Planning pledges could put wildlife at risk

Green organisations have warned that Boris Johnson’s pledge to ‘build, build, build’ could put the English countryside and its wildlife at serious risk.

In a joint letter to the Observer, the organisations, which include the National Trust, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and the Wildlife Trusts, say wide-scale deregulation leading to lower environmental standards and less protection would be a betrayal of promises by the Prime Minister and Michael Gove to deliver a ‘green Brexit’.

Last week, Johnson used his coronavirus economic recovery speech to promise to stimulate the country with a ‘build, build, build’ strategy, adding that he wanted to drive through the ‘radical changes’ to the planning system to ensure fast progress. The government is also looking at ideas on how to slash ‘red tape’ and make sure big building projects can be pushed through in what is known in Whitehall as ‘project speed’.

However, despite having promised to maintain high environmental standards post-Brexit, there are now fears of a government U-turn that will see ministers drop laws on the protection of habitats while promoting plans that would see more carbon-generating projects, many for new roads.

In their letter, the green groups say: “There are rumours of forthcoming deregulatory measures, including those that weaken laws to protect habitats and wildlife. Furthermore, the government’s flagship environment bill has been delayed and its new body to enforce environmental laws after Brexit will not be ready in time. This will considerably weaken our environmental protections.

“Countless reviews, including those commissioned by the government itself, have shown that environmental laws guide good development when implemented well. There is no public appetite for deregulation, with 93 per cent of Conservative voters wanting to maintain or strengthen protections for habitats and wildlife. Rebooting our economy needs to be done in a way that doesn’t exacerbate the current environmental and climate emergencies. Ripping up important laws and lowering our standards would be a betrayal of previous commitments and reduce our international standing.”

In 2011, then-Prime Minister David Cameron’s government faced the wrath of the shires as the Daily Telegraph mounted its ‘Hands off our Land’ campaign in protest at attempts to change planning laws.