Planning reform proposals are catastrophic for nature

Letter published by the West Sussex County Times, 20 February 2025.

Dear Sir,

Catastrophic for Nature

The Government’s ‘Planning Reform Working Paper: Development and Nature Recovery ’ “invites views on proposals for a new approach to how housing and infrastructure development can meet its environmental obligations and contribute to nature recovery” – “to unlock the win-win for the economy and for nature”.

Extant environmental laws provide much needed protection for at-risk and vulnerable wildlife and habitats (priority species and habitats) that are of national and international importance.

Hence the present requirement for developers to submit with their applications species and habitat survey reports, in which species and habitats present on-site are listed, impacts assessed, measures needed to enhance ecology and biodiversity detailed, and where necessary measures needed to avoid or mitigate harm recommended.

The Working Paper glosses over the Government’s intent to remove this vital requirement by means of unspecified ‘targeted amendments’ to Environmental laws, because in the Government’s view, stated in the Working Paper: “Environmental protections are seen as a barrier to growth, unnecessarily deterring planning applications and hindering the pace at which homes and infrastructure can be delivered”. This is misleading developer-led hokum.

According to the Working Paper, “impacts will be dealt with strategically in exchange for financial payment (into a nature restoration fund) that helps fund strategic actions, so development can proceed more quickly”.  Where these strategic actions will be implemented is not explained.

Disturbingly, the Working Paper does not consider the consequences for nature of permitting development without regard to impacts on wildlife and habitats.

Given the huge and unprecedented housing targets and infrastructure that has and will continue to be imposed on Sussex, most of it on green fields, the cumulative impact on nature will be catastrophic. What say Sussex’s MPs and Councillors?

Yours faithfully,

Dr R F Smith

Trustee CPRE Sussex