Leading housebuilders have split over new rules that will force them to improve biodiversity on their sites.
In a response to the government’s consultation on biodiversity net gain, which will come into force in November, Persimmon has warned that the rules will hold back affordable housing. It has also called for the requirement to improve biodiversity by more than 10% to be “optional” and suggested a cost cap of £20,000 to £25,000 per unit.
Barratt Homes has already adopted the rules, and has been factoring in a 10% improvement to all of its sites submitted to planning since the start of the year.
The Home Builders Federation said the rules could add £544 to the average cost of developing a greenfield plot and £109 to developing a brownfield plot in London, while in Yorkshire the costs rose to £1,411 for greenfield and £269 for brownfield.
