Mitigation hierarchy
Competence frameworks for the built environment – Core criteria for sustainability competence - Code of practice , Version 3, published by the Edge for the Construction Industry Council in February 2025, defines the mitigation hierarchy as a: ‘hierarchical sequence of actions to anticipate and avoid impacts on biodiversity or ecosystem services; and, where avoidance is not possible, minimise; where impacts occur, restore; and finally where significant residual impacts remain, offset. NOTE 1 Its application requires taking each step in turn, focusing on all possibilities before moving on to the next step. NOTE 2 The term “compensation” is sometimes used interchangeably with “offset”.’
The Environmental Audit Committee. Environmental sustainability and housing growth: Sixth Report of Session 2024–26 HC 439 describes it thus "seeks to minimise the impacts a development has on biodiversity. The mitigation hierarchy has four levels that should be applied in order of priority:
- Avoidance: Preventing or reducing negative impacts on biodiversity.
- Minimisation: Reducing the severity or extent of impacts that cannot be avoided.
- Restoration: Restoring degraded biodiversity or enhancing existing biodiversity.
- Offsetting: Creating new biodiversity or improving the condition of biodiversity elsewhere; this should be used as a last resort."
See also: Biodiversity mitigation hierarchy.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
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- Biodiversity net gain (BNG) regulations and implementation; Government response.
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- Biodiversity net gain, tools, tips and terms for small sites.
- Biodiversity net gain and terminology explained.
- Built environment.
- Carbon.
- Competence.
- Conservation area.
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- Forests.
- Green belt.
- Guidance on tree specification, BNG and more.
- How nature can be used to improve wellbeing.
- Local Nature Reserve.
- Local Nature Recovery Strategy LNRS.
- National nature reserve.
- National Parks.
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- Natural England.
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- Nature Recovery Network NRN.
- NPPF consultation briefing notes on terms.
- NPPF inquiry.
- NPPF.
- Nutrient Neutrality NN.
- NPPF.
- Outline planning permission.
- Planning and Infrastructure Bill PIB
- Planning legislation.
- Planning permission.
- Protected species.
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