"The government has broken its promise to protect nature by weakening planning rules for housing developers, groups have said. While developers once had to create biodiversity net gain (BNG), meaning creating 10% more space for nature on site than there was before the building took place, housing minister Matthew Pennycook announced exemptions to this rule on Tuesday."
"Under the new rules developments under 0.2 hectares are exempted from the policy. Analysis from the Wildlife Trusts has found that this means a combined area across England the size of Windsor forest will now not be restored for nature. The move is part of a bigger package to help the government meet its target to build 1.5m homes by the end of this parliament."
"Wildlife Trusts CEO, Craig Bennett, accused the housing secretary, Steve Reed, of breaking a promise to him. He said: In January of this year when he was environment secretary, Steve Reed made a solemn promise that the government was committed to biodiversity net gain'. Now, as housing secretary, he has broken his word."
The government exempted developments under 0.2 hectares from the biodiversity net gain (BNG) requirement. Analysis from the Wildlife Trusts estimates the exempted small sites equal a combined area across England the size of Windsor Forest that will no longer be restored for nature. The change forms part of measures to reach a 1.5m home target, including default approvals near rail stations and possible levy exemptions for small and medium housebuilders. Private firms had already invested £320m into habitat restoration under BNG. Conservation groups warn the exemption could damage the policy and business confidence in nature investment.
Read at www.theguardian.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]