It's not 'nature or development' - it's both.
The UK Government promised to protect and restore nature. But less than a year in, new planning changes are set to weaken environmental protections for developments, like housebuilding.
This is bad for wildlife and for people.
We have tried to work with Ministers to highlights gaps for nature in the new Planning and Infrastructure Bill. Yet at every stage our efforts have been ignored. Enough is enough.
We’re tired of hearing the blame for slow development being placed on wildlife when evidence shows this just isn’t true.
Update: 13th June 2025
During the Commons Report stage of the Planning Bill, the Minister and some MPs made incorrect statements about the relationship between nature protections and housing provision, and the impact of the Bill on those protections.
The UK Government has announced a consultation proposing reduced Biodiversity Net Gain requirements for small and medium building developments in England. As the latter make up over 70% of all housing developments, the impacts on the natural world will be severe.
Joan Edwards OBE, director of policy and public affairs at The Wildlife Trusts says:
“This is bad news for nature and communities – it is yet another appalling example of the Government breaking its promise to put nature at the heart of housebuilding. Building developments can have a huge impact on wildlife and it’s only fair they should make up for this by increasing natural habitats on-site or nearby."
Planning and Infrastructure Bill Priorities
Read more about them below.
This bill needs to provide confidence that any changes result in a win for nature.
Luke Massey
Include strong safeguards
It is CRITICAL that strong safeguards are embedded to ensure key environmental principles are upheld. First and foremost, ANY development should seek first to avoid harm and measures to improve nature should be secured in advance of development where possible. New plans intended to manage development impacts on nature NEED to be underpinned by scientific evidence and pass a strong legal test that they will significantly boost nature recovery before being adopted.
©Bob Coyle
Include nature protections
This bill needs to be aspirational. It MUST take steps to protect and recover nature. We want Ministers to introduce new protections for chalk streams, local wildlife sites and wildbelt. It is CRUCIAL for all new development to include nature in their design.
More information
For more information, read our series of briefings and blogs around some of the key nature policy issues.
