Biodiversity Net Gain has officially arrived, and for developers in England, it's a game-changer you can't afford to miss.

In simple terms, it means that new developments preserve and improve natural habitats by at least 10%.

This rule applies across the board, from small-scale projects to major ones, and it's even extending to big infrastructure projects from late November 2025.

So, what's the deal? Well, you've got to get your head around things like measuring biodiversity, crunching the numbers, and understanding biodiversity metrics.

It also involves deciding whether you can replace and create new biodiversity on-site, deliver a mixture of on-site and off-site gains, buy off-site biodiversity units on the market, or buy statutory credits from the government.

While it's a great boon for nature, it's another barrier for developers to overcome - and another process to add to the ever-growing array of complex planning policies to jump through.

That’s why we have created a comprehensive tool with help from our friends at Gaia, to do the heavy lifting.

New Tool: Biodiversity Net Gain

We've crafted four standout features within our BNG tool to ensure that no matter which aspect you're exploring, we've got the insights, guidance, and workflow right here in Searchland.

Tool 1: BNG Screening - Dive into Existing Habitats

Our screening tool offers a peek into a specific title's habitats and natural features. It lays out the total BNG units on the site, habitat types, and their ecological condition, distinctiveness, and significance. This helps you gauge whether the land is ripe for development.

Tool 2: BNG Listings - Access Gaia's Marketplace in Searchland

We’ve partnered with Gaia, the UK’s leading BNG marketplace letting you browse through over 20,000+ accredited BNG units from sites across England directly in Searchland. We offer various habitat types to meet your offsite biodiversity needs. Easily search by habitat, LPA or NCA, unit price, or availability, and effortlessly evaluate the spatial risk multiplier against your proposed site.

Tool 3: BNG Sourcing - Discover Off-Market Habitat Banks

Interested in investing in BNG habitat banks? Our sourcing tool can guide you to viable sites that have the potential to be set aside and managed as land banks. Locate land based on specific habitat features and quickly calculate the potential number of units you could market.

Tool 4: BNG Habitats - A Comprehensive Visual Tool of All BNG Data

Get a bird's-eye view of all our BNG data in one spot. Toggle through a wide array of habitat layers as you navigate our map, focusing on areas of interest to gain a complete understanding of local ecosystems and habitats.

As well as helping make your workflows more efficient - our BNG tool can help you save you money by reducing the amount you spend producing costly BNG reports.

Our BNG tool is available now for our Professional License users. So, if you’d like to see it in action - get in touch and arrange a demo.