DEFRA confirms new rules following consultation
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has confirmed that sites below 0.2 hectares will be exempt from biodiversity net gain (BNG) requirements.
The new rule, following consultation this year, will help in “reducing costs for small SME developers and saving local planning authorities time and money.”
DEFRA said it would also consult on BNG exemption for brownfield residential developments of up to 2.5 hectares.
Meanwhile the publication of the Future Homes Standard (FHS) has been delayed until early 2026, according to a Government update.
The long-awaited response to the FHS consultation had been expected this year, but has been delayed again.
Private estate management consultation underway
The Government has launched a consultation to seek views on reducing the reliance on private estate management.
The move comes following recommendations from the Competition and Markets Authority, and seeks to address the issue of unadopted amenities on privately managed housing estates in England.
On these schemes, amenities such as roads, drainage systems, green spaces, and other communal infrastructure are maintained by private estate management companies rather than public authorities.
This trend, says the Government, has led to unfair charges, poor transparency, and limited homeowner rights, creating significant consumer detriment.
Housing View 