BNG Calculatorv4.0 / JP039
Statutory Biodiversity Metric v4.0 (JP039)· Defra GOV.UK guidance, last updated 2 June 2026· NSIP extension live 2 November 2026· Reviewed 21 June 2026

BNG calculator: route-feasibility tool aligned to the Statutory Biodiversity Metric v4.0

Three inputs (hectares, dominant habitat, distinctiveness) return a three-route cost ceiling for the 10% net-gain obligation: on-site delivery, off-site units, statutory credits. No signup; calculator math is open-source.

0.80 ha(1.98 acres)
0.05 ha5 ha
Dominant baseline habitat
Modified grassland
Other neutral grassland
Lowland meadow
Lowland calcareous grassland
Lowland fen
Lowland mixed deciduous woodland
Mixed scrub
Developed / sealed surface
Native species-rich hedgerow
Priority watercourse
Distinctiveness band

Auto-resolved from the JP039 habitat lookup; editable to model alternative classifications. [S1]

Baseline BU
3.52
Post-dev BU
0.00
Delta BU (+10% req.)
3.87
Route A
On-site delivery
Ceiling for delivering the delta on-parcel
Low £46k
Mid £77k
High £124k

Includes the 30-yr management liability. Difficulty + temporal multipliers applied to the 5-yr target. [S1]

Route B
Off-site units
Buying registered off-site BU at this band
Low £70k
Mid £93k
High £116k

Feb 2026 Biodiversity Units UK market report; spatial risk and trading rules apply. [S8]

Route C
Statutory credits
Defra backstop, SRM x2 applied
Effective £325k
Tier-priced per the Defra 2 Jun 2026 schedule.

Deliberately punitive last-resort. Required only where the trading rules cannot otherwise be satisfied. [S3]

Off-site commodity median (Feb 2026)
£20-29k
Statutory tier band
£42-650k
Mandatory uplift
10%
PEA baseline survey
£1.5-4k

This is a feasibility calculator: it reproduces the JP039 v4.0 core arithmetic in plain TypeScript. It does NOT replace the bound Defra spreadsheet at planning submission; appoint a CIEEM-registered ecologist for the formal output.

Direct answer

A BNG calculator sizes the biodiversity unit delta a development must deliver to satisfy the statutory 10% net-gain requirement under the Environment Act 2021. The Statutory Biodiversity Metric v4.0 (JP039) multiplies distinctiveness, condition, area, and strategic significance to produce baseline biodiversity units. Required delta = baseline x 1.10 minus post-development units. Three delivery routes are priced: on-site, off-site units, or Defra statutory credits. [S1]

Awaiting MCIEEM peer review · CIEEM (Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management)

Why the three-route framing matters

Most SERP competitors return a single GBP estimate. The buyer’s actual decision is a routing problem; can the delta be delivered on the development parcel, bought as registered off-site units in the same Local Planning Authority, or forced to statutory credits as the punitive backstop. This calculator surfaces all three from the same input set so the viability appraisal can compare them like-for-like.[S2]

Statutory credits are deliberately priced above market by the Spatial Risk Multiplier (SRM) doubling rule; a Tier A1 credit at £42,000 becomes an effective £84,000 floor per unit.[S3] Off-site units from registered habitat banks typically clear at £20,000 to £50,000 per unit for medium distinctiveness, rising sharply for high and very-high.[S8]

Regulatory currency check
This page reflects the Statutory Biodiversity Metric v4.0 (JP039); Defra GOV.UK guidance last updated 2 June 2026; the 2 November 2026 NSIP scope extension; and the 31 July 2026 small-sites 0.2 ha exemption confirmation. The 18-month post-implementation review and Defra brownfield consultation may further alter scope; see /changelog for the most recent numeric update.

Drill deeper into each route

Cost per biodiversity unit
Feb 2026 market table by distinctiveness band; 30x spread explained.
Statutory credit prices
Defra A1 to A5 plus hedgerow plus watercourses; SRM x2 worked.
Baseline survey cost
CIEEM PEA at £1.5k to 4k; spread drivers and survey window.
30-yr management
Per-hectare annual liability and the monitoring cadence.
S106 legal cost
Section 106 vs conservation covenant fee comparison.
The full formula
JP039 v4.0 arithmetic in plain English plus open-source TS.
Small Sites Metric
SSM-only tool for self-builders post-0.2 ha exemption gate.
Exemptions
Householder PDR, de minimis, 0.2 ha small-sites exemption.
Route comparison
Three routes scored on cost, risk, speed, acceptability.