Building for biodiversity - How to avoid lengthy delays when building a home in NSW
The koala is listed as “vulnerable to extinction” by New South Wales’ Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016. Photo: Caitlin Henderson
What is biodiversity?
The land we build on has a long history. Plants, animals and other organisms - many too small for the eye to see - all depend on that land for survival, and in turn, the health of our land depends on them. Biodiversity is the measure of the variety of these organisms, each of which are part of a delicate balancing act happening all around us at all times.
Biodiversity doesn’t just exist in rainforests. Every environment relies on a variety of species to thrive.
The complex interactions between species are what keeps our planet functioning and us alive. Protecting these systems begins at ground level - with us at Prominda, and with your decisions when building your new home.
How does biodiversity affect my plans to build a house?
Before building can begin, all land in New South Wales needs to be assessed for its biodiversity. The aim of this assessment is to reduce loss of threatened or important species and protect biodiversity across the whole state.
In 2016, the NSW government began implementing the “Biodiversity Values Map" (under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016). This mapping helps identify areas that may have significant biodiversity, ensuring the protection of any habitats during and after construction.
If your proposed development triggers the specific biodiversity values threshold, an assessment by an accredited biodiversity assessor may be required before development can take place. This assessment, the Biodiversity Assessment Method (BAM) calculates the likely losses in biodiversity as well as any gains in biodiversity from conservation works.
How can Prominda help?
Prominda homes are designed to work within the landscape and not against it.
At Prominda, it’s important to us we work with your land, not against it. We are experts in designing modular homes for challenging and rural landscapes. Our construction process reduces the impact on the local environment by minimising time spent building on site.
However, while we recognise that Biodiversity is integral in protecting the long-term value of your land and the wider environment, it also has the potential to delay home approvals and construction. These delays may be frustrating and can become expensive.
Prominda’s Three-Point Check (Bushfire, Biodiversity and Flood) streamlines this process. This allows any potential problems to be identified at the very beginning, enabling us to organise all required reports, certifications and consultants long before your plans hit the Council’s doorstep. For you, this means no lengthy delays during the approval process, and no surprise costs!
Prominda will help assess your development for Fire and Biodiversity considerations, so you we can start building your new home without any delays.
Contact Prominda today, for more information about how Biodiversity may affect you, and how we can build your sustainable and environmentally-friendly home.
More information about how the Biodiversity Offsets Scheme works and the entry requirements, can be found on the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage website.