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Hackney, London

Biodiversity net gain plans in Hackney

Hackney asks for a draft biodiversity gain plan on every application that is not exempt, and its checklist lists the exemptions in one place: Statutory 10%; under 25 sq m habitat exempt. One item on that list has since changed, which catches owners out. We prepare the plan or the exemption statement on a fixed quote after a free constraints check.

Fixed quote after a free constraints check

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    Architectural model of a four-storey London stucco townhouse in its terrace, with a portico, area railings, sash windows, a cornice and chimney stacks
    The house as it stands: four storeys over a lower ground floor.Existing Proposed worksAn illustrative model, built for this page.

    How we work on biodiversity net gain plans

    Seven steps from first call to approval.

    The same model cut through the middle: every floor, the stair, the chimney breasts, the new mansard, rear extension and basement in section
    Section through the model: every floor on one datum.

    1. Enquiry and constraints check

      We check the property against conservation areas, listed status, Article 4 directions, tree preservation orders, flood zone and planning history. We choose the right route and send a fixed quote.

    2. Measured survey

      We survey the house on one datum: rooms, levels, boundaries, drains, trees and the neighbours' windows that the 45° and 25° tests depend on.

    3. Design options

      We model the house in Revit and show you options in 3D and plan, with the planning strategy and the precedents in your street.

    4. Design frozen

      You choose an option in writing. Nothing changes after this without your say.

    5. Independent check

      A second chartered technologist checks every sheet against the council's validation checklist and the policy. A senior review signs it off before anything is submitted.

    6. Submission

      We prepare the forms, certificates, fee and documents and submit through the Planning Portal.

    7. Officer liaison

      We answer the planning officer and make any amendments within five working days, at no charge until approval.

    Free redraws until approval. Every drawing set is checked independently, and the checker is never the person who drew it.

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    Georgian brick terrace with sash windows, arched fanlight doorways, stone steps and iron railings in London

    What Hackney's checklist asks for

    Hackney's planning application validation checklist asks for a draft biodiversity gain plan for every application that is not exempt under the national exemption regulations. It lists the exemptions it recognises: less than a stated area of on-site habitat with no priority habitat, less than a stated length of linear habitat, householder applications, and small self-build and custom housebuilding. The council records the figure as Statutory 10%; under 25 sq m habitat exempt.

    A draft plan is more than the metric. It names the habitats, shows how the gain will be delivered, and says who will maintain it. Asking for a draft at application stage means officers can see the proposal early, though the final plan is still approved before work starts.

    We prepare the draft to the standard of a final plan, which saves the second round of work when the condition is discharged.

    The plan also has to agree with the rest of the submission. If the drawings show a paved yard where the metric shows grassland, the officer will notice. We cross-check the habitat plan, the proposed floor plans and the landscape notes before anything goes in, so the three tell one story.

    Brick cottage with a tiled roof, chimneys and a front dormer window

    Local figures for Hackney

    Figures with their unit, period and source
    MeasureValuePeriodSource
    Draft Biodiversity Gain Plan required for all applications not exempt under the Biodiversity Gain Requirements (Exemptions) Regulations 2024. Exemptions listed: under 25 sq m of on-site habitat (and no priority habitat), under 5 m of linear habitat, householder applications, and small self-build/custom housebuilding (max 9 dwellings, site max 0.5 ha).Statutory 10%; under 25 sq m habitat exempt—docs.google.com, Hackney Planning Service, Planning Application Validation Checklist (Google Doc linked from hackney.gov.uk/submit-planning-application), National Requirements ('Biodiversity Baseline Plan') and Local Requirements row 'Draft Biodiversity Gain Plan'
    Green Belt share of the council area0 % of council area covered by green-belt polygons—planning.data.gov.uk
    Domestic gardens share of land (GLUD 2005)18.5 % of land that is domestic garden (GLUD 2005)2005data.london.gov.uk
    Households living in a house18.8 % of households living in a house or bungalow (detached, semi-detached or terraced)Census 2021nomisweb.co.uk
    Owner-occupied households24.6 % of households owner-occupied (owned outright or with mortgage/loan)Census 2021nomisweb.co.uk
    Conservation areas37 named conservation areas published by the council—planning.data.gov.uk
    Article 4 directions77 Article 4 directions published by the council—planning.data.gov.uk
    Environment Act 2021 Sch 14 para 2, inserting Sch 7A TCPA 1990: 'relevant percentage' 10%10 %—legislation.gov.uk
    'Developments of 0.2 hectares or below': from 6 August 2026 BNG does not apply where the site area within the red line boundary is 0.2 ha or below0.2 ha—gov.uk
    Section 'Self-build and custom build applications'; change history 2026-08-06Removed for new applications made on or after 6 August 2026. Still applies to applications made before that date and to later variations where the original permission was exempt—gov.uk

    A blank value means the figure has not been published, not that there are none. Check your own address with the council.

    Councils bordering Hackney
    Which application your project needsLawful Development Certificate decision: 8 weeks. Prior approval decision: 42 days. Householder decision: 8 weeksYour projectWithin permitted development?Lawful Development CertificatePrior approvalHouseholder applicationYesLarger rear extensionNoABC

    Which application your project needs

    The usual route for a house; flats and listed buildings follow other rules.

    A · Lawful Development Certificate decision
    8 weeks
    B · Prior approval decision
    42 days
    C · Householder decision
    8 weeks

    One exemption on the list has changed

    The self-build and custom-build exemption in the checklist no longer applies to new applications made from the August change. The national position is that it was removed for new applications, while earlier applications and later variations of exempt permissions keep it. An owner relying on the old wording could find that a small self-build house now needs a plan.

    The small-site exemption took its place for many schemes. Sites of 0.2 hectares or below are exempt, and a London plot for a single house is often below that size.

    That is why we do not rely on a council's checklist alone. We check each exemption against the current national rules and tell you which one applies.

    An urban borough: little Green Belt, many Article 4 areas

    Hackney has no Green Belt to speak of, with 0 per cent mapped, and gardens are 18.5 per cent of the land. Only 18.8 per cent of households live in a house, and just 24.6 per cent own their home, so many applications come from flat owners, landlords and developers.

    The council has 37 conservation areas and 77 Article 4 directions, so the outside of a building is closely controlled. That narrows the options for habitat on a site, and it points the gain towards roofs, rear yards and boundaries rather than open ground.

    On a flat roof, a biodiverse green roof is often the cleanest answer. It scores well on the metric and sits within the building envelope, so it leaves the street elevation alone, which matters in an Article 4 area.

    Rear yards in the borough's terraces are small, and a few square metres of habitat can swing the result. A planted boundary, a tree pit and a small pond count on the metric where a paved yard counts for nothing, so careful drawing of even a modest garden is worth the effort.

    Policy context

    Hackney's framework is the Hackney Local Plan 2033 (LP33), adopted in 2,020, with a Residential extensions and alterations SPD beside it. In the latest returns the council granted 84.6 per cent of householder applications.

    Where a scheme is a conversion or a new home, our flat conversion drawings and new build drawings pages show how the drawings and landscape sheet are prepared.

    Price and next step

    A plan has no list price, because the cost follows the habitats and whether off-site units are needed. You receive a fixed quote after a free constraints check.

    Our biodiversity net gain page explains the national rules, and the Hackney area page lists our other services in the borough.

    What you receive

    Planning drawing sheet for a rear extension with plans, elevations and sections
    Sample drawing. Planning drawings for a rear extension: plans, elevations and sections on one sheet set.
    Rear view of brick terraced houses in London with slate roofs and chimney stacks along the shared roofline
    The street around you
    Move across the plinth — the blocks rise around the pointer.

    Other services in Hackney

    Biodiversity net gain plans nearby

    Questions

    Is a small self-build house in Hackney still exempt?

    Not for new applications. The national rules removed that exemption, though the small-site exemption may still cover a plot of 0.2 hectares or below.

    What is a draft biodiversity gain plan?

    A plan naming the habitats, the proposed gain, and how it will be delivered and maintained, submitted with the application for officers to read.

    Does a flat conversion need one?

    Often not, if the site is small, but the form must still state why.

    How long is the gain kept?

    At least 30 years after completion.

    Sources and dates

    City of London skyline glowing at dusk across the Thames under a dramatic orange sky

    Tell us about your property.

    We check the constraints, then send a fixed fee. Messages before 3pm get a reply the same working day.

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