{"id":151315,"date":"2025-05-19T00:01:48","date_gmt":"2025-05-18T23:01:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pbctoday.co.uk\/news\/?p=151315"},"modified":"2025-05-16T16:37:51","modified_gmt":"2025-05-16T15:37:51","slug":"charities-warn-planning-infrastructure-bill-could-demolish-wildlife","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pbctoday.co.uk\/news\/building-control-news\/charities-warn-planning-infrastructure-bill-could-demolish-wildlife\/151315\/","title":{"rendered":"Charities warn Planning & Infrastructure Bill could demolish wildlife"},"content":{"rendered":"

28 environmental charities have served a spoof planning notice to MPs, warning that the Planning & Infrastructure Bill is an application to demolish wildlife<\/h2>\n

MPs have today been served\u00a0spoof planning notices<\/a>\u00a0warning that the Government’s proposed Planning and Infrastructure Bill will \u2018bulldoze environmental protections and demolish nature and local greenspaces\u2019 unless crucial changes are made.<\/p>\n

Conservationists are also highlighting examples of nature loss in the constituencies of key ministers, drawing attention to the wildlife losses that could be worsened by the Bill.<\/p>\n

In July 2024, the deputy prime minister wrote<\/a>\u00a0to nature charities to say that the Government would not legislate to amend nature protections in a way that would weaken environmental law. According to the Office for Environmental Protection, environmental lawyers, and nature experts, the Government is now breaking that promise with the current version of the Bill and it must be amended.<\/p>\n

28 charities have banded together to raise the alarm<\/h3>\n

Charities met the secretary of state, Steve Reed, last week (Thursday 15 May) where they warned that the Bill as it stands would break Government nature commitments. Following this, 28 charities, including the RSPB, the National Trust, The Wildlife Trusts, the Mammal Society, People\u2019s Trust for Endangered Species, and Wildlife and Countryside Link have mailed the spoof notices to all English MPs and Ministers, including the Prime Minister and Secretaries of State, Steve Reed, and Angela Rayner.<\/p>\n

Environmentalists are calling for MPs to support amendments that will deliver a planning system which works for nature, communities and sustainable development for generations to come.<\/p>\n

England is currently facing a ‘nature crisis’<\/h3>\n

One in 6 British species are at risk of extinction, there has been a 32% decrease in wildlife populations since 1970 and the UK is among the worst 10% globally for nature loss, alongside 40% less greenspace in new developments compared to older housing.<\/p>\n

\"Aerial
\u00a9Teamjackson |iStock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

That crisis is being played out\u00a0across the country<\/a>. From Steve Reed\u2019s Streatham and Croydon constituency seeing notable losses of butterflies and common birds like the blue tit, to Angela Rayner\u2019s constituency in Greater Manchester seeing a 90% decline in recorded insect species, charities warn that the Bill risks speeding up the loss of nature and disappearance of community greenspaces.<\/p>\n