Biodiversity Net Gain for Sports Facilities: What Developers Need to Know
Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) for Sports Facilities. Learn what developers need to know about meeting legal biodiversity requirements for new sports and leisure projects.
Greening the Game: As planning rules evolve, developers behind sports and leisure facilities must now factor in the growing influence of Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG). Whether it’s a new community football pitch, gym complex, leisure centre, or racquet sports venue, delivering a 10% uplift in biodiversity is no longer a nice-to-have - it’s actually a legal requirement.
Why BNG Applies to Sports Facilities
Sports developments often involve change of land use, surfacing, lighting, drainage, or access - all of which can negatively impact biodiversity. From January 2024, most planning permissions in England now require BNG under the Environment Act, and major infrastructure projects will follow in 2026.
That means even sports facilities must demonstrate a measurable biodiversity uplift, ideally on-site or by offsetting their requirement by purchasing biodiversity units from a provider such as Integrated Land Management.
ILM is available to support a range of projects, including padel court developments with companies like padel court suppliers Padel Magic UK, where space constraints and intensity of use often make off-site solutions the most practical route to compliance.
The Challenge of On-Site BNG Delivery
For many sports projects, particularly those on compact urban or edge-of-town plots, creating new high-value habitats onsite isn’t feasible. Facilities prioritise access, visibility, car parking, and lighting - none of which lend themselves to biodiversity.
In these cases, off-site BNG units become a vital solution. Developers can meet legal requirements without compromising the usability or design of their facility.
How ILM Helps
Integrated Land Management (ILM) works with developers across England to:
• Match BNG unit needs to available off-site Gain Sites
• Ensure compliance with trading rules (e.g. like-for-like habitat type and distinctiveness)
• Provide supporting documentation for planning submissions
• Offer clear, personal guidance throughout the BNG process
Our registered sites cover a wide range of habitat types, from grassland and woodland to wetland and scrub, and we help developers identify units that align with their baseline losses.
Some padel court providers and installers, such as Padel Magic UK, offer a full ‘planning to play’ service.
They work with specialist advisors like Integrated Land Management and Padel Plan to manage the full process; from selecting a site, handling planning applications, and advising on biodiversity uplift requirements, to ensuring you meet BNG compliance before construction begins.
Early Engagement is Key
BNG can’t be an afterthought. Engaging early avoids delays and ensures your biodiversity plan aligns with the planning application. ILM can advise at pre-application stage or as soon as metric outputs are available.
BNG is Here to Stay
For developers working on:
• School sports pitches
• Fitness and wellbeing centres
• Multi-sport facilities
• Leisure and racquet clubs
…it’s essential to plan for BNG from day one. Let ILM help make that part easy.
Talk to our team today to discuss unit availability and planning support.
If you're planning to build padel courts and need advice on the biodiversity net gain requirements for your site, Padel Magic UK and ILM can work together to guide you through the process.
Want to learn more about Why Off-Site Biodiversity Net Gain Can Deliver Better Outcomes Than On-Site BNG? This article is an in-depth look at when off-site units can be the smarter choice.
