Threats to nature in Labour's planning bill
Re your article (Planning bill 'throws environmental protection to the wind', say UK nature chiefs, 9 April), while Labour's planning and infrastructure bill aims for 1.5m homes to spur economic growth, part 3 of the bill threatens both nature and delivery.
The UK's wildlife has declined 19% since 1970, with 16% of species at risk. Yet part 3's environmental delivery plans allow developers to pay an unquantified levy for vague restoration, sidestepping the Environment Act's principles of prevention and precaution, and risking irreversible harm to our iconic ecosystems such as chalk streams and woodlands.
The bill's 'overall improvement test' rests on weak 'likely' benefits outweighing harm, ignoring scientific evidence, bypassing existing safeguards and failing to guarantee delivery of biodiversity gains. This may court illegality under the Berne convention, while complex levies and surveys could delay the housebuilding we need and lead to a 'cash to trash' system.
Ministers promised a win-win for nature and development, but without amendments that ensure benefits precede harm and mandating 'significant, measurable' gains – this is a loss for both. This isn't obstructionism. It's a plea for due process.
MPs must pause part 3, consult widely and align this legislation with the spirit and substance of the Environment Act and the climate and nature bill. Housing is urgent, but it doesn't need to happen at nature's expense. Nature isn't a 'nice to have', it's all we have.Prof EJ Milner-GullandTasso Leventis professor of biodiversity, University of Oxford
Have an opinion on anything you've read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Builders are being undercut by illegal migrant labour – Brits who pay taxes and play by rules feel shafted
ON Question Time last week, Labour's clueless Treasury minister Darren Jones made an extraordinary claim. He told the BBC's top debate show that 'the majority of people in these boats are children, babies and women' when they cross the Channel. This is simply not true. 2 2 The Government's own website states: 'Seventy per cent of people detected arriving irregularly have been adult males aged 18 and over.' And — thanks to the exclusive Sun on Sunday investigation published here — we now know what many of them get up to once they arrive. The British people are being taken for fools again. We already know that our borders are in chaos. But, thanks to successive Labour and Tory governments, those arriving then go on to work illegally on the £260billion black market economy. And all the while we pay for their accommodation. Today it's highlighted in Barking but make no mistake, this scandal is playing out in towns and cities right across the country. Nearly 40,000 boat migrants have arrived since Labour came to power — and numbers are up 40 per cent on this time last year. How many of these already work on the black market without paying tax? Labour has long championed the mantra of British jobs for British workers. But brickies and builders are being undercut by illegal labour. Britain is in social and economic decline. The social contract is stretched to its limits. People that pay their taxes and play by the rules increasingly feel shafted. Yes, these migrants may be victims of exploitation — but they are also part of the criminal economy. Unscrupulous bosses are laughing all the way to the bank while British workers get priced out again. I was the first to highlight the impending invasion of young, undocumented males. Most of the media ignored me. But we can now see I was right. Immigration is out of control. The situation in the Channel is a security emergency. If we cannot stop this in Barking, how on earth will we control the borders in Dover? Keir Starmer's soft touch is laughable. He promised to smash the gangs — but all he has smashed are illegal immigration records. The only way to deal with this problem is to say everyone that comes to Britain illegally will be deported — and actually mean it.
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Rachel Reeves to announce £8BILLION over ten years to fix crumbling flood defences
is set to announce nearly £8 billion for flood defences in a ten-year infrastructure pledge. Hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses will see better protections over the next decade, ministers have said. It will be part of £725 billion in capital spending on the country's infrastructure, about half of which is new promised money. The Chancellor will unveil the plan this week alongside Keir Starmer and Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner in a bid to offer certainty for businesses. It will cover transport, housing and public services. About half of the £725 billion was allocated in last week's Spending Review, and the new part is a 'commitment' for the following five years – funded through borrowing. The flooding money will be used to build new defences and repair existing ones, as well as planting more trees to absorb water. It will be targeted at regions badly impacted by floods, including Yorkshire and the Midlands. Environment Secretary Steve Reed said Labour 'inherited crumbling flood defences', adding: 'This Government is taking urgent action with the largest flooding programme in our country's history.' Ms Reeves said a lack of investment in infrastructure has been ' holding back communities and stunting economic growth', adding: 'We are investing in Britain's future, brick by brick, road by road and track by track.' The Centre for Policy Studies said public spending had rocketed since pre-Covid levels to the equivalent of £24,095 per adult. Health spending will reach £4,056 per adult by 2028-29 – a 22 per cent real-terms rise since before the pandemic. A spokesman described the levels of state spending as 'not sustainable'.
Wales Online
5 hours ago
- Wales Online
DWP offers payment worth £812 but warns you must repay it by cut-off date
DWP offers payment worth £812 but warns you must repay it by cut-off date The payment is usually sent out in November or December to help with fuel costs during the colder months The government will vote on making the Winter Fuel Payment means tested (Image: Gareth Fuller/PA Wire ) Previously, Winter Fuel Payments were universally distributed to everyone over state pension age. However, following its election victory last year the new Labour-led UK government declared it would begin means-testing these payments, limiting them to those on benefits and Pension Credit as a cost-saving measure. This decision was widely condemned for targeting some of the most vulnerable individuals and was believed to have contributed to the party's poor performance in the local elections. In recent weeks the government has partially reversed its stance, with Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirming that more pensioners will receive the Winter Fuel Allowance this year although it will not be universal. For money-saving tips, sign up to our Money newsletter here At a press conference, Ms Reeves told reporters that 'more people will get Winter Fuel Payment this winter' adding that further details would be announced 'as soon as we possibly can.' What changes are being implemented under the new rules? The modifications, officially announced on Monday, June 9, will enable all pensioners in England and Wales earning £35,000 a year or less to receive a Winter Fuel Payment. This expands eligibility to the vast majority of pensioners, with approximately nine million or over three-quarters benefitting according to ministers. Article continues below This change will cost around £1.25 billion in England and Wales and the Winter Fuel Payment is expected to save around £450 million compared to a universal system, subject to certification by the Office for Budget Responsibility. These figures will be reflected in the next Budget and OBR forecast. The payment of £200 per household, or £300 for households with someone over 80, will be automatically made this winter. Over 12 million pensioners across the UK will also benefit from the Triple Lock, with their State Pension set to increase by up to £1,900 during this parliament. Chancellor Rachel Reeves said: 'Targeting Winter Fuel Payments was a tough decision but the right decision because of the inheritance we had been left by the previous government. It is also right that we continue to means-test this payment so that it is targeted and fair rather than restoring eligibility to everyone including the wealthiest. 'But we have now acted to expand the eligibility of the Winter Fuel Payment so no pensioner on a lower income will miss out. This will mean over three-quarters of pensioners receiving the payment in England and Wales later this winter.' Reeves elaborated further, stating that pensioners earning above the £35,000 threshold, about two million individuals, will automatically repay the Winter Fuel Payment through PAYE or their self-assessment tax return. They will not need to take any action unless they choose to opt out of receiving the payment altogether, which will be possible later this year. Budgeting Loans If you're applying for a Budgeting Loan, separate from the Winter Fuel Payment, this must be repaid, though it is interest-free so you only pay back what you borrow. The repayments are automatically taken from your benefits and the amount you repay depends on your income including any benefits and what you can afford. After you apply, you'll get an email, text or letter telling you if you've been offered a loan and this will explain how much your weekly repayments will be if you accept it. You normally have to repay the loan within two years (104 weeks). The maximum loan amount is £812 for a couple with children. Article continues below
