The Landscape Institute supports the letter from CIEEM to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which raises serious concerns about the misuse of the de minimis exemption within the Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) framework.

The letter, co-signed by a broad coalition of environmental, professional and business leaders, highlights clear evidence that the current exemption is being used at scale in ways neither intended nor anticipated by Parliament. Analysis, including the recent eftec report, indicates that if the existing de minimis exemption is retained – and a proposed new 0.2 hectare exemption introduced – more than 90% of planning applications could avoid BNG requirements altogether. This will have a very damaging, and potentially irreversible impact on biodiversity in the UK.