How to tackle a threat to nature from development: a step-by-step guide

The following steps will help to guide you through the process of engaging with the planning system to help protect your local wildlife from a potentially damaging development.  

Early engagement in the planning process will give you the maximum chance of influencing the outcome and ensure that wildlife interests are taken on board from the outset. The further ‘upstream’ you can get involved the better – so engaging at the pre-application stage (where there is an opportunity to do so, such as a community consultation event) or the local plan/local development plan stage is best wherever possible. But do continue to follow-up on your comments once the application has been made.

Find out as much information as you can about the proposal – what exactly is being proposed and what assessments have been carried out. If it’s a planning application, useful documents to focus on are often the planning statement and any ecological reports. Details of any previous applications made on the site, often referred to as the planning history, can also be helpful to review. 

Familiarise yourself with the relevant decision-making process, and any related policies and law. Our country planning system guides will help you understand more about what is being proposed and the process for decision-making. They will also help you find your way around local and national planning policies and wildlife law, which form the backbone of decision-making. 

Take a look at our How to assess the importance of a site under threat from development and How to build your case to protect nature from a development threat guide under our Gather the facts resources to help you identify your concerns and pull together your case.  

Support can come in various forms. You may find allies and useful information by checking the responses of other organisations and individuals on the relevant decision-maker’s website, or through local community consultation events where these are being held by the developer. You may also find support from your local councillors or member of parliament. Social media networks can be helpful in locating others within your local community who also share your concerns.  

In some cases, you may find that a campaign or ‘friends of’ group already exists that you can work together with. Sometimes, finding others who share your concerns can initiate the start of one. Take a look at our How to set up your own campaign to protect nature from a development threat  and How to get the best results from campaigning to protect nature in planning guides for lots of tips and ideas for coordinating action with others. 

Submit your formal response to the decision-maker, outlining your concerns and where possible providing evidence to back them up. See our Make your case resources for more tips and suggestions, including advice on writing an effective response.  

If you think your case could have wider interest, use the media and other communication methods to tell the world how special the area is for wildlife and the role it plays in the community – let people know what could be lost. See our communications tips in our How to use local media to promote your planning campaign guide. 

Keep in touch with the decision-maker and ask if you can receive notification of any updates to the case. If the case is going to be decided by a planning committee, you may also wish to speak at the committee meeting so that you can voice your concerns directly to the councillors. Learn more about the planning committee process in our country planning system guides, which also include information about the process after decisions have been made. 

When it comes to opposing a development or other proposal, we know that the journey can often be long and sometimes gruelling. It’s really important that you look after the health and wellbeing of yourself and others around you. We’ve put together some information to help support and inspire you – take a look at our How to build your resilience during a planning campaign guide to help you along your journey. 

How to assess the importance of a site under threat from development 

How to build your case to protect nature from a development threat

How to set up your own campaign to protect nature from a development threat