The survey comes in as it is. A Statutory Biodiversity Metric workbook, a shapefile, GeoJSON, a spreadsheet of parcels, and the map and site photographs. If a habitat cannot be matched, or the area or condition is missing, that parcel stays flagged. The draft does not invent a figure to fill the gap.

Condition is scored from the published rules. Each habitat in the Statutory Biodiversity Metric has a route: its condition sheet, a fixed condition where the metric already sets one, or the external method where that is the rule, including River Condition Assessment for rivers and streams. A checklist records Poor, Moderate or Good and writes that result back to the parcel. Where a rule has only been transcribed from the published sheets, and not yet signed by an ecologist, the plan says so.

The plan is a first draft in Natural England’s HMMP structure. Word and PDF, following the JP058 headings, plus a record of where each paragraph came from. Nothing exports until someone confirms it is a first draft and still needs competent-person review before it is treated as a finished plan.

Writing help stays inside the site record. Photographs and the map can be placed in the working document, with captions. Where a model is used, it may only fill the narrative from facts already on the site and from cited habitat guidance. The plan can still be produced without it.