If you’re in planning, development, investment or consultancy, you’ve probably heard that Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) is now mandatory in England. Rather than view it as a compliance burden, forward-thinking teams are treating it as a strategic advantage – if they have the right tools at each stage of the process. That means starting with accurate site assessment and land qualification, then moving through to biodiversity delivery.
To support that shift, we’ve partnered with BNGAI™ by AiDASH, the end-to-end platform for fast, accurate biodiversity assessment and reporting.
Together, LANDCLAN and BNGAI™ make it easier to move from land opportunity to BNG compliance—with speed, clarity and confidence.
What Is Biodiversity Net Gain?
BNG, under the Environment Act 2021 (effective 12 February 2024), requires most new developments in England to deliver at least a 10% uplift in biodiversity as measured by Defra’s statutory biodiversity metric. That means you must assess the baseline biodiversity of a site, plan enhancements, and demonstrate net gain through compliant reporting.
It’s a metric-based framework that measures habitats – by type, condition, distinctiveness, and location-before and after development.
More than just a planning condition, BNG is a shift in how land is valued. It turns ecological performance into a measurable, designable outcome – one that affects everything from layout to long-term stewardship. Learn more here.
Where LANDCLAN fits in
Before biodiversity metrics come into play, developers need to know whether a site is viable in the first place. That’s where LANDCLAN helps.
Our platform combines over 500 pre-processed land and property attributes into a single dataset, enabling planners and developers to:
- Identify land parcels with potential for development.
- Instantly assess ownership, constraints, flood risk, access, and environmental factors.
- Qualify sites early, saving time and reducing manual research.
By starting with LANDCLAN, teams can shortlist land options with confidence, knowing the baseline data is accurate, traceable, and defensible. Once the right sites are identified, attention naturally shifts to biodiversity obligations – and that’s where BNGAI™ comes in.
Our Partnership with BNGAI
BNGAI™ by AiDASH is an end-to-end platform built for developers, landowners, planners, and local councils. It uses satellite imagery, remote sensing, and AI to generate instant biodiversity assessments aligned with Defra’s metric. By automatically identifying habitats, hedgerows, and water features, it enables early insight into a site’s baseline condition—without the delays typically associated with on-site surveys.
With advances in satellite imaging, AI, and remote sensing, you no longer need to wait weeks for a habitat baseline. High-resolution land cover classification and automated condition scoring now enable full site assessments to be generated in minutes.
With BNGAI™, you can:
- Screen sites for biodiversity risk before committing resources
- Model uplift scenarios early in the design process
- Test design scenarios early and avoid costly rework.
- Export planning-ready reports with full metric alignment
Used together, LANDCLAN and BNGAI™ provide the complete picture—helping you make better decisions faster, with less rework and more confidence.
Several major developers already use this combined approach – LANDCLAN for site assessment and BNGAI™ for biodiversity delivery – to accelerate planning, reduce risk, and strengthen their case with authorities.
This approach doesn’t just save time—it standardises outputs, improves consistency, and gives developers a head start before the first ecologist steps on site.
As Daniel Robson, Senior Designer: Pre-Development at Story Homes, puts it:
“The value of this approach is in how quickly we can rule sites in or out. We can see baseline biodiversity, understand the implications, and make informed decisions early—before design costs mount up.”
To understand how metrics are calculated—from habitat distinctiveness to area weightings—this breakdown shows how uplifts are generated, and which levers you can actually control.
BNGAI™ Capabilities: From Data to Design in Minutes
Here’s what BNGAI™ enables, in practical terms:
- Upload site boundaries—draw a redline or import a shapefile in minutes
- Receive instant habitat and condition mapping, aligned with DEFRA scoring
- Run enhancement scenarios—test hedgerow planting, buffer zones, wildflower seeding
- Explore trade-offs visually, comparing baseline vs uplift scenarios
- Export metric-aligned outputs: ready-to-submit formats for reports or planning portals
Whether you’re reviewing land for acquisition or fine-tuning a site plan, having BNG data up front helps you unlock value and reduce uncertainty. As BNG moves from edge case to standard practice, tools like this will become part of every feasibility toolkit. Here’s how.
Why Now Is The Time to Act
BNG has been in legal effect since early 2024, and expectations from regulators, investors, and local authorities are rapidly rising. This is no longer about avoiding penalties—it’s about unlocking permissions, securing funding, and demonstrating environmental performance from day one.
Teams that start with LANDCLAN to find the right land, then use BNGAI™ to deliver biodiversity compliance, are gaining a competitive advantage. They’re saving time, reducing uncertainty, and showing leadership in sustainable development.
The Bottom Line
- BNG is achievable, scalable, and already shaping decisions
- LANDCLAN enables smarter site identification and assessment
- With BNGAI™, you can baseline faster, plan smarter, and submit with confidence
If you’d like to learn more about how LANDCLAN and BNGAI™ can support your projects, simply complete this form and a member of our team will be in touch.
