The county’s leading nature conservation charity is urging the Government to ditch proposals to weaken protection for important wildlife habitats and threatened species within the planning system.
Staffordshire Wildlife Trust is warning that proposals within one section of the Government’s Planning and Infrastructure Bill, which is currently being debated in Parliament, present the biggest threat to the natural world in decades.
The Bill proposes changes in law which would enable developers to sidestep environmental regulations by paying a levy – a move designed to accelerate the building of new homes.
But new data published this week shows that nature is not blocking development, with bats and great crested newts being a factor in just 3% of planning appeal decisions. The research adds to the growing body of evidence – including the Government’s own impact assessment – showing that nature protections do not block growth.
The Trust – together with 45 other Wildlife Trusts across the UK and national nature charity RSPB - is now calling on wildlife lovers to contact their local MP to demand that the planned legislation is dropped.