This is urgent…
If you’ve ever been to one of our talks you will have heard us discuss planning.
We normally apologise for not being able to make it exciting or interesting, but this vitally important topic shapes almost everything that gets built in our neighbourhoods.
It’s also hugely complicated, which is why the government wants to streamline the system by pushing its Planning and Infrastructure Bill through Parliament as fast as possible.
Unfortunately, Part 3 of the bill – covering Development and Nature Recovery – would remove almost all of the current safeguards against bad development. It would be disastrous for nature in general but would be especially destructive for irreplaceable habitats such as Danes Moss.
There are many ill-judged provisions in Part 3 but at the heart of the matter is the proposal to allow developers to ignore existing environmental laws and regulations if they pay into a nature restoration fund.
This means, under certain circumstances, they would not have to survey their sites for habitats or species, and they would be exempt from regulations if they happened to disturb or kill wildlife protected under laws such as the Wildlife & Countryside Act and Protection of Badgers Act. This would undo nature protection measures built up over more than half a century and would be a cataclysmic threat to biodiversity throughout the country.
We have written to our local MP[1] – Tim Roca – to ask him to seek amendments to the bill as it goes through the committee stage in parliament. We have also asked him to obtain clarification of the many vaguely worded sections of Part 3. Tim has been an active supporter of Danes Moss, and we hope he will be able to raise our concerns in parliament.
It is important that the government understands how destructive this part of the bill would be, and we urge you to write to your MP to ask for Part 3 of the bill to be paused or radically amended.
When you write (either by email or letter) please try to follow the suggestions below:
- Introduce yourself and state the issue clearly.
- Keep it short and impactful.
- Ask for specific actions, such as pausing Part 3 or objecting to specific issues
- Be polite and respectful.
- Proofread and ensure your email / letter is free of errors
Fortunately, we are not alone in our concerns over this part of the Planning & Infrastructure Bill. Many important and prestigious organisations have also raised issues with the bill, including:
Wild Justice (legal opinion) available here.
Office for Environmental Protection (legal advice to government) is linked here.
Chartered Institute for Ecology & Environmental Management (concerns and recommendations) are linked here.
Wildlife & Countryside Link (amendments to the bill) linked here.
Wildlife Trusts (advice to government) is linked here.
These provide a full assessment of the legality and impacts of the Planning & Infrastructure Bill and leave no doubt about its appalling effects.
Please write to your MP now to prevent the Bill, in its current form, becoming law.
