- 8 Aug 2024
What is a Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan (HMMP)?
A Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan (HMMP) outlines how retained, created or enhanced habitats (as part of an approved development) will be maintained and monitored for 30 years.
Within Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG), all on-site significant enhancements and all offsite BNG provision must be legally secured for a minimum 30-year duration, subject to a Biodiversity Gain Plan.
Competency is defined within the Metric User Guide as ‘aligned with the British Standard ‘Process for designing and implementing biodiversity net gain: BS 8683:2021’. A competent person is someone who can demonstrate they have acquired through training, qualifications or experience.
What should an HMMP include?
The HMMP should include the following information:
- Roles and responsibilities (who is responsible for habitat creation/enhancement, and management and monitoring)
- Details of phasing strategy
- Baseline environmental data
- How habitats will be created or enhanced
- Management prescriptions
- Details of any off-site gains
- Habitat monitoring
When is the HMMP submitted?
The finalised HMMP is legally required to be submitted as part of the Biodiversity Gain Plan, as a pre-commencement condition/obligation once planning has been approved; typically an 8 week process. Note: many local planning authorities are requesting that a draft version of the HMMP during the planning application.
Who is responsible for implementing an HMMP?
It is the landowner or developer’s responsibility to ensure monitoring and reporting obligations are fulfilled, or adequately delegated to another body, to the specifications set out in the Biodiversity Gain Plan and HMMP.
It is the LPAs responsibility to report on the BNG of developments within their borough to the central government. Therefore, it is important that they receive HMMPs. It is likely monitoring will fall to private consultancies in the future.
When does the 30-year maintenance period begin?
The 30-years management and monitoring requirement begins onsite from when the development is complete.
For off-site BNG, the 30-year maintenance period starts once the habitat enhancement/creation works have been completed.
How does an HMMP differ from a LEMP?
A Landscape and Ecological Management Plan (LEMP) covers the broader management of habitats on site, including management objectives for growth, health and safety and visual amenity. An HMMP is more specific to BNG and focuses solely on the proposed habitat type and condition to securing the proposed net gain result.
What if a site requires off-site mitigation?
If BNG is being achieved through off-site gains, the HMMP should be agreed with one of the following:
1) Local planning authority (LPA), if securing gains through a planning obligation (section 106 agreement); or
2) The responsible body, if securing gains via a conservation covenant.
What happens if the land is sold prior to completion of the 30-year management plan?
The new landowner will be responsible for the continued management and monitoring until the 30-year period is complete. Note: the HMMP should be updated with the new landowners details.
