How the UK’s pioneering policy is reshaping development and ecological design
The built environment is undergoing a fundamental shift in response to biodiversity loss, climate change, and declining ecosystem health. In the UK, Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) is now a legal requirement, mandating that development delivers measurable improvements in biodiversity. This marks a significant change in how projects are planned, designed, and delivered across the industry.
This session explores how BNG is transforming development practice and what it means for designers, engineers, and planners. Participants will gain an understanding of the policy framework, the role of the biodiversity metric, and how ecological considerations can be integrated into projects from the earliest stages of design.
The program also considers how a landscape-led approach can support the delivery of BNG while creating more resilient, healthy, and meaningful places. Through practical insights and real-world examples, the session highlights how design teams can move beyond compliance to deliver nature-positive outcomes. It also reflects on how the principles underpinning BNG are relevant internationally, offering a model for integrating biodiversity into development beyond the UK.
Intended Audience:
Architects, landscape architects, engineers, urban designers, planners, developers, and built environment professionals involved in the planning, design, and delivery of development projects.
Founder & Director @ Alexandra Steed URBAN, FLI, FRSA
Alexandra Steed is a passionate landscape architect with a deep commitment to art, sustainability, and the transformative power of landscapes. As a Fellow of the Landscape Institute (FLI) and the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA), she has made a lasting impact on urban environments globally over her two-decade career. In 2013, she founded URBAN with a vision to create landscapes that bring joy and enhance well-being. Steed’s designs aim to foster meaningful connections with the natural environment and enrich people’s lives. Beyond her practice, Steed actively advises and serves on expert panels for organisations such as the Design Council UK and the Government’s Office for Place. She shares her knowledge as a lecturer at The Bartlett, UCL, and volunteers her time to empower communities and develop inclusive public spaces through neighbourhood plans and landscape visions. Steed’s exceptional contributions to landscape architecture have earned her prestigious awards, including the WAFX Award for innovative solutions to global challenges. She has also received The LI Award for Excellence in Tackling Climate Change and won the Best Landscape Architecture Project in the UK. Additionally, she was shortlisted for the Sir David Attenborough Award, highlighting her dedication to preserving and enhancing biodiversity and ecosystems. With valuable previous experience as Principal of Design for AECOM London and Director of Martha Schwartz Partners’ London office, Steed is dedicated to integrating natural processes and systems into her designs. Her work and advocacy strive to combat climate change, protect ecosystems, and inspire others to appreciate and engage with the natural world.
