Griffith City Council is reminding developers, builders and property owners that new biodiversity information requirements will apply to relevant Development Applications (DAs) lodged from 1 August 2026.
To align with the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 and Biodiversity Conservation Regulation 2017, applicants will be required to submit a Biodiversity Values Map and Threshold (BMAT) Report or Letter with relevant Development Applications.
The BMAT tool helps determine whether a development proposal triggers the Biodiversity Offsets Scheme (BOS) by identifying if a site is affected by the Biodiversity Values Map or exceeds native vegetation clearing thresholds.
The requirement applies to development proposals involving land disturbance, vegetation removal, earthworks or other activities that may impact biodiversity.
While Council has previously requested BMAT reports on a case-by-case basis, the requirement will now be applied consistently across relevant Development Applications to provide a more streamlined and transparent assessment process.
A BMAT Report or Letter should be included with Development Applications involving land disturbance or vegetation removal. Council may waive the requirement where a proposal does not involve physical works or biodiversity impacts.
Applicants can generate a BMAT Report or Letter using the NSW Biodiversity Values Map and Threshold Tool and access further information on the NSW Government website: https://tinyurl.com/bdem2ryz
