As per our blogpost from November 2023, the Government is making changes to the planning system (England). These are being phased in over time.
Two have now come into force.
Biodiversity Net Gain was introduced for large planning applications on 12th February, and as of 2nd April now applies to small sites as well – with some exemptions in place.
Biodiversity Net Gain, or BNG, has the potential to increase and improve habitats for wildlife in England, which has suffered a decline in nature for many years. That’s the good news.
On the flip side, it could add to the time and costs of getting planning permission.
For more info on BNG, check out our Links page.
And the four year rule has been scrapped.
What’s the four year rule? Well, it relates to unauthorised development (development needing planning permission that does not have it). It’s a route to gain immunity from enforcement action for development, or for the change of use of a building to a single dwelling.
This rule will live on in Wales, but bites the dust in England (…in favour of the ten year rule).
For more, see Planning Geek: 4 year rule is no more in England!
Featured image: Habitat mitigation area, Cambridgeshire (photo © Hugh Venables | cc-by-sa/2.0)
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