BNG Evidence Requirements | HabitatBank.org

BNG RESOURCE · UPDATED 26 JULY 2026

Decision-ready guidance for England's BNG market.

01

Metric calculation

The calculation should identify baseline, target habitat, condition, distinctiveness, time, difficulty and spatial factors.

02

Habitat maps

Clear maps should show the land parcel, habitat areas, boundaries and interventions.

03

HMMP

The Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan should describe creation, management, monitoring and reporting obligations.

04

Legal agreement

A section 106 agreement or conservation covenant should secure delivery for the required period.

05

Management funding

Long-term costs and contingencies should be funded rather than assumed away.

06

Registration evidence

Gain site and allocation records should be available where required for off-site delivery.

07

Buyer allocation pack

Developers need evidence in a form that supports planning submissions and audit trail.

08

Monitoring records

After launch, management and monitoring records protect the credibility of sold and remaining units.

COMMON QUESTIONS

FAQs.

What evidence proves a BNG unit is credible?

Metric work, habitat maps, HMMP, legal security, management funding, registration status and allocation records.

Is a unit number enough?

No. Unit numbers need supporting ecological and legal evidence.

Who checks BNG evidence?

Developers, planning authorities, ecologists, legal advisers and responsible bodies may all review parts of the evidence pack.

RELATED BNG GUIDES

Biodiversity Net Gain guide What is BNG? BNG for landowners Off-site BNG units BNG units for sale BNG unit prices Habitat bank costs Natural England register guide BNG units by county Landowner checklist Developer BNG obligations BNG glossary Biodiversity metric guide Habitat bank vs statutory credits BNG FAQ HTML sitemap

BNG evidence requirements.