Implementation of Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) - Find a freedom of information request

Please find below some questions about how the council is implementing Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG):

1. Please can you indicate what, if any, software the council has obtained specifically to help with implementing the following aspects of BNG?

a. Validation of applications, including checking that the correct version of the Biodiversity Metric has been submitted.

b. Determination of applications subject to BNG, including assessment of ecological considerations.

c. Determining if the biodiversity gain objective (biodiversity gain condition) is met.

d. Monitoring of planning obligations set out under S106 agreements or Conservation Covenants, analogous to other planning obligations.

e. Ecological monitoring of BNG habitats, a new statutory duty required by legislation, including ensuring that individual habitats on a given site are progressing in line with expectations set out in the Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan.

f. Statutory reporting of BNG habitat progress under the NERC Act Biodiversity Duty.

2. Is the council generating income, or planning to generate income, by charging BNG monitoring fees? If so, how are you calculating this fee?

3. Please answer the questions below to indicate if the council has made use of the government's new burdens funding for BNG in the financial year 23/24:

a. How much of the funding was spent by the council in this year?

b. What was the funding spent on?

4. Please answer the questions below to indicate if the council has made use of the government's new burdens funding for BNG in the financial year 24/25:

a. How much of the funding was spent by the council in this year?

b. What was the funding spent on?

I can confirm that the information requested is held by Lincolnshire County Council. I have detailed below the information that is being released to you.

1.a-f. LCC have purchased the Mycelia software to manage the BNG elements of planning applications

2. This issue is currently being discussed within the Planning Team.

3. In 2023/24 we spent £53,586 of the new burdens funding on BNG preparedness.

This was spent on:

Surveys on LCC land holdings for their suitability for BNG,

Training Sessions for Planning, Property, Highways Teams and Development Management on Biodiversity Net Gain

Technical Guidance Note for Developers

Plan for a Monitoring and Tracking System

4. Mycelia software licence £10,000 (ex VAT)

Detailed BNG analysis of one of LCC’s land holdings. £4,162.80