fen, wet woodland and scrub units.
The Trust and a 2026 professional site-visit announcement describe the project as registered and offering units. However, available habitat types, registration, current allocations and prices must still be verified against the government gain-site register for the actual development.
Environment Bank: Ludlow habitat bank
A commercial supplier lists a Ludlow habitat bank and publishes a claimed gain-site registration number. Its advertised habitat types include lowland meadow, woodland, ponds, scrub and grassland.
Confirm suitable unit availability directly with the provider. Confirm the real legal agreement, registered habitats, current allocations and trading suitability before procurement.
Habitat bank sales should not be confused with a River Clun SAC nutrient offset, and a purchase does not automatically discharge other conservation duties.
Read the offsite biodiversity units guide and the official biodiversity gain-sites register guidance.
Local planning guidance
What do genuine Shropshire restoration projects demonstrate?
Local conservation projects illustrate habitat restoration approaches suited to Shropshire’s rivers, peatlands and hills.
River Clun: Unmuddying the Waters
The Shropshire Hills National Landscape partnership worked with landowners to reduce sediment and restore riverbank habitats.
Its 2019–2021 Unmuddying the Waters project reported improvements along 16.95 kilometres of river, including riparian tree planting, wetlands and woodland restoration.
That is a historic project result, not a live 2026 nutrient offsetting credit or proof new development can proceed within the SAC catchment.
Fenn's, Whixall and Bettisfield Mosses
Natural England identifies this internationally important site as a key raised bog and wetland conservation area. Restoration includes recovery of bog-forming vegetation and the protection of fragile peat and hydrology.
It illustrates why habitat outcomes must match site ecology. New woodland is not automatically the correct intervention on a functioning peat bog.
Betchcott Hill: habitat bank delivery
The Shropshire Wildlife Trust's Betchcott Hill project demonstrates the development of local offsite habitat provision within the Shropshire Hills landscape.
For a development using the bank, confirm the required habitat category, legal allocation and commercial terms with the provider.
Official background: Unmuddying the Waters, Shropshire National Nature Reserves, and Shropshire Wildlife Trust BNG.
Local planning guidance
What affects BNG costs in Shropshire?
A BNG quotation depends on existing habitats, site area, survey complexity, condition data, watercourses, protected species, proposed design and any offsite unit shortfall.
| Potential cost or obligation | Why it arises | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Habitat survey and statutory metric | UKHab baseline, condition sheets, habitat calculations and reporting | Not a universal council fee or biodiversity-unit price. |
| Gain Plan and HMMP | Design and legal management of proposed habitat gains | National final gain-plan timing differs from initial application evidence. |
| Registered offsite biodiversity units | Eligible legally secured units allocated from a gain site | Supplier adverts do not guarantee current availability, suitable unit type or price. |
| River Clun SAC / other HRA evidence | Protected-site screening, nutrients, hydrology, species and possible mitigation | A separate Habitats Regulations duty, not resolved automatically by 10% BNG. |
| Local council and monitoring costs | Planning administration, legal agreements and long-term oversight where applicable | Confirm the relevant authority’s charges and project-specific monitoring arrangements. |
For the River Clun, the central issue may be whether an otherwise nutrient-neutral proposal would compromise SAC restoration, not merely the purchase price of an offset.
For general budgeting, see the BNG costs and pricing guide.
Local planning guidance
A practical BNG assessment process for Shropshire
Step 1 — Identify the right planning route. Share the red-line site location, proposed works, layout, planning authority if known and application date. We check the statutory BNG question and relevant adopted policy.
Step 2 — Prepare credible ecological evidence. We scope habitat surveys, condition assessment, statutory metric calculations and any necessary protected-species, watercourse or designated-site study. We also review the published LNRS's relevant measures.
Step 3 — Plan a deliverable biodiversity gain. We assess habitat retention, realistic onsite improvements, possible registered offsite shortfalls and long-term management requirements.
Early ecology input can help identify avoidable survey delays and unsuitable habitat commitments. However, the planning authority makes the decision and no consultant can guarantee permission or a fixed unit outcome before site assessment.
Local planning guidance
Shropshire Biodiversity Net Gain FAQs
Is 10% Biodiversity Net Gain mandatory throughout Shropshire?
Statutory BNG normally requires at least 10% for qualifying development in England, including Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin. Exemptions and transition rules apply. Protected species and designated-site duties can still affect exempt proposals.
Does Shropshire Council control planning applications in Telford?
No. Shropshire Council and Telford & Wrekin Council are different unitary planning authorities with separate adopted development plans and application validation rules. They share a Local Nature Recovery Strategy, not one planning authority.
Has Shropshire adopted its replacement Local Plan?
No. The proposed plan to 2038 was withdrawn in 2025. Shropshire started the new Local Plan to 2046 and passed Gateway 1 in September 2026. Its adopted 2011 Core Strategy and 2015 SAMDev remain the operative starting point.
Does Telford & Wrekin require 20% BNG?
The 2026 replacement plan encourages a 20% ambition, but the current statutory minimum is normally 10%. Inspectors recommended modifications, and the replacement was not adopted on 8 November 2026. Confirm any later adoption and site-specific conditions.
When was the Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin LNRS published?
The shared LNRS was published on 22 April 2026. Shropshire Council is the responsible authority. The strategy identifies 16 priorities and 51 actions across the two council areas.
Does an LNRS Opportunity Network location guarantee higher biodiversity units?
No. Strategic significance requires a relevant mapped habitat measure and a matching intervention under the current statutory metric. An opportunity polygon does not replace field surveys or automatically grant a 15% uplift.
Are sites of 0.2 hectares or less exempt?
Eligible new applications from 6 August 2026 can be exempt where the whole development site is no larger than 0.2 hectares and no onsite priority habitat is affected. Other exemptions and previous permissions need separate checks.
Is nutrient-neutral development automatically acceptable in the River Clun catchment?
No. The River Clun SAC protects freshwater pearl mussels. Natural England and Shropshire Council have warned that nutrient-neutral development may still compromise actions needed to restore the river. Site-specific HRA and updated official advice are essential.
Do Fenn's and Whixall Mosses need separate assessment?
Potentially. These protected raised bog and wetland habitats have their own conservation objectives, water-balance and ecological sensitivities. BNG units do not automatically offset adverse effects on internationally designated sites.
Can I buy biodiversity units from a Shropshire habitat bank?
Potentially. Shropshire Wildlife Trust and commercial providers promote sites such as Betchcott Hill and Ludlow. Actual habitat type, legal registration, available allocation, spatial risk and pricing require checking for the project.
When must a final Biodiversity Gain Plan be approved?
Normally after planning permission and before development starts for an in-scope scheme. National application-stage information and any council-required proportionate ecology evidence come earlier. Significant habitat gains can need long-term legal security and an HMMP.
What should I send ACP for a Shropshire BNG quotation?
Provide a site postcode and red-line boundary, proposed works, layouts, previous ecological surveys and submission date. Mention whether the proposal lies in Telford & Wrekin, the River Clun catchment or near sensitive watercourses or designated sites.
Local planning guidance
Discuss your Shropshire Biodiversity Net Gain project
Tell ACP where your site is, what development you propose and when you need planning evidence. We can help scope proportionate habitat survey, statutory metric and ecological assessment work.
Request Shropshire BNG assessment advice
Alternative: Contact ACP Consultants. Region: Explore our West Midlands BNG guide for wider geographic coverage.
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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Shropshire BNG
Sources and references
Reviewed 9 November 2026.
Official planning and nature recovery sources
- GOV.UK: Biodiversity Net Gain planning guidance
- GOV.UK: Current BNG exemptions
- Current statutory biodiversity metric and guides
- September 2026 NPPF: Natural environment policies
- Shropshire's adopted development plan
- Shropshire's new Local Plan and Gateway 1
- Telford & Wrekin adopted Local Plan
- Telford & Wrekin replacement Local Plan review
- Published Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin LNRS
- LNRS Local Habitat Map and strategy
- Shropshire Environmental Network
- River Clun catchment planning guidance
- Shropshire Council ecology and planning applications
- Telford & Wrekin local application information
- Fenn's, Whixall and Bettisfield Mosses (Natural England)