East Riding of Yorkshire BNG advice
Biodiversity Net Gain in East Riding of Yorkshire
Plan your East Riding of Yorkshire 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 East Riding of Yorkshire site.
Local planning guidance
At a glance: what matters for an East Riding BNG application?
| Question | Practical answer |
|---|---|
| Who determines most planning applications? | East Riding of Yorkshire Council. Hull City Council determines proposals inside Hull’s administrative boundary. |
| What is the adopted plan? | East Riding Local Plan Update 2020–2039, adopted 2 April 2025. Policy ENV5 addresses biodiversity net gain; ENV4 protects designated sites and addresses Habitats Regulations issues. |
| Is the nature recovery strategy published? | Yes. Hull and East Yorkshire LNRS, published 2 February 2026, with written priorities and an interactive Local Habitat Map. |
| Is 10% always required? | No. Statutory BNG normally requires at least 10% for eligible applications. Exemptions and transitional rules must be checked against the application date and site. |
| Is a 10% result enough near protected sites? | Not necessarily. Humber Estuary, Spurn, Lower Derwent Valley, Flamborough and Hornsea Mere can raise additional legal requirements. |
| When is the final Biodiversity Gain Plan needed? | Normally after permission but before development starts, to discharge the statutory biodiversity gain condition. |
Local planning guidance
Which planning authority and local plan apply?
The East Riding is a single unitary planning area for most ordinary development. It is not a collection of district councils. However, adjacent Hull City is a different local planning authority, despite sharing many ecological networks and the joint LNRS.
| Site location or proposal | Decision-maker / policy route | What to check first |
|---|---|---|
| Beverley, Cottingham, Hessle, Anlaby, Willerby | East Riding of Yorkshire Council | Adopted 2025 Strategy and Allocations Updates, policies map, urban habitat and green infrastructure evidence. |
| Bridlington, Flamborough, Bempton | East Riding of Yorkshire Council | Coastal and seabird designations, recreation effects, landward habitat connectivity, ENV4 and ENV5. |
| Hornsea, Withernsea, Holderness, Spurn approaches | East Riding of Yorkshire Council | Coastal erosion, estuary or mere catchments, protected-site effects and habitat suitability. |
| Driffield, Yorkshire Wolds, Pocklington, Market Weighton | East Riding of Yorkshire Council | Chalk grassland, hedgerows, watercourses, baseline surveys and the LNRS opportunity map. |
| Goole, Howden, Humberhead Levels | East Riding of Yorkshire Council | Humber Estuary and Lower Derwent sensitivities, floodplain and peatland context where relevant. |
| Inside Kingston upon Hull boundary | Hull City Council | Separate Hull Local Plan 2016–2032 adopted 23 November 2017, Hull’s BNG guidance and validation list; shared LNRS still applies. |
| Nationally significant infrastructure | Relevant national decision-maker / Planning Inspectorate route | NSIP BNG rules for applications submitted from 2 November 2026; not an ordinary council planning route. |
Council boundary and site location must be confirmed from the actual red-line plan and official policies map. A Hull postal address does not prove that Hull City Council is the decision-maker.
For county-wide context, see BNG in Yorkshire and the Humber and our BNG locations guide.
Local planning guidance
What does East Riding's adopted 2025 Local Plan require?
The East Riding Local Plan Update 2020–2039 replaced the former 2016 plan on 2 April 2025. The adopted strategy and allocations documents should be read with the interactive policies map and any applicable neighbourhood plan.
Policy ENV5: Enhancing biodiversity and geodiversity
ENV5 supports conservation, restoration, habitat networks, the LNRS and measurable net gain. It requires proposals to deliver BNG at least in line with current national requirements, alongside the protections in ENV4.
The policy does not establish a general 20% mandatory BNG target. The current statutory baseline is normally 10% for non-exempt development. A site may still need additional habitat measures under planning policies or other legal duties.
Policy ENV4: International, national and local sites
ENV4 deals with the effects of development on designated sites. Its requirements include Habitats Regulations evidence, visitor disturbance, functionally linked land, water and air quality. It is separate from — and additional to — the metric calculation.
For example, the adopted plan identifies recreational-pressure checks along the Humber Estuary, around Spurn and Flamborough, and within 5 km of Lower Derwent Valley international sites. It also gives particular screening criteria for land supporting mobile birds near the Humber and Lower Derwent Valley.
Blue and green infrastructure
Policy S9 and related policies guide habitat connectivity, landscape and water-related green infrastructure. Therefore, a developer should consider ecological layout before fixing a masterplan. A statutory 10% calculation is not permission to remove important local habitat or ignore design policy.
Local planning guidance
Is Hull and East Yorkshire's Local Nature Recovery Strategy adopted?
Yes. East Riding of Yorkshire Council is the responsible authority for the Hull and East Yorkshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy (HEY LNRS), which was published on 2 February 2026. It covers East Riding and Hull, but does not give both authorities identical Local Plan policies.
The LNRS brings together a written strategy and an interactive Local Habitat Map. It identifies existing important biodiversity areas and locations where restoration or new habitat could benefit ecological connectivity.
Its eight broad habitat themes are farmland; grassland and heathland; estuary; watercourses and freshwater; wetlands; woodlands; urban habitats; and coastal habitats.
How to use the LNRS for a development site
- Find the red-line site in the official LNRS interactive map.
- Record whether it intersects an Area that Could Become of Particular Importance for Biodiversity (ACB).
- Identify the specific mapped measure that would match the proposed habitat.
- Confirm that the proposed habitat is ecologically suitable and achievable.
- Document the metric strategic-significance judgement with map and survey evidence.
An ACB is not a new statutory designation and does not grant consent for habitat creation. The map is guidance, not a substitute for site surveys. Where the mapped location and proposed measure meet the official criteria, an appropriate strategic significance adjustment may apply.
Official map and documents: Hull and East Yorkshire LNRS. For how the statutory biodiversity metric works, see our specialist service page.
Local planning guidance
How do LNRS maps affect strategic significance in the metric?
Strategic significance is one component of the statutory metric. It reflects the location and local policy relevance of a habitat, rather than simply whether a proposal is near nature.
East Riding Council's updated BNG guidance uses the adopted HEY LNRS. It explains that existing baseline habitats are normally entered with low strategic significance under its local interpretation. Proposed habitats can qualify for high strategic significance only when the relevant ACB location and mapped recovery measure conditions are satisfied.
Do not give a site a higher score merely because it is close to the Humber, inside the HEY LNRS boundary or near an existing wildlife site. Equally, do not confuse the 15% strategic-significance multiplier within the calculation with a planning requirement for 15% BNG.
Metric version history and the LNRS methodology should be checked when completing the calculation. Record the map layer, measure, habitat type and assessment date.
Local planning guidance
Does statutory BNG apply to my project in 2026?
Eligible planning applications generally need to secure at least 10% biodiversity gain. However, national exemptions changed on 6 August 2026.
| Application situation | Initial BNG position — check before relying on it |
|---|---|
| Red-line site 0.2 ha or smaller, application from 6 August 2026 | May be exempt, provided development does not reduce the biodiversity value of an onsite priority habitat. |
| Development affecting below 25 m² of area habitat and 5 metres of linear habitat | A de minimis exemption may apply only if the statutory conditions are met, including no harm to onsite priority habitat. |
| Ordinary householder application | Usually outside mandatory BNG under the householder exemption. |
| Wholly temporary development for five years or less, qualifying from 6 August 2026 | May be exempt if it meets the conditions and does not affect onsite priority habitat. |
| Self-build or custom-build application submitted on or after 6 August 2026 | The previous special exemption no longer applies to new applications. Other exemptions may still be relevant. |
| Application made before a commencement or exemption change, or a later section 73 variation | Needs assessment of transitional rules and the original permission; do not use today's rules retrospectively. |
| Eligible NSIP submitted on or after 2 November 2026 | Separate BNG duties under the infrastructure regime and relevant biodiversity gain statement. |
If the project is exempt from mandatory BNG, protected sites, ecological surveys, habitats and planning landscape policies may still matter. Do not remove trees or vegetation just because you expect an exemption.
For details, use our BNG exemptions guide and GOV.UK's 2026 exemption rules.
Local planning guidance
Which biodiversity metric should my project use?
The statutory biodiversity metric is the recognised tool for calculating biodiversity value. The main metric calculates separate area, hedgerow and watercourse units. The relevant trading rules apply to each unit category.
As at 8 November 2026, the main metric calculation tool is version 1.1.0, published on 3 November 2026. GOV.UK says earlier statutory metric versions can remain valid, but Biodiversity Metric 4.0 or older non-statutory tools are not acceptable for a new mandatory submission.
Some eligible minor schemes can use the Small Sites Metric, subject to its restrictions. Do not assume a small site is suitable if it contains higher-distinctiveness habitat, protected-site sensitivities or affected watercourses.
An accurate assessment needs reliable UKHab habitat classification, condition scores, areas and lengths, proposed habitat management and an understanding of ecological risks.
For detailed support, see Small Sites Metric assessments, habitat condition assessments and the official metric downloads.
Local planning guidance
What habitats should a survey assess in the East Riding?
The landscape ranges from the Yorkshire Wolds to Humberhead wetlands, tidal estuary and the Holderness coast. Habitat value varies at a site scale; a regional habitat name cannot replace field evidence.
| Local landscape | Potential habitat considerations — not a site diagnosis |
|---|---|
| Yorkshire Wolds | Calcareous grassland, hedgerows, farm margins, chalk streams and habitat connectivity. |
| Holderness and coastal cliffs | Coastal grassland, dune or cliff habitats, nesting and feeding birds, and erosion constraints. |
| Humber Estuary and adjacent farmland | Mudflat, saltmarsh, estuarine transition and land used by protected wintering birds. |
| River Hull and drains | Watercourses, ditches, wetland margins, water vole or otter potential and hydrological changes. |
| Lower Derwent Valley | Floodplain meadow, wet grassland, watercourses and habitat linked to designated bird populations. |
| Settlements and brownfield sites | Grasslands, trees, hedgerows, gardens, ponds and previously developed land with ecological value. |
For every application, assess what actually exists within the red line. If important or legally protected habitats are present, the proposal may need redesign or further studies, not merely additional biodiversity units.
Local planning guidance
Humber Estuary: is a separate Habitats Regulations assessment needed?
Possibly. The Humber Estuary SPA, SAC and Ramsar site protects habitats and species that may be affected by development. The need for assessment depends on the proposal's impact pathways, including visitor pressure, land supporting birds, air emissions, water quality or habitat changes.
The adopted East Riding policy ENV4 identifies a Humber recreational-pressure zone. The council also publishes a Humber Strategic Access Management and Mitigation Strategy (SAMMs) for relevant new residential and tourism accommodation.
A biodiversity metric result cannot substitute for Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA). The competent authority determines the HRA; applicants may need to supply supporting ecological evidence.
What does the Humber 11.5 km zone mean?
The council identifies a zone of influence extending up to 11.5 km for relevant residential and visitor accommodation effects. It distinguishes zones and sets out a contribution route. Being within a mapped zone does not automatically mean that every project or every land use owes the same charge.
The council's published page lists residential zone tariffs and more specific arrangements for tourism accommodation and the Spurn zone. Confirm the current tariff, development type, number of units, mapping and payment mechanism directly before relying on a cost figure.
Use the Humber SAMMs council guidance.
Local planning guidance
Spurn, Flamborough, Lower Derwent and Hornsea Mere: other checks
Different designated sites have different impact pathways. Do not apply one county-wide buffer or declare all these studies necessary on every project.
| Location / protected interest | Issue to screen | Important distinction |
|---|---|---|
| Spurn and Humber coast | Recreational pressure, habitat loss or disturbance, coastal dynamics. | The adopted ENV4 policy specifically identifies a Spurn pressure zone; site-specific HRA can be needed. |
| Flamborough Head and Filey Coast | Seabird sensitivity, tourism/recreation, cliffs and marine habitat effects. | Consult mapped site designations and conservation objectives. |
| Lower Derwent Valley | Recreation effects within the policy's 5 km consideration area, wet grassland and functionally linked bird habitat. | 5 km is a policy screening consideration, not a universal ban on development. |
| Humber Estuary or Lower Derwent functional land | Certain fields supporting mobile qualifying species, including habitats used outside site boundaries. | ENV4 sets relevant 2 km/10 km and 2 ha/5 ha thresholds for considering larger sites/fields; an ecologist should interpret the actual policy wording. |
| Thorne and Hatfield Moors | Nightjar feeding habitat within policy-sensitive surroundings. | ENV4 identifies a 3 km policy test for affected foraging habitat; check the site and bird evidence. |
| Hornsea Mere catchment | Nitrogen/phosphorus pathways and water-quality effects. | Adopted ENV4 requires relevant foul/surface water proposals in the hydrological catchment to demonstrate nutrient neutrality. This is separate from BNG. |
Do not purchase biodiversity units as a substitute for resolving a protected-site effect. The planning application may need HRA evidence, protected-species surveys, nutrient calculations or a different design.
Read GOV.UK appropriate assessment guidance for the distinction between designated-site protection and biodiversity units.
Local planning guidance
What must be submitted with an East Riding planning application?
The final Biodiversity Gain Plan is normally approved after planning permission. However, council guidance expects enough evidence at application stage to show the scheme can achieve the statutory obligation.
A proportionate evidence package may include:
- A BNG applicability or exemption statement, with the correct application date and evidence.
- A scaled red-line site plan and existing habitat plan.
- A competent baseline habitat survey, including UKHab and condition assessment where needed.
- A completed baseline statutory metric calculation in an appropriate Excel format.
- Clear notes on any past habitat clearance or degradation relevant to the baseline.
- An outline of likely post-development habitat delivery, trading-rule compliance and realistic unit shortfall.
- Draft post-development plans and a Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan (HMMP) where significant gains are proposed.
- Any site-specific protected-species, HRA, nutrient, watercourse or ecological impact evidence.
Not every document is mandatory for every application. For example, the council's broader recommended list is not identical to the statutory minimum information needed for validation.
Check the council's current BNG application guidance and Planning Services for Professionals / Validation Checklist. Confirm the latest dated local-list PDF at submission.
Our BNG planning validation checklist helps organise the evidence.
Local planning guidance
What happens after planning permission?
For eligible permissions, the statutory Biodiversity Gain Plan must be approved before commencement. It explains how the development meets the gain objective using the final calculation, plans and any secured off-site gains.
Where significant on-site or registered off-site habitat is used, the creation or enhancement generally needs a 30-year legal commitment, together with an appropriate management and monitoring approach. Registered off-site gains must be legally secured, registered and allocated to the specific development.
The council may also require monitoring reports and a proportionate monitoring fee under its adopted approach and legal mechanisms. Do not assume that planting at completion, without a maintained plan, discharges a long-term obligation.
For the documents and process, see Biodiversity Gain Plans, Habitat Management and Monitoring Plans and the BNG process guide.
Local planning guidance
Can I use off-site biodiversity units in East Riding?
Eligible developers may achieve gains on-site, off-site or through a permitted combination. Statutory biodiversity credits are a last resort, distinct from private registered off-site biodiversity units.
Since 6 August 2026, qualifying minor developments that remain subject to BNG may consider on-site and registered off-site gain options at the same priority level. However, planning design and mitigation obligations still apply. Major development retains its statutory gain hierarchy.
East Riding Council lists Southburn and Broomfleet among registered habitat-bank sites in its current public BNG guidance. That does not confirm today's available unit types, quantity, prices, allocations, trading-rule compatibility or delivery suitability.
For a real quotation, check the unit type, national gain-site registration, allocation evidence, legal agreement, spatial-risk multipliers, trading rules and ecological suitability.
Read our off-site biodiversity units guidance and habitat banks guide for landowners.
Local planning guidance
A practical example: designing around an East Riding field boundary
Illustrative scenario — not an ACP client project or a substitute for statutory metric calculations.
An applicant is considering a small housing scheme near a Wolds village. The survey finds an improved grassland parcel, a retained hedgerow and a ditch near the eastern boundary.
A useful first design comparison is:
- Avoid: can the layout keep the hedgerow and protect its root area?
- Measure: classify the grassland, ditch and hedgerow correctly; calculate the baseline by the relevant metric module.
- Design: test less land take, stronger buffers and a feasible habitat-management area.
- Map: check the HEY LNRS for a mapped measure suitable for the land and proposed habitat.
- Screen: identify any watercourse or protected-site effects that the metric will not resolve.
- Confirm: run the final unit calculation and identify any registered off-site shortfall before proposing a delivery commitment.
Even a scheme achieving +10% area units might fail if its hedgerow or watercourse trading rules are unmet. Likewise, a high BNG score cannot resolve an adverse HRA finding.
Local planning guidance
What should landowners consider before creating a habitat bank?
Landowners in the Wolds, Holderness or Humberhead Levels may wish to explore registered off-site BNG. However, an opportunity mapped in the LNRS is not a guarantee of sale, a commitment from a developer or permission to transform land.
Before making a decision, investigate baseline habitats, nutrient and protected-site obligations, land tenure, planning permission or other consents, mapping, agricultural impacts, legal security for at least 30 years, habitat maintenance costs, monitoring and whether the proposed units meet market demand.
Where rivers or ditches are involved, specialist habitat and river or ditch condition assessment may be required.
Start with our river condition assessment advice and the council's LNRS map. Confirm the registration and allocation of any proposed units.
Local planning guidance
Our East Riding BNG assessment process
| Stage | What we establish | Useful outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Establish the site and permission route | Red-line location, East Riding vs Hull, application date, type, possible BNG exemption and HRA/nutrient pathways. | A scoped evidence and programme plan. |
| 2. Survey baseline habitat | Appropriate UKHab classes, condition, hedgerows, watercourses, constraints and data gaps. | Defensible existing-habitat plan and baseline. |
| 3. Calculate and test options | Statutory/Small Sites Metric suitability, losses, design alternatives, LNRS measures and trading rules. | Practical on-site and potential off-site gain scenarios. |
| 4. Prepare planning information | Required BNG statement, maps, metric and relevant ecological evidence. | A more coherent planning submission. |
| 5. Secure the delivery route | Biodiversity Gain Plan, management responsibilities, habitat delivery and monitoring requirements. | A route towards discharging the statutory gain condition. |
ACP can advise on the proportionate scope. A planning authority determines a permission and any statutory gain-plan approval; no consultant can guarantee an outcome.
Local planning guidance
East Riding BNG readiness checklist
Before submitting, check the points below.
Quick tool: Use the accessible East Riding BNG and designated-sites planning route worksheet below. It links directly to the official council, LNRS and national guidance.
Local planning guidance
FAQs: Biodiversity Net Gain in East Riding of Yorkshire
Is Biodiversity Net Gain compulsory in the East Riding?
Eligible applications normally require at least 10% statutory BNG. However, a number of exemptions apply. The correct answer depends on the red-line site, affected habitats, application date and any transitional or variation rules.
Does Hull use the same planning policies as East Riding Council?
No. Hull City Council and East Riding of Yorkshire Council are separate local planning authorities. Hull has its own adopted 2017 Local Plan. Both areas share the published Hull and East Yorkshire LNRS.
Which East Riding Local Plan biodiversity policies apply?
The adopted 2025 strategy includes ENV4 for designated sites, habitat effects and Habitats Regulations matters, and ENV5 for biodiversity enhancement and net gain. S9 supports blue and green infrastructure. Read the policies together.
When was the Hull and East Yorkshire LNRS published?
The joint strategy and its interactive map were published on 2 February 2026. Its mapped opportunity areas inform strategic habitat planning but are not themselves a new form of statutory protected-site designation.
Is the biodiversity target 10%, 15% or 20%?
For eligible ordinary applications, the national statutory minimum is normally 10%. The 15% figure encountered in LNRS-related metric discussion can refer to a calculation multiplier, not a mandatory planning target. Check the applicable policy and statutory requirements for your particular proposal.
Do sites below 0.2 hectares still need a BNG assessment?
For applications from 6 August 2026, the new exemption can apply to red-line sites of 0.2 hectares or less if no onsite priority habitat loses biodiversity value. Evidence may still be needed to justify exemption or assess separate ecological duties.
Can a householder or self-builder claim exemption?
A genuine householder application is usually exempt. The dedicated self-build and custom-build exemption was removed for new applications from 6 August 2026, though another exemption or transitional provision may apply.
Does living near the Humber Estuary create an extra fee?
Some new residential and tourism accommodation within the mapped Humber SAMMs zones may require recreational mitigation. It is a separate Habitats Regulations matter. Check the development type, location, current council tariff and any case-specific assessment.
Why might Hornsea Mere require nutrient information?
Adopted ENV4 identifies relevant proposals with foul or surface-water pathways into Hornsea Mere's hydrological catchment. Such projects may need to demonstrate nutrient neutrality. That requirement is separate from statutory BNG.
What is functionally linked land?
It is land outside a designated-site boundary that qualifying wildlife may still depend upon, such as farmland used by protected wintering birds. East Riding's ENV4 policy includes specific size-and-distance screening criteria. The actual habitat use must be assessed.
Can an East Riding developer buy off-site biodiversity units?
Yes, where the legal and metric rules allow. Units must match the relevant habitat type and trading rules, be secured and registered, and be allocated to the development. A council listing of habitat banks is not proof of live unit availability.
When does the Biodiversity Gain Plan need approval?
For eligible ordinary planning permissions, the Biodiversity Gain Plan is normally submitted after permission and approved before work starts. A planning application still needs sufficient baseline and delivery evidence to be considered.
Local planning guidance
Discuss Biodiversity Net Gain for your East Riding project
The best time to establish the BNG and protected-site route is before the design becomes fixed. This helps avoid unnecessary survey gaps and makes habitat proposals easier to coordinate with planning requirements.
To help us scope the work, share your site address or grid reference, red-line plan, proposed development, expected planning submission date and any existing ecological or landscape reports.
Request an East Riding BNG assessment
You can also contact ACP Consultants to discuss the scope.
East Riding of Yorkshire BNG
Sources and references
Reviewed 10 November 2026.
National BNG guidance
Talk to ACP / Site enquiries
What does your site need next?
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