Over 30 charity leaders have warned that new planning reforms threaten to demolish environmental law.
CEOs from 33 nature organisations have written to Defra Secretary of State Steve Reed and Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook, issuing a warning over new planning laws.1
Their letter warns that if the proposed Planning and Infrastructure Bill proceeds unchanged, it will break new ground in the destruction of nature.
They are calling on Ministers to work with environmental groups to deliver the ‘win-win’ scenario that was originally promised by the Government when the Bill was announced. They are urging Government to support amendments to the Bill which would protect nature and deliver sustainable development for generations to come.
The letter, signed by leading conservation organisations, including The Wildlife Trusts, Woodland Trust, RSPB, National Trust, WWT, Rivers Trust and Marine Conservation Society makes it clear that the proposals, in their current form, would significantly weaken environmental law.
This could push species towards extinction, lead to irreversible habitat loss, and would make it less likely for the Government to meet its legally binding Environment Act targets. It could also significantly affect local communities with issues such as more sewage in rivers, greater flood risk and loss of valued local parks, woodlands, and river and wetland walks.
The signatories argue that the Bill falls far short of delivering on both nature recovery and responsible development for communities and could allow developers to effectively disregard environmental rules and community concerns.
This would mean that the UK’s most protected, valuable and vulnerable sites for nature, such as heathlands, woodlands and wetlands, will no longer have the strong safeguards that they have now, putting them at real risk of damage and destruction from the impacts of new development that will be waived through. 2
They warn that in its current form, the language around proposed ‘Environmental Development Plans’ is not strong enough to actually deliver the promised benefits; it could allow developers to ignore environmental requirements and scientific evidence; and provide no guarantees that substantial nature recovery work will take place.
They also warn that the legislation may significantly weaken Habitat Regulations, rules which have helped to effectively protect wildlife for decades.
In so doing the Bill risks stripping away vital protections without clear requirements on developers to deliver the nature restoration needed to bring iconic landscapes such as chalk streams, wildflower meadows and ancient woodlands back to life and to protect treasured species like hazel dormice, otters and struggling bird and butterfly species.
The warning comes as recent polling found that 71% of people would support increased planning protections for green and blue spaces, including fields, woodland, community parks, national parks, rivers, lakes and streams. Only 12% think current planning rules go too far in protecting the country’s natural spaces and wildlife – showing the Government’s position on nature as a blocker of development is out of touch with public opinion. 3
Richard Benwell, CEO of Wildlife and Countryside Link said, “The Government is right that a win-win is possible for nature and development, but the Planning Bill is completely one-sided.
“It throws environmental protection to the wind, with little to offer future generations or communities fearful for the future of nature. It would leave vulnerable species and irreplaceable habitats like chalk streams and ancient woodlands more exposed than ever to unsustainable development. Promises of nature recovery efforts in return are thin and uncertain.”
Beccy Speight, RSPB Chief Executive, said: “We were promised legislation that would deliver a win-win for nature and economic growth, but by stripping out essential protections for nature, this Bill offers neither. Unamended, it will supercharge the decline of our most precious habitats and wildlife.
“Investing in nature makes clear economic sense. Taking a wrecking ball to the very thing the economy and supply chains depend on does not.”
The group has reiterated its desire to work with Ministers and the government to get the bill back on course and is calling for the following priority amendments:
- Prioritise Avoiding Harm: Developers must first avoid environmental damage before relying on Environmental Delivery Partnerships (EDPs), with harm to protected sites only permitted for overriding public interest.
- Base Decisions on Science: New protected features should only be added when clear scientific evidence supports the effectiveness of strategic approaches.
- Guarantee Upfront Benefits: Environmental improvements must be delivered upfront, especially for irreplaceable or significant damage, with a clear and transparent improvement plan.
- Ensure Net Gain for Nature: Strengthen the improvement test to require definite, measurable, and significant benefits, rather than just probable improvements.
The Bill would amend environmental laws such as The Habitats Regulations, The Wildlife & Countryside Act, and other protections for nature.
The Bill introduces new Environmental Development Plans, which would allow developers to pay a Nature Restoration Levy instead of complying with environmental protection laws, allowing development to go ahead. The levy would be invested by Natural England in projects that improve nature in line with strategic compensation measures set out in the Environmental Delivery Plans.
Nature groups support the principle of this “strategic approach” for some environmental issues, such as river pollution. However, they say that the Government’s proposals need stronger safeguards to ensure they do not allow unsustainable development.
More broadly, the nature charities say that the Bill is a missed opportunity to make the planning system work better, delivering development and nature-restoration hand-in-hand. In their Wilder By Design campaign they are calling for the Bill to:
– Deliver a Plan for People and Nature – including a Local Authority duty to help meet climate and nature targets, and a National Spatial Plan that identifies the best places to build homes and infrastructure and the irreplaceable natural spaces to protect.
– Stop the bulldozing of nature’s protections – Ensuring key rules like the Habitats Regulations are not ripped up and remain fit for purpose to protect irreplaceable habitats and wildlife.
– Ensure a planning system that is “Wilder by Design” – with new Building Regulations for biodiversity ensuring more bird boxes, bee bricks and native plants.
References
1. The full letter can be found here.
2. The Planning and Infrastructure Bill was introduced in Parliament on 11 March 2025.
3. All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc.
