Nature policy: Turning the tide
2025 has seen nature take a battering from Ministers – blamed for slow development and facing the risk of losing some vital protections. But it’s not all bad news. Matt Browne, Head of Public…
Blog: Planning and development
Luke Massey/2020VISION
Blog
The climate driven storm of the century should ground Reeves’ push for airport expansion
As a wave of recent rhetoric from UK Government sends shockwaves across a nature-loving nation, it would seem that the new Labour administration is trying out a populist, anti-scientific stance on…
What is Wildbelt and how can it help planning policy?
Today the UK Government will publish a revised National Planning Policy Framework for England. As a result, there will be much discussion about the green belt and grey belt and what this means for…
Local democratic outcomes for farming, nature and land use – a trial
The new UK Government promised that more decision-making will be devolved to local communities. With many pressures on our land and the growing impact of climate and nature loss, new approaches to…
Build, Build, Build: What's the impact of proposed planning changes in England?
Changes to England's planning system have been proposed by the UK Government and are currently under consultation until September 2024. Here, we take a look at what these changes would mean…
Planning for success: how the new UK Government can deliver on housebuilding targets whilst tackling the nature and climate crises
With a new UK Government now in situ, Becky Pullinger, head of land use planning at The Wildlife Trusts, reviews what is needed to deliver on one of their key manifesto pledges – to build new…
Further oil and gas licensing will do nothing to address the cost of living crisis
Our actions this decade will determine the extent to which we experience a collapse in global biodiversity and runaway climate change. Neither the current UK Government, nor opposing political…
The headline Government doesn’t want you to see – “No.10 to end ban on pollution”
Rumours abound that UK Government is considering relaxing rules that prevent polluting development. But whilst press lines on ending the ‘housing moratoria’ may cut through with some supporters,…
Wildlife laws under threat: Habitats Regulations
With a second reading of the Retained EU Laws Bill expected soon, we're sharing a series of blogs about the laws and regulations designed to protect nature that are under threat. Today, Sue…
UK's energy security must be tackled alongside the nature and climate crises... if not, we shoot ourselves in the foot
The 2020s are a time of great uncertainty and our actions in this decade will determine if we experience, or avoid, a catastrophic collapse in global biodiversity and runaway climate change.…