The Environment Bill has extended the requirement for biodiversity net gain to nationally significant infrastructure projects . In the face of the climate and biodiversity crises, this is a welcome move and one that, our research shows, the public supports: 72% of people we surveyed said they were more likely to support infrastructure developments in their local area if the projects were obliged to improve the local natural environment.

What does this mean for our clients? For many, it’s another step in the direction they’re already travelling. In our work for England’s Economic Heartland, for example, biodiversity was a key component of the 30-year strategy to connect people and transform journeys for 5.1 million residents and 280,000 businesses and deliver carbon net  zero. It was clear from the consultation that people wanted biodiversity integrated into the plan alongside considerations such as active travel and economic benefits.

Achieving this balance is key. It’s something we’ve given a lot of thought to as we’ve worked to update the Manual for Streets on behalf of the Department for Transport (DfT) and the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation (CIHT) – because you can’t design a piece of infrastructure to the lowest common denominator. After all, what would the streets in a new housing development be like if you only considered refuse lorry access and not opportunities for children to play or to boost ecology? By most people’s definition, this wouldn’t be a thriving or healthy place to live. 

So, opportunities for enriching nature need to be considered from the outset of a project along with all the other factors. It starts with government policy, then responsibility for implementing biodiversity net gain lies with joint working across promoters, developers of schemes and authorities who approve them– organisations such as Highways England, Network Rail and Homes England, as well as private sector housebuilders. But things aren’t quite as simple as this implies. Biodiversity is a long-term investment and proper consideration needs to be given to how schemes can be maintained in the decades to come so they keep providing the benefits envisaged in the design.

Securing this long-term future requires effective engagement at the outset. To maximise current and future value, the public and private sectors need to work together with local communities. 

What’s clear, though, is that people want to see improvement in their local area. A year of Covid lockdowns and restrictions has focussed people’s attention and activity on their local area – from where they shop to how they access nature.

 Our research showed that people place access to nature second only to crime in their priorities for what makes a good neighbourhood: 66% of people thought it was vital. They also preferred nature to a night out, with only 20% considering access to nightlife vital. 

By integrating nature into our thinking from the outset and working collaboratively to balance it with other outcomes, we can ensure that the gains from infrastructure projects add up across biodiversity, economic, social and environmental factors to create a positive future.