Planning reforms break Labour’s promise to protect nature, green groups say
Campaigners say there is little evidence that nature protections are blockers to developments and economic growth.
The Government’s planning reforms break its manifesto promises to protect and restore the nation’s natural environment, green groups have claimed.
The Planning and Infrastructure Bill going through Parliament overrides existing habitat and nature protections, which the Government considers to be a barrier to housebuilding and economic growth.
The draft legislation, if passed, would instead allow developers to make general environmental improvements and pay into a nature restoration fund that improves habitats on other sites.
But the Office for Environmental Protection watchdog recently warned that the Bill represents a “regression” in environmental law and would remove safeguards for nature.
The Government’s own assessment of the Bill also found little evidence green protections are a blocker to development.
The Wildlife Trusts and the RSPB are now warning that irreplaceable habitats such as chalk streams and ancient woodland, species such as hazel dormice and otters, and areas such as the New Forest and Peak District Moors will no longer be as strongly protected from development.
The groups said they have been calling for a series of amendments to tone down what they see as the most damaging aspects of the Bill but that the Government has failed to listen to their concerns or consider their “constructive solutions”.
