Part 3 of the Bill introduces Environmental Delivery Plans (EDPs), to manage impacts in some places where development will affect protected sites and species. The UK Government’s environmental watchdog, the Office for Environmental Protection, warned in May that the absence of legal certainty and key environmental principles from this proposed system would lead to environmental regression. The Wildlife Trusts ran a ‘Broken Promises’ campaign later that month, which saw over 30,000 people email their MPs asking for Part 3 to be withdrawn as environmentally unsafe and for the Government to stop issuing incorrect statements about nature protections being a blocker to housing delivery and growth.  

The amendments published by the Government today add new safeguards to Part 3, informed by Office for Environmental Protection recommendations. These include strengthening the legal tests that EDPs will have to pass, requiring each EDP to be based on scientific evidence showing it will lead to environmental improvement and imposing monitoring and reporting requirements. The amendments have been published alongside a policy statement stating the Government respects the need to prioritise the avoidance of harm to wildlife and recognises that environmental protections are not a barrier to growth. 

Joan Edwards, director of policy and public affairs at The Wildlife Trusts, says:  

‘‘Over the last few months, we have continued to shine a spotlight on the damaging aspects of this Bill, making clear that nature needs a voice in decisions around our growth as a nation, so it’s good to see that our concerns have been heard and some changes will be made. 

“However, this is not a done deal and we will now scrutinise these changes in detail to make sure they stand up to analysis, embody the Office for Environmental Protection recommendations in full and truly deliver the win-win for nature and development the Government has promised. We will continue to campaign and to work with peers and MPs to improve the Planning and Infrastructure Bill for nature. 

“This must mark the start of Ministers listening more to the nature-loving British public and recognising that wilder places mean happier, more secure and more prosperous futures for all.”