Data Centre Deep Dive: Biodiversity Net Gain Legislation - Options available to for Data Centres and Telecoms to meet the regime’s requirements
On the 12th of October, we were joined by BCLP Law to discuss the upcoming Biodiversity Net Gain building planning regulations which are due to come into effect in England in January 2023. The session provided a run through of the Biodiversity Net Gain concept, its relevance to companies working in the UK tech sector, some practical examples of BNG in action and a Q&A.
Beginning with BNG’s legislative context in the 2021 Environment Act, the team at BCLP then moved into the way the biodiversity metric the Department for Environment, food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) is using to measure the gain, and some of the risk factors for biodiversity creation intending to meet BNG objectives.
The scope of the regulation includes full planning permissions, outline planning permissions and section 73 planning permissions. There are several exemptions that were outlined by the team, and which are detailed in the webinar slides. The logistics of the Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan (HMMP) were a source of discussion, with a template to be published in November 2023.
The webinar concluded by showcasing several examples of BNG in action, all of which can be seen on the slides here.
If anyone would like to know more about BNG and how it may affect the technology sector, please reach out to the techUK at [email protected] or [email protected], or alternatively to Clare Eccles at BCLP Law at [email protected].
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