All these new homes will need planning permission of course, and to ensure that nothing gets in the way of their goal, the Government is pushing a new Planning and Infrastructure Bill through Parliament at speed. 

The Bill proposes sweeping changes to England’s planning system, in a bid to ramp up the pace of development. Regrettably, those in power believe that the building of new homes is being impeded by laws protecting our environment and threatened species, and are proposing legislative changes within the Bill to allow developers to sidestep their environmental obligations. 

But new data (published last week¹) 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 assessment² – showing that nature protections do not block growth.

I guess it’s easier to blame nature than tackle the real problems, like chronically under-resourced planning departments, skills shortages in the construction industry and land-banking by developers. The Government is misleading us – and this will have devastating consequences for the wildlife and wild places that you love in Staffordshire. 

Since the Bill was published back in March, The Wildlife Trusts and countless other nature conservation organisations have offered constructive solutions that would allow the Bill to proceed and achieve its aim to accelerate development whilst maintaining strong environmental protections – but our solutions have been rejected.

So now we have no choice but to ask the Government to scrap Part 3 of the Bill - the so-called Nature Recovery section – and we’re asking fellow nature lovers across Staffordshire to do the same by writing to their MP. 

Contact your local MP to demand that Part 3 is dropped 

Just to be clear, Staffordshire Wildlife Trust is emphatically not opposed to new development. We know that more homes are desperately needed, but we firmly believe that building them shouldn’t be at the expense of our precious natural environment. The proposed new laws within the Planning Bill present the biggest threat to the natural world in decades, and would mean, frankly, that no species or habitat in Staffordshire is safe.

What do we stand to lose? 

Under the current planning system, if it is believed that a development could significantly affect a protected habitat or species, a developer must undertake an assessment or survey to ascertain the environmental impact before a planning application can be submitted. 

Such assessments aim to identify the potential environmental consequences of any future development activities and inform decisions on whether they should proceed, and if so, how. If harm could be caused, they outline the steps that need to be taken to minimise this – by avoiding, mitigating, restoring and finally offsetting damage – in that order. This ‘mitigation hierarchy’ is a well-established ecological principle designed to minimise environmental impact and ensure that compensation is only considered as a very last resort.

As a nature-loving country, most people support this approach. YouGov polling carried out earlier this year revealed that only 12% of Brits think that current planning rules to protect nature and wildlife ‘go too far’. In fact, 71% of people polled support increased protections for green and blue spaces within planning rules.³

But Part 3 of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill flies in the face of public opinion. The Government have described it as a ‘win-win for nature’, but the reality in quite different. 

Under the proposed legislation, Natural England may prepare Environmental Delivery Plans (EDPs) for areas that are earmarked for new development, which outline specific conservation measures to offset harm caused by development and contribute to nature recovery. 

This means that in areas covered by an EDP, rather than carry out environmental assessments to find out what could be lost if land is built on, the developer can opt to pay into a new ‘Nature Restoration Fund’, which will be spent on compensation measures.

Ultimately, this approach is wrong because some things have a value that can’t be calculated in pounds and pence. Habitats that have taken hundreds years to form cannot simply be re-created elsewhere. Peatlands, for instance, take thousands of years to form - it takes a decade for 1cm of peat to be created. If you destroy a peatland, you can’t compensate for the loss: it is gone forever. 

Compensating for damage doesn’t work for some species either. Bats and hazel dormice, for example, are ‘site loyal’, having a strong attachment to their habitats. Forcing them to move can disrupt social structures and breeding patterns, reducing survival rates. 

Sometimes, a simple solution can be found to a complex problem, but not in this case. 

The only responsible option is to remove Part 3

Together with other environmental NGOs, The Wildlife Trusts have been pushing for a series of amendments to the Bill during its Committee Stage to enable new homes to be built without removing environmental safeguards. On a local level, Staffordshire Wildlife Trust has met with local MPs to ask them support the amendments. 

But the Committee Stage of the Bill is now concluded – and our constructive amendments have been rejected.

The only responsible option now is to remove Part 3 of the Planning Bill. 

What you can do to help

If you, like me, believe that we can build the new homes that are needed while still protecting and improving our natural environment, please write to your local MP, or ask for a meeting, to urge them to ditch Part 3 of the Bill. 

Act now and ask your MP to intervene

Please let us know if you receive a response from your MP – email comms@staffs-wildlife.org.uk with details.