The BNG spatial risk multiplier: how location changes how many units you buy
The spatial risk multiplier reduces the value of off-site units the further they are from your development. Units in the same local planning authority or National Character Area count in full (1.0), units from an adjacent area count at 0.75 and units from elsewhere in England at 0.5, so a deficit of 2 units needs 2, 2.67 or 4 units respectively.
Key facts
- Current multipliers: local 1.0, adjacent 0.75, elsewhere in England 0.5.
- Local and adjacent are defined by local planning authority and National Character Area boundaries.
- The government plans to move spatial risk to England’s 48 Local Nature Recovery Strategy areas; no commencement date set when last checked.
- Units bought are the deficit divided by the multiplier, rounded up.
- The multiplier applies to area, hedgerow and watercourse units alike and to fractions.
Last checked: 3 October 2026
Why does the multiplier exist?
Policy wants gains delivered near the harm, so that the communities and ecosystems affected by development benefit. Discounting distant units pushes developers towards local supply and rewards providers who create habitat where demand is.
How do I work out what counts as local?
A gain site is local if it is in the same local planning authority as your development or in the same National Character Area. NCAs are the 159 landscape areas defined by Natural England and they often cross council boundaries, so a site in a neighbouring county can still be local. Adjacent means a neighbouring LPA or NCA. Anything else in England is elsewhere.
The arithmetic
| Deficit | Local (÷1.0) | Adjacent (÷0.75) | Elsewhere (÷0.5) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5 | 0.50 | 0.67 | 1.00 |
| 2 | 2.00 | 2.67 | 4.00 |
| 5 | 5.00 | 6.67 | 10.00 |
| 20 | 20.00 | 26.67 | 40.00 |
Compare the effective price per unit of deficit: a £22,000 unit from elsewhere costs £44,000 per unit of deficit, dearer than a £30,000 local unit. The sourcing check shows this for your own figures.
What is planned to change?
The government intends to replace LPA and NCA boundaries with the 48 Local Nature Recovery Strategy areas. For many developments that would widen what counts as local; for some it would narrow it. No commencement date had been set when we last checked. Read the LNRS change guide.
A worked example across a boundary
A development in authority A loses 3 units. A gain site in authority B shares the same National Character Area, so it is local and 3 units are bought. A second gain site in authority C is in a different NCA and does not border authority A, so it is elsewhere: 6 units would be needed. At £24,000 per unit the local site costs £72,000 and the elsewhere site £144,000, even though both quote the same price.
How to check what is local
- Find your development’s local planning authority and National Character Area (Natural England’s NCA map).
- Ask the provider for the gain site’s LPA and NCA.
- Same LPA or same NCA is local. Neighbouring LPA or NCA is adjacent. Otherwise elsewhere.
How the multiplier sits in the metric
Off-site units are entered in the off-site sheet of the statutory metric with the gain site’s location. The metric applies the spatial risk multiplier automatically alongside the temporal risk multiplier (time to reach target condition) and the difficulty multiplier (how hard the habitat is to create). The combined effect is why the number of units you buy can be well above the raw deficit.
Key takeaways
- Local 1.0, adjacent 0.75, elsewhere 0.5
- Local means same LPA or same National Character Area
- Units bought equal deficit divided by the multiplier
- Compare effective price per unit of deficit, not headline price
Frequently asked questions
Does the multiplier apply to statutory credits?
No. Credits are priced nationally, but they are a last resort.
Can a site be local by NCA but not by LPA?
Yes. Either test makes it local.
How is rounding handled?
Round up to two decimal places so the gain plan shows the full requirement met.
Does the multiplier change the price?
No. It changes how many units you buy, which changes the total cost.
Is the multiplier applied before or after the 10% uplift?
The uplift sets the target; the multiplier applies when off-site units are counted towards it.
Can the planning authority waive the multiplier?
No. It is part of the statutory metric.
Sources
- Statutory biodiversity metric, gov.uk
- Local nature recovery strategies, gov.uk
- Biodiversity net gain guidance, gov.uk
Written by BNG Sourced by Green Acres BNG specialists and reviewed by Mike Dungait, Managing Director of Green Acres BNG, who has registered and manages two habitat banks. Indicative information, not legal or planning advice. Confirm with your ecologist and planning authority.
Related: BNG sourcing check, exemption checker, BNG unit prices, glossary, the LNRS change, BNG units by region.
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