Supporting Biodiversity Net Gain in the Planning System Conference 2026
Previous Supporters Include
Overview
With major Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) reforms now rapidly approaching, the policy and delivery landscape is entering a critical new phase. Since the Environment Act 2021 introduced the mandatory 10% BNG requirement, further significant changes have continued to reshape the framework, including the implementation of the 0.2-hectare exemption for small sites at the end of July 2026 and Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) being brought into BNG policy from November 2026. Although BNG is already delivering positive impacts, preventing between 6,000 to 10,000 hectares of habitat loss annually (DEFRA, 2026), upcoming reforms in July and November 2026 will have major implications for developers, local authorities and infrastructure providers, making this a critical moment to secure long-term biodiversity gains.
As mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain reshapes planning, land use and environmental investment, organisations face significant risks and new market opportunities. Success will depend on clearer guidance, stronger cross-sector partnerships and better collaboration across disciplines to avoid delays and ineffective delivery strategies. Now is the time for the public and private sectors to work together to balance development with environmental outcomes and avoid regulatory, financial and operational risks.
The Supporting Biodiversity Net Gain in Planning System Conference 2026 provides a critical platform for BNG specialists across sectors to share implementation strategies that improve BNG requirements and deliver nature-positive outcomes. This conference explores the full Biodiversity Net Gain lifecycle, from approval and design to long-term delivery, covering data use in local authority planning, collaboration between landscape architects and ecologists, and practical guidance on BNG policy.
Agenda
Online Registration
Chair’s Opening Remarks
Dr Sophus zu Ermgassen, Senior Research Fellow, Oxford Earth, University of Oxford, Nature Finance Lead, The Oxford Nature-Positive Hub, Leverhulme Centre for Nature Recovery (CONFIRMED)
Keynote: The Next Phase of Mandatory BNG – Bringing Clarity to a Rapidly Evolving Framework
- Guidance on regulatory updates on BNG policy and the statutory biodiversity metric to provide clarity on how mandatory BNG is evolving across policy, planning and delivery
- Gain practical insights into how Biodiversity Net Gains are being managed and monitored
- Identify what is working well, where implementation challenges remain, and how the system is expected to evolve to prepare for future policy and preparation requirements
- Unlock insights into the statutory framework and examine how BNG is applied through planning processes, to ensure success in planning applications
Mary Creagh MP, Minister for Nature, Labour MP for Coventry East, UK Government (invited)
Keynote: Delivering BNG Through NSIPs: Balancing Infrastructure and Nature Recovery
- Examining recent regulatory updates regarding mandatory BNG requirements for NSIPs to ensure organisational alignment and compliance for future planning application approval
- Assessing the phased approach to BNG for NSIPs to balance infrastructure delivery priorities with nature recovery obligations and ensure planning compliance
- Understanding the challenges of applying BNG at scale, assessing practical delivery constraints, including land requirements, timing, and cross-sector coordination
- Gaining practical insight into significant and non-significant biodiversity gains, including assessment approaches, delivery times, and effective on- and off-site implementation across large-scale planning and infrastructure projects
Chloe Jones, Lead for BNG for NSIPS and Nature Positive Planning, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) (invited)
Questions and Answers
Comfort Break
Keynote: Making Biodiversity Net Gain Work in Constrained Development Contexts: SMEs, Brownfield Development Sites and Viability
- Exploring how recent regulatory changes affect SMEs, housing developers, and brownfield developers, to provide clarity on which developments have targeted exemptions and regulatory reform
- Reviewing BNG exemption policy and its impact on brownfield development and small sites to support clearer planning decision-making amid policy changes
- Identifying and assessing challenges for SMEs and minor development, including costs, accessibility to ecologists and inconsistent approaches of LPAs
- Evaluating how BNG is applied in constrained development environments to support viable and deliverable planning outcomes
Rachel Danemann, Regional Planning Manager and Biodiversity Net Gain Lead, Home Builders Federation (CONFIRMED)
Case Study: Data-Driven Planning: How Local Planning Authorities Can Deliver Effective BNG
- Examining how data can be used by local planning authorities to ensure long-term BNG delivery and consistent decision-making
- Assessing legislative requirements and their implications on local planning authorities in reporting progress for BNG
- Building an understanding of what can go wrong if data is not used correctly by LPAs and its implications on BNG to ensure data is applied correctly and consistently for positive outcomes
- Unlock practical insights into Local Authority Preparation, examining TfL preparation and implementation strategies to ensure confidence in navigating BNG journeys with data at the forefront
Paul Mellor, Chartered Town Planner and Environment Manager, Transport for London (TfL) (invited)
Questions and Answers
Lunch Break
Keynote: Planning Reform and Nature Recovery: The Evolving Role of Green Belt and Grey Belt Land
- Examining how Green Belt reform and emerging ‘Grey Belt’ policy concepts are reshaping opportunities for BNG delivery across sectors
- Assessing the implications of planning reform and the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), and exploring how Green Belt reform could affect local planning authority decision-making in practice
- Identifying future policy direction and its implications for balancing housing growth and infrastructure expansion with green and grey belt concepts for long-term BNG delivery
Stephen Panks, Senior Specialist in Biodiversity Net Gain, Natural England (invited)
Case Study: Managing Habitat Banks, Natural Capital and Nature Markets: Regulation, Monitoring and Long-Term Delivery
- Examining how habitat banks are regulated, monitored, and managed over long-term delivery periods to ensure confidence in BNG outcomes and compliance
- Delivering BNG using the statutory metric, while exploring natural capital frameworks and emerging nature markets to balance planning priorities with effective delivery and long-term value
- Understanding what biodiversity units mean for delivering gains, ensuring consistency in BNG planning approaches and management
- Tackling the challenges of BNG delivery through habitat banks, to ensure positive outcomes for both nature and compliance with UK regulations
Emma Toovey, Chief Nature Officer, Environment Bank (invited)
Questions and Answers
Breakout Networking: Building the Partnerships Needed to Deliver BNG
Join our breakout networking to engage in cross-disciplinary approaches and discuss the main challenges you face with BNG. We encourage you to share what strategies your organisation has implemented to overcome obstacles to navigating challenges with planning, monitoring, and enforcement.
Comfort Break
Fireside Chat: Designing with Biodiversity Net Gain: Guidance from Architects and Ecologists in Development Planning
- Practical guidance from expert speakers exploring how BNG can be embedded at the earliest stages of design to combat flawed delivery plans and longer approval times
- Best practice tips on designing with BNG at the forefront to strengthen planning applications and development strategies
- Identifying how architects and ecologists collaborate to ensure ecological outcomes are achievable in development proposals
- Highlighting practical approaches to integrating BNG into constrained or complex sites
Roddy Langmuir, Partner and Design Quality Lead, Cullinan Studio (invited)
Dr Julia Baker, Nature Services Lead, Mott MacDonald, Chair, British Standard Institute Biodiversity Working Group, Chair, EIC Biodiversity and Nature Taskforce (invited)
Case Study: From Planning Consent to Long-Term Outcomes – Digital Tools, Monitoring and Enforcement of Biodiversity Net Gain
- Examining how BNG is monitored and assessed after planning approval to ensure long-term delivery beyond 30 years
- Analysing what comes after BNG, delving into management and enforcement tools to ensure efficient monitoring of BNG development
- Exploring the role of digital tools for large and small sites to track and monitor BNG to ensure long-term compliance and consistency of biodiversity delivery
- Gain best practice insights into habitat management and monitoring plans for long-term delivery and commitment to BNG monitoring and enhancement
Oliver Lewis CBE, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Joe’s Blooms (invited)
Questions and Answers
Chair’s Closing Remarks
Dr Sophus zu Ermgassen, Senior Research Fellow, Oxford Earth, University of Oxford, Nature Finance Lead, The Oxford Nature-Positive Hub, Leverhulme Centre for Nature Recovery (CONFIRMED)
Conference Close
Get in Touch
Previous Speakers
Nicole Gullan
Associate Director
Arbtech
Dr Rosie McGee
Senior Fellow
Institute of Development Studies
Chris Valdus
Head of Business Development
The Land Trust
Jack Potter
Head of Nature Based Solutions
Wild Capital
Vicki Mordue
Managing Director
Biodiverse Consulting
Amanda Newsome
Biodiversity Net Gain Advisor
Forestry Commission
James Byrne
Head of Nature Markets
Plantlife International
Ian Hambleton
CEO
Biodiversity Units UK
Jihanna Bonilla-Allard
Development Officer
Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust
Dr Chris Sutherland
Reader in Statistics and Spatial Ecologist
University of St Andrews
Testimonials
The course was very useful and extremely informative. It was great to hear the latest updates and guidance from the experts on the legal requirements for planning projects across the UK and how to achieve the outlined biodiversity net gain targets.
I have attended the Supporting Biodiversity Net Gain in the Planning System 2025 event. The speakers were consistently engaging and the topics were comprehensive and relevant to the a variety of BNG stakeholders. The structured questions at the end of every set of presentations were interesting and brought new insights into the topic and the opportunity to network in break-out rooms brought useful discussions and connections.
Great opportunity to discuss the topic and learn how different sectors can contribute and collaborate to achieve great outcomes for nature.
This event was super insightful, and really helped build my understanding of the movers and shakers in this fast-growing sector.
Useful opportunity for sharing the application experiences of legislated BNG.
Why You Should Attend
✓ Hear from Biodiversity Net Gain specialists across ecologists, architects and policy professionals
✓ Gain practical insight into managing habitat banks, nature markets and long-term strategies for BNG success beyond 30 years
✓ Networking opportunities with speakers and senior colleagues across local planning authorities, ecology and policy sectors
✓ CPD gain 8 hours of CPD points towards your yearly quota
Who Should Attend
| Building Surveyor | Councils |
| Tree Officer | Housing Groups |
| Project Manager | Environment Agency |
| Biodiversity Net Gain Officer | Combined Authority |
| Operations | The Planning Inspectorate |
| Sustainability officer | Department of Health and Social Care |
Pricing Options
PRIVATE SECTOR
Your delegate place at this leading conference gives you: Full access to the conference; E-guide; Networking opportunities during the day; Access to presentations post conference; 8 CPD Points.
PUBLIC SECTOR
Your delegate place at this leading conference gives you: Full access to the conference; E-guide; Networking opportunities during the day; Access to presentations post conference; 8 CPD Points.
VOLUNTARY SECTOR
Your delegate place at this leading conference gives you: Full access to the conference; E-guide; Networking opportunities during the day; Access to presentations post conference; 8 CPD Points.
Sponsorship
Raise Your Profile, Showcase Your Solutions, Generate New Business
If your products, services, and solutions can support our audiences in their roles, and you want to make connections and generate new business with key stakeholders, decision makers, and influencers, then please contact us HERE
IMPORTANT: There are only a small number of sponsorship opportunities available to ensure maximum exposure and ROI – contact us today to secure your place.
Virtual vs F2F
Whilst F2F provide better options for networking, there are many distinct advantages of sponsoring our online conferences including:
- Wider geographical reach of delegates and a different audience who prefer online to f2f
- Lower sponsorship package costs
- No travel/accommodation
- Less time out of the office
- No stand materials required (lower costs)
- 1 of only 2 sponsors involved – less competition on the day
- Prime speaking slot in the morning of the conference including Q&A – less distractions and easier for delegates to hear/absorb information
- Receive all delegate data after the conference to follow-up directly with those who attend and don’t attend (small % but still key stakeholders)
- Ongoing exposure via OnDemand access
To find out more and discuss your specific objectives, please contact us below:
