“Removing Biodiversity Net Gain requirements for small housing developments reduces the level of environmental protection at a time when we should be doing more to restore nature, not less. Everyone agrees we need more homes – but good homes with green spaces are what communities really need.

“There is very little evidence, as noted in the government’s own analysis, that environmental legislation is holding back development. Meanwhile, there are other pressing challenges in parts of the housebuilding sector – such as limited capacity within local authorities, which IEMA has urged government to address via written evidence for the Environmental Audit Committee’s inquiry into environmental sustainability and housing growth.

“This new proposal follows a broader pattern of rollbacks, including the recent Planning and Infrastructure Bill, which the Office for Environmental Protection has warned would reduce the level of environmental protection. It also sends mixed messages to councils and developers who have already invested in the skills and systems to deliver on these environmental goals.

“Nature is critical infrastructure. According to the ONS, the UK’s natural capital is valued at £1.8 trillion. Analysis from the University of Oxford and the Green Finance Institute shows that nature degradation could result in a 12% loss to GDP – more than either the 2008 financial crisis or the Covid-19 pandemic. Undermining environmental standards now means undermining economic resilience in the years to come.”

For more information read the BBC News article here.