The UK Government want to get England building – together we can make sure they make space for nature.
Imagine what 30% of our land and seas protected for nature by 2030 would look like. Imagine a planning system which made sure that the nature in your community was taken into account every time a new development decision was made. If we manage it, we could see the beginnings of a revival for so much of our wildlife, our birds, our bees, our fish, and our flowers. We could see nature bursting back after being in decline for so long, while also providing new sustainable homes powered by clean energy.
We can be the ones who start this revival. But only if we make sure nature is at the heart of the way UK Government plan to use our land.
The UK Government has made it clear – getting England building is one of their top priorities. This includes reforming planning rules to build new homes, roll out much needed green energy and other development more quickly. But if these plans are going to be truly successful, nature and our struggling wildlife need to be at the heart of the changes made, including making sure our protected areas remain protected. Only then will we have any chance of protecting 30% of our land and sea for nature by 2030, a commitment made by the UK Government. Right now, we’re way off hitting that target. We need urgent action to preserve and restore our precious protected sites, while giving new protection to more valuable wildlife-rich places currently at risk.
The UK is one of the most nature depleted places on earth. We’ve already lost so much of our wildlife and wild places. In the last 50 years we’ve seen 38 million birds vanish from our skies. But the good news is we can build new homes, have greener energy and make space for our wildlife by taking these steps:
(1) Make sure development takes place in the right location and is built in the right way, with more of our most important places for wildlife protected from both direct and indirect damage. We want to see UK Government develop a National Spatial Plan so there’s a strategic approach to where we should develop and where we need to protect, helping to minimise harm to nature.
(2) Build nature into planning from the start, at the design stage. For example, housing developments with greenspace and wildlife-friendly features like swift boxes, new ponds and hedgehog highways included in the design, so communities can access and enjoy amazing wildlife close at hand. Another would be planning in natural solutions to climate change, such as reducing the risk of homes flooding by creating wetlands and planting the right trees in the right places.
(3) Increase funding so we have a planning process which works for people and nature. This means supporting Local Authorities and agencies like Natural England and the Environment Agency, so they have the resources to work swiftly and efficiently to speed up delivery, but always with nature in mind.
If we’re smart about how we plan to use our land and sea, it can also help us hit our climate targets. This includes building well-insulated new homes and workspaces, using clean energy like solar panels and heat pumps. It also means any major developments such as wind farms avoid our most valuable places for nature while delivering other green energy projects which include space for wildlife.
If enough of us speak up now, we can let UK Government know nature can’t wait. Send an email to your MP today and share with them what we think the planning reform priorities should be. Together we can call on them to put nature at the heart of planning reform.
