Recommendation 32

While the Government has completed its consultation on new exemptions to BNG, additional exemptions must not undermine the effectiveness of the policy, ecosystem integrity, or the establishment of the BNG credit market. Entire exemptions from BNG for small sites would undermine the policy. The Government should not exempt all small sites, but consider minor alterations, to ensure that the effectiveness of the policy is maintained. We reiterate our recommendation in paragraph 124 of our report on The Role of Natural Capital in the UK’s Green Economy. The Government should wait at least three years before making any substantial changes to BNG, as this could be viewed as a watering down of ambition. (Recommendation, Paragraph 116)