NFB concerned that BNG strategy will 'punish' SME builders



The National Federation of Builders (NFB) has been warning the government for four years that its biodiversity net gain (BNG) strategy will punish SME builders the most, by making many developments unviable.


The strategy could also and seeing huge swathes of farming land lost to the BNG credit market.

Early indications suggest this and worse is happening, with NFB members reporting that they may have to re-submit applications to meet legal requirements, are seeing pushback on legal submissions and the stability of offsite credit pricing.

Confusion between the BNG hierarchy, blueline requirements, condition overreach, legal agreements and uncompetitive BNG credit costs are also being flagged up at an “alarming rate”, says the NFB.

The industry needs to come together on this topic, else we risk hundreds of developments made unviable, or local plan affordable housing requirements being challenged, thus wasting more time in planning, and costing companies tens of thousands of pounds.



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