How much will a survey/ecology support cost?
In order to provide an accurate and fair quotation it is necessary to know a number of things including where your site is and what sort of survey/ecology support is required. Ideally as part of this it is useful to have a brief discussion with you to establish what you require and/or what the planning authority has requested. An accurate quote can then be provided that covers just for what is needed for your project.
Please also note that as Armstrong Ecology Ltd is not VAT registered VAT is not added to Armstrong Ecology Ltd invoices.
What is a CIEEM registered practice?
The Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM) is the professional body for Ecologists and Environmental Managers.
CIEEM’s Registered Practices are champions of high professional standards and the delivery of the best outcomes for biodiversity whilst supporting a thriving economy.
Registered Practice status is a benchmark of quality that gives clients, prospective clients, partners, employees and the wider public confidence in the commitment, competence and high standards of a practice that holds it.
Businesses listed in the CIEEM Registered Practices Directory have successfully applied for this status and agreed to abide by a specific Code of Conduct set by CIEEM.
Further information can be found on the CIEEM website.
Are you insured?
Yes: Armstrong Ecology Ltd has the following insurance in place:
£1 million professional indemnity insurance for Ecology Consultancy Services.
£2 million public liability insurance for Ecology Consultancy Services.
£10 million employers liability insurance for Ecology Consultancy Services.
What geographical area do you cover?
The geographical focus of Armstrong Ecology Ltd is in South Yorkshire, Derbyshire and the Peak District. On occasion survey work/support to projects is undertaken in other nearby/adjoining counties. This assists in being able to give high quality ecology support, keeping down travel time/costs and reducing the carbon footprint of the business/your project.
What is Biodiversity Net Gain?
Biodiversity Net Gain (with some exemptions) is mandatory in England and is an approach to development that makes sure that habitats for wildlife are left in a measurably better state than they were before the development. Under Biodiversity Net Gain developers must deliver a 10% gain above the existing/baseline habitat value of their site.
Further detail and guidance can be found at:
Biodiversity net gain – GOV.UK
Biodiversity net gain: exempt developments – GOV.UK
In simple terms, how is habitat value/Biodiversity Net Gain calculated?
Mapping and calculation of the areas of all habitats within a site/planning application boundary (red line) is undertaken for:
- The habitats within the site prior to development (and normally prior to any habitat degradation that has occurred) .
- The habitats that are predicted to be present after a planning permission has been implemented.
- Linear habitats, such as hedgerows and watercourses (where present), are measured by the linear metre separately to habitats such as grassland that are measured by area.
The area/length of each habitat type, before and after development, are entered into the Biodiversity Net Gain metric/spreadsheet that is produced by DEFRA. This metric is fixed and will calculate the change in biodiversity value of the site.
The metric gives separate results for:
- Linear land based habitats such as hedgerows.
- Linear watercourse habitats, such as streams, rivers and ditches.
- Area habitats such as grassland.
The metric does not allow the results to be combined, so an over provision of hedgerows cannot for example be used to address an under provision for habitats measured by area.
Further detail and guidance can be found at: Statutory biodiversity metric tools and guides – GOV.UK
My site has a stream or river in it or within 10m of the site boundary. How does that work in Biodiversity Net Gain?
Watercourses are treated separately in Biodiversity Net Gain. Streams and rivers will need to be surveyed by an Accredited River Corridor Assessor (RCA). No special accreditation is needed to survey drainage ditches.
Armstrong Ecology Ltd undertakes survey of drainage ditches but not streams and rivers. Please refer to the CIEEM or Freelance Ecologists online directories to find an ecologist with RCA accreditation if your site includes a stream or river, or one lies within 10m of the site boundary.
Can my site achieve a 10% Biodiversity Net Gain?
This is very difficult to gauge without having surveyed a site or knowing the detail of what development is proposed.
Where a site has very little vegetated area to start with or the change to the site is small it can be possible to achieve a 10% net gain on site. In some instances, where areas are available and subject to expert planning and ecologist advice, incorporating areas for habitat enhancement can be a useful approach.
In many instances development can often involve a fundamental land use change and for example convert a site from largely vegetated to largely developed/unvegetated. Where this is the case it will typically not be possible to achieve a biodiversity net gain within the site.
It is worth noting that:
- In some instances reducing the planning application/red line boundary, subject to expert planning and ecology advice, can assist in lowering the amount of habitat that needs to be included in Biodiversity Net Gain calculations and therefore reduce the baseline from which the 10% gain in value is calculated.
- There are significant restrictions of what planting can be counted in private gardens. For example tree and hedge planting in private gardens, while undoubtedly good for wildlife, cannot be included in Biodiversity Net Gain calculations.
- Some habitat types, such as trees and woodland, are higher value than others and it is best to anticipate the retention of these higher value features when designing a development.
- Given the potential cost of purchasing habitat units that it can be very worthwhile to consider these costs at a very early stage/as part of agreeing a site purchase.
What happens if my site can’t achieve a 10% Biodiversity Net Gain?
Where it is not possible to deliver the required 10% net gain on site, the developer can for example seek the required habitat units from the Local Authority or Wildlife Trust (where they operate a scheme to provide these) or a third party such as the Environment Bank. Further detail can be found at: Make off-site biodiversity gains as a developer – GOV.UK
Organisations with wider land holdings may also wish to investigate if they can register other land under their control in order to generate habitat units themselves. This requires the production of a Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan and the land will need to be managed in accordance with this plan for a 30 Year period. Given the work and costs involved this approach is typically not efficient or cost effective for small areas of land or to address small shortfalls in Biodiversity Net Gain. Further detail can be found at: Register a biodiversity gain site – GOV.UK
As a last resort Biodiversity Credits can also be purchased: Statutory biodiversity credits – GOV.UK
I’m thinking about buying a site for development – what should I do about Biodiversity Net Gain?
Depending on the site and how you are planning to develop it, good advice is to consider Biodiversity Net Gain early and potentially factor this and any associated costs, such as from the purchase or habitat units or the management of other land in your control, into your plans and potentially the agreement of a land purchase price.
It is worth noting that some habitat types are higher value than others, such as trees and woodland, and it is typically best to either select a site without these higher value features (if they cannot be retained) or to design development in such a way that they can be retained.