Habitat Management and Monitoring Plans
In England, Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) is required under law through Schedule 7A of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, added by the Environment Act 2021. Most new developments must improve biodiversity on-site by at least 10% compared to the site's pre-development value. These gains must be maintained for at least 30 years.
An Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan (HMMP) is a detailed document that explains how biodiversity improvements—on-site or off-site—will be managed and monitored over this period.
What is an Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan?
An Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan (HMMP) is a document that sets out how retained, newly created or enhanced habitats will be managed and monitored over time to achieve the intended biodiversity outcomes and the reporting methods.
An HMMP may be requested by the Local Planning Authority (LPA) if you are delivering any off-site gains or for any significant on-site enhancements. Each LPA will have different criteria for what counts as a significant enhancements but these would normally include:
Habitats of medium or higher distinctiveness within the biodiversity metric.
Habitats of low distinctiveness which create a large number of biodiversity units relative to the biodiversity value of the site before development.
Habitat creation or enhancement where distinctiveness is increased relative to the distinctiveness of the habitat before development.
Enhancements to habitat condition (i.e. poor or moderate to good condition).
Pioneer Environment can provide an HMMP ensuring that proposed habitats are managed appropriately to meet their target condition.
What’s included in an HMMP?
The HMMP will provide management actions and monitoring measures to establish how the proposed habitats will be created and maintained ensuring they reach the target conditions. The management plan will be updated as required based on the results of structured monitoring allowing for adaptive management.
The report will outline different components including:
Listed Roles and Responsibilities
Context of Development Site
Baseline Habitat Assessment
Habitat Creation and Targets
Management Aims and Actions
Habitat Risk Register
Monitoring Aims and Actions
Monitoring Schedule
Adaptive Management Approach
When is the HMMP submitted?
When an HMMP is required to assist in discharging the biodiversity gain condition it may be submitted as a separate document or companion document to the Biodiversity Gain Plan (BGP). The HMMP must align with the metrics and outcomes promised in the BGP and reflect the biodiversity gain hierarchy.
If you are delivering off-site gains, your HMMP will need to be agreed with one of the following prior to starting the works:
The LPA if you have secured gains through a planning obligation (section 106 agreement).
The responsible body if you have secured the gains through a conservation covenant.