New planning requirements called Mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain came into force in 2024. These new rules are applied to major development applications from February 2024 and to most other developments from April 2024.
For further information and guidance please visit the Biodiversity net gain page.
For applications considered against Harrogate District Local Plan Policy NE3, this supplementary planning document provides specific guidance.
The providing net gain for biodiversity SPD provides specific guidance for Local Plan Policy NE3: protecting the natural environment of the adopted Harrogate district Local Plan 2014-2035 and general advice on how all developments can deliver benefits for biodiversity.
For further information please visit the local validation criteria for planning applications page.
Further information on SPDs and details of other adopted SPDs can be found by visiting the local planning guidance and SPDs page.
Providing net gain for biodiversity SPD 2021 (pdf / 2 MB)
Technical update December 2021 (pdf / 115 KB)
May 2022 update (pdf / 91 KB)
Legal agreement template (pdf / 443 KB)
Development of the SPD
The providing net gain for biodiversity SPD was adopted on 1 June 2021. The adoption statement, consultation statement and SEA screening can be viewed below:
Providing net gain for biodiversity SPD adoption statement 2021 (pdf / 409 KB)
Providing net gain for biodiversity SPD consultation statement 2021 (pdf / 2 MB)
Providing net gain for biodiversity SPD SEA screening 2021 (pdf / 2 MB)