A few weeks ago we wrote a blog outlining our serious concerns about the Planning and Infrastructure Bill. Subsequent announcements have made nature’s future even worse.

We are in contact with our six Worcestershire MPs to share our concerns outlined below.  With the Planning and Infrastructure Bill returning to Parliament on 9^th and 10^th June, we urgently need you to: 

• Write to your MP to express your concerns and call for part 3 of the Bill to be scrapped. We have made it easy for you to do so. Just follow this link to our template letter, complete your information and we will do the rest.
• Share your concerns on social media to make as much noise as possible. 

The Planning and Infrastructure Bill has been repeatedly sold as a ‘win-win’ for nature and growth. It is anything but a win for nature.  We know we ask a lot from you to support our work but we are at a fork in the road with many vital protections for the natural world at risk. Please consider sending this letter. This is the most important campaign for nature in a generation and we need your help as so much is at stake.   

After many broken promises from the Government about the natural world, we and colleagues in Wildlife Trusts across the country feel we have no choice but to put all our efforts into campaigning to completely remove part 3 of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill that focuses on nature and development.

The Bill has been making its way through Parliament and last week finished its committee stage. The Wildlife Trusts, many other nature conservation organisations and a long list of experts had shared our concerns about the Bill, which enables developers to pay cash to trash nature.   

Several vital amendments to the Bill were proposed by Wildlife and Countryside Link, an organisation that The Wildlife Trusts are a member of. The Government rejected all the crucial amendments. Every single one. These amendments would have helped to reduce the impact of the Bill on nature and, crucially, would close the various loopholes that, as the Bill is currently written, can enable harm to nature.   

The Government didn't just reject these amendments. We are beyond frustrated that during the committee stage the Government proposed amendments that would further weaken protections for nature. 

write to your MP

It is increasingly clear that our concerns are not being listened to and neither are the concerns of the Government’s own independent advisors, the Worcester-based Office for Environmental Protection (OEP), nor countless nature conservation experts including the RSPB. The OEP, a body established by the Environment Act 2021 to provide independent oversight of the Government’s environmental progress, has said, “In our considered view, the bill would have the effect of reducing the level of environmental protection provided for by existing environmental law. As drafted, the provisions are a regression.” We agree and the Government needs to listen.  

Developers have also begun to express their concerns about the Bill, citing concerns around uncertainty impacting on investor and business confidence.  A ‘win-win’ it is most certainly not. This piece in The Developer magazine explains why conservationists and developers are both being used as scapegoats by the Government. It is clear from recent research from the British House Builders Federation that around 80% of local planning departments are understaffed with knock-on delays inevitable. Unless and until the resourcing shortfalls are fixed (and we’ve been calling for better funding for council planning departments for years) this unfortunate issue will continue to slow ALL development. Contrast this with new Wildlife Trust research showing that only 3% of planning appeals referred to bats and newts.  We remain mystified why nature is being targeted as the blocker to development and growth.

The ongoing unpleasant rhetoric towards organisations fighting for nature has continued. People like you, who care about nature and want an actual win-win for nature and growth, have been described as blockers and vital habitat regulations and species protections have been described as ‘insane’ by the Chancellor.   

Our concerns about the Bill continue to be exacerbated by wider proposals from Government. Delivery mechanisms fundamental to their commitment to reversing the decline of nature, such as Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) through development, are at risk of being eroded as a result of ongoing moves to reduce burdens on developers. The proposed removal of BNG requirements for smaller developments would, for example, mean that around 70% of developments would no longer need to deliver biodiversity enhancement to any meaningful degree. 

It is so disappointing for nature to be targeted in this this way. Please stand up for nature by adding your signature to the letter to MPs.  

Thank you in advance for your support. 

Mike Perry, Chief Executive Steve Bloomfield, Head of Conservation 

write to your MP