Creating a habitat management and monitoring plan for BNG

A legal agreement is an obligation to enhance and maintain a habitat. It must set out:  

• how you will maintain the habitat 
• who is responsible for creating or enhancing the habitats 
• who is responsible for maintenance, management and monitoring 

Your legal agreement for off-site or on-site gains must last for at least 30 years. 

You can use a habitat management and monitoring plan (HMMP) to provide more information. It does not replace the legal agreement. You can include your HMMP within your legal agreement or draft it as a separate document. 

You should work with an ecologist or competent professional to write your HMMP.

Agreeing your HMMP 

For off-site gains 

If you’re delivering off-site gains, your HMMP should be agreed with one of the following: 

• the local planning authority (LPA) if you’re securing gains through a planning obligation (section 106 agreement) 
• the responsible body if you’re securing gains with a conservation covenant  

You can read more about off-site gains (this additional guidance only applies to developments that need planning permission).

For significant on-site enhancements

If you’re making significant on-site enhancements, you need to describe how you’ll maintain and monitor the habitat enhancement in your HMMP.

You’ll need to submit your HMMP for approval.

Significant on-site enhancements: developments that need planning permission

You should submit a HMMP with the biodiversity gain plan. 

You should also submit a draft HMMP with your planning application. Find out more information in the planning practice guidance.

Find out more about significant on-site enhancements.

Significant on-site enhancements: NSIPs

For NSIPs, you must submit a draft HMMP with the outline biodiversity gain plan.

You must also submit an updated HMMP with any later biodiversity gain plan submissions if the significant on-site enhancements change.

Your HMMP for any significant on-site enhancements must name the reviewer of the HMMP. This will normally be the LPA for the area where habitat works take place.   

For more information about biodiversity gain plans, read the relevant biodiversity gain statement for your NSIP.

What to include in an HMMP 

You should work with an ecologist or competent professional to write your HMMP. They will help you to understand what to include. For example:

• how you plan to manage the off-site gains or significant on-site enhancements, taking into account any legal restrictions and requirements 
• when and how you’ll monitor habitats (this will vary for different types of habitat) 
• when and how you’ll report monitoring results 
• when and how you’ll review management proposals  
• how you’ll  change the way you manage the habitat, so that you achieve the habitats or wider outcome  

Contact the LPA, responsible body, or other organisation responsible for reviewing your HMMP  to find out if you need to include other information.

Using the HMMP template 

There’s a set of HMMP tools including templates, a checklist and companion guides, to help you write your HMMP.  

The HMMP template is a guide with a structure to help you show details of your project. You do not need to fill in every section as not all of it will be relevant to you. It’s suitable for significant on-site enhancements for all types of development and for off-site gains. 

The template’s companion document lists habitat condition and assessment criteria. 

There is a separate template and habitat guide for small developments.

Designing your own HMMP  

If you design your own HMMP, you can refer to the checklist in the HMMP tools as a reminder for what you should include.  

Working with an ecologist 

If you’re using the HMMP template, the ecologist working with you should write a statement of competence in the relevant section. If your site has a watercourse element they should have the appropriate habitat specialisms.

Long term management  

If the land changes hands, you may need to update the HMMP.

Give feedback on this guidance by completing a short survey.