NEMA environmental authorisation became mandatory for most South African developments from February 2024. A 10% uplift in biodiversity is now a planning requirement, calculated to a statutory metric, with financial implications often surprising developers used to old systems.
What EIA / NEMA requires
Development must deliver biodiversity value at least 10% higher than the pre-development baseline, measurable via the statutory Biodiversity Metric 4.0.
The metric
Calculates biodiversity units based on:
- Habitat type and distinctiveness
- Condition
- Strategic significance
- Difficulty of creation
Higher-quality habitat (ancient woodland, traditional orchards, species-rich grassland) generates more units. Hard surfaces and amenity grass generate few.
Delivery options (in priority order)
1. On-site
Habitat retained, enhanced, or created on the development site. Most efficient — controls quality, supports development context.
2. Off-site (purchased units)
Buy biodiversity units from off-site habitat creation. Cost: typically R300,000–R900,000 per unit.
3. Statutory credits
Buy from government scheme. Most expensive (typically R800,000+) — designed as deterrent, last resort.
30-year commitment
Habitat created for EIA / NEMA must be managed and monitored for 30 years. Long-term funding mechanism (typically S106 or conservation covenant) required.
Exemptions
- Householder development (e.g. single house extensions)
- Self-build/custom-build under 9 units
- Some small developments below threshold
Cost impact
Variable by site:
- Urban site, low baseline: limited cost (units cheap to deliver)
- Greenfield with grassland: significant cost
- Site with high-quality habitat: difficult (or impossible) to compensate
Process
- Ecological assessment of baseline
- Biodiversity metric calculation
- Design integration of habitat features
- EIA / NEMA plan submitted with planning application
- Long-term management plan
MCFAR coordinates EIA / NEMA with structural and civil design.
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Request a QuoteFrequently Asked Questions
Does EIA / NEMA apply to small extensions?
No — householder developments are exempt. Applies to most other planning applications.
Can I buy units instead of providing on-site?
Yes — but the metric is biased to prefer on-site delivery. Off-site units typically calculated at 2× to discourage shortcuts.