Regulatory advice and legislation in the UK
July 2019
Eco-engineering is becoming increasingly visible in development advice and policy but is not a requirement under current legislation. This year, that is set to change in the UK.
On 13th March 2019, the UK government announced that ‘biodiversity net gain’ would be mandated for in the upcoming Environment Bill. Biodiversity net gain requires developers to ensure habitats for wildlife are enhanced and left in a measurably better state than they were pre-development. They must assess the type of habitat and its condition before submitting plans, and then demonstrate how they are improving biodiversity – such as through the creation of green corridors, planting more trees, or forming local nature spaces.
Eco-engineering will be necessary to incorporate in the coastal infrastructure of the future. To ensure solutions are proven to be robust and successful, it is necessary to trial eco-engineering options now to prepare for this legislative change.
MARINEFF will trial four different eco-engineering units subjected to rigorous tests to ensure their viability for incorporating within coastal engineering and infrastructure. Read more about it here.