"Planning must be nature-led", urge campaigners

Sienna Somers, nature campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said:

“Real planning reforms will only succeed if nature is embedded at the heart of the process – not treated as a problem to overcome or a ‘nice to have.’ When wildlife and habitats are reduced to box-ticking exercises, it leads to avoidable conflict, delays and higher costs.

“We need to build more affordable homes and upgrade infrastructure, but the government’s rhetoric on this has been inconsistent. Ministers say they won’t weaken environmental protections, yet simultaneously take aim at bats, newts, spiders, and snails.

“Planning must be nature-led, with the ambition to restore and connect habitats shaping where and how we build. Nature isn’t the barrier but the foundation for healthier, more resilient communities.”

ENDS