Planning: small sites could be exempt from nature recovery rules

We’re asking you to get involved in another public consultation to help us defend nature.

This time, the government wants to change planning rules so that smaller housing developments won’t have to deliver benefits for biodiversity.

This is a major shift in the regulations that would significantly undermine protections for nature.

At the moment, there’s a legal requirement for developers to deliver a Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) – meaning they have to create and enhance habitats so that nature is in a better state than in was before.

Removing the BNG requirement for development on small sites will have big environmental impacts, especially here in Sussex:

· In Eastbourne, 77% of homes delivered since 2006 have been on small sites

· In Hastings, more than 40 small sites were put forward in 2020/21

· In Horsham, 60 small sites were put forward in 2024

· And across England, 80% of all BNG transactions are for small sites

With such a huge proportion of development happening on small sites, we are completely against removing the BNG requirement for small sites.

We’re responding to the government’s consultation, and we need you to add your views too. You can use this form to send a response straight to the consultation team – please take action today!

Add your voice

What do we mean by 'small sites'?

These are sites about the size of a football pitch (1 hectare).

They might be parks, gardens, playing fields or under-used areas that are now full of wildlife, providing vital access to nature or space to play, especially in urban areas.

Development on small sites can include low-density housing on the edge of towns and villages, high density housing within urban areas and smaller scale office blocks or industrial units. It’s the sort of development that fills in gaps.

Why are The Wildlife Trusts objecting to the small sites exemption?

Even small developments can have big environmental impacts, and this exemption could cause serious harm to wildlife and people as well as the emerging BNG market.

Size doesn’t always show how important an area is for wildlife. Even small developments can cause big problems by impacting on natural habitats and breaking up ecological networks.

Small losses add up over time, creating an even bigger problem when they’re considered in combination.

Take action today