© Andy Bartlett
Planning and Infrastructure Bill
Nature or development? Let's have both!
Before the Election, the Labour Party promised voters that they would protect and restore nature. Less than a year into power, the Government's new planning changes are set to weaken environmental protections around housebuilding and development.
This is bad for wildlife, and bad for people.
We have been contributing to this process for some time, and highlighted some worrying gaps for nature in the new Bill early on. But at every stage, our efforts to work with Ministers have been spurned. Nature has been misrepresented, as have many charities like ours who exist to bring nature back to everyone's lives. Our expertise, along with tens of thousands of voices for nature, have all been dismissed.
Enough is enough. We're tired of hearing wildlife being blamed for slow development when evidence shows this just isn't true.
Reasonable amendments to the wording were tabled in order to limit the impacts of the Bill on wildlife and special spaces. These were all ignored. We then had to call on Ministers to scrap the whole section of the Bill - Part Three - that would weaken protections for wildlife. Our friends at RSPB backed us, raising their own alarms to boost our call.
Thank you to everyone who joined in! Over 90,000 messages have been sent to MPs and the UK Government so far about this issue! We will continue to update supporters on the progress of this Bill, and the different ways you can continue to play your part.
Want to learn more about the Bill? We've got you covered with our frequently asked questions:
All you need to know about the Planning and Infrastructure Bill
Planning and Infrastructure Bill Priorities
Read more about our priorities for the Planning and Infrastructure Bill below. This bill needs to provide confidence that any changes result in a win for nature.
We are proud members of Wildlife & Countryside Link and are also backing the Wilder By Design campaign.
Beaver swimming with its head just above the water © Russell Savory
Withdraw Part Three
We call on the Government to acknowledge the expert consensus that Planning & Infrastructure Bill will set back nature’s recovery, and to withdraw Part 3 of the Bill. After months of rejecting constructive attempts to improve this Part of the Bill, this is the best way in which Ministers can repair trust. If Ministers cannot bring themselves to do this, as a bare minimum they should accept the four critical amendments proposed by The Wildlife Trusts, Wildlife and Countryside Link and other nature organisations at committee stage to make Part 3 of the Bill work better.
Luke Massey
Include protecting nature
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.
Download resources
We have created a suite of leaflets, posters and social media tiles that you can use to encourage others to get involved with our campaign.
Social media tiles
More information
If you would like more information, The Wildlife Trusts have produced a series of briefings around some of the key nature policy issues, which can be downloaded below.
