The Dynamic Landscape: Designing On-Site BNG That Works for People and Nature

Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) isn’t a tick-box exercise or a token strip of wildflowers at the edge of a development. Done well, it’s a design philosophy that shapes places people want to live in - landscapes that support wildlife, connect communities and deliver long-term value.

BNG isn’t delivered on paper. It’s delivered over time.

National policy is clear on the hierarchy for delivery. On-site habitat creation should always come first, followed by off-site solutions, with statutory credits used only as a last resort. That places the emphasis exactly where it belongs: within the red line boundary and on how land can work harder for both people and nature.

At Field Works, we see the most successful schemes as those where biodiversity is woven into everyday life. Streets, public open space and small pockets of green infrastructure are opportunities to integrate ecology with amenity rather than treating them as competing priorities.

A sustainable drainage basin can become wetland habitat.

A green corridor can act as both a play buffer and a pollinator route.

These aren’t compromises, they’re examples of thoughtful design that turns environmental responsibility into real community benefit.

This principle is echoed by Natural England, who highlight that sustainable landscapes emerge when biodiversity is built into how places function day to day. In practice, that means bringing the right expertise together early – landscape architects, ecologists, engineers and long-term stewardship specialists, so that BNG is part of the site’s DNA rather than an afterthought.

From delivery to long-term stewardship

The real test of on-site BNG begins after construction. Once homes are occupied, residents become part of the stewardship story, directly as users of green spaces and indirectly through management companies and agents.

Developers play a key role in setting expectations from day one. Show homes, welcome packs, marketing materials and open-day events can all help explain how biodiversity adds value, what residents can do to protect it and why a landscape designed for nature may sometimes look less manicured than traditional expectations.

When people understand the purpose behind wildflower verges, ponds and meadows, they’re far more likely to respect and support them. That’s how schemes move from compliance to connection and from a legal requirement to shared pride in place.

Creating legacy, not liability

The future of on-site BNG lies in collaboration and continuity. Projects thrive when stewardship is designed alongside construction, when management plans are realistic and when the people living and working in a place feel invested in its success.

“Thirty-year management isn’t a burden. It’s an opportunity to create legacy.”

At Field Works, we support developers from the first sketch through to long-term care, helping biodiversity coexist with daily life. For the benefit of nature, residents and the communities that grow around them.

Field Works – your BNG site implementation and stewardship partner.