A new UK planning bill proposes allowing development on protected green spaces without local nature compensation, raising environmental and community concerns.

The UK government’s proposed planning and infrastructure bill, currently under committee review, has ignited significant environmental and community concerns. The bill aims to accelerate housing development to meet the Labour government’s target of constructing 1.5 million new homes by 2029. However, it includes provisions that would allow developers to build on previously protected green spaces without the obligation to compensate for the loss of local nature.
Instead of local compensation, developers could contribute to a centralized Nature Restoration Fund, which may finance environmental offsets in different counties, potentially far from the impacted communities. Critics argue that this approach threatens local access to nature, particularly in poorer rural areas, and could exacerbate mental and physical health inequities. Environmental organizations and Green Party leaders have expressed concerns that the bill could lead to a “cash to trash nature” scheme, undermining community resilience to climate change and eroding local green spaces.
Proponents of the bill assert that the new fund will improve habitats and address the shortcomings of the previous system, aiming to balance development needs with ecological outcomes. However, environmental advocates are calling for amendments to ensure that any environmental losses are adequately compensated within the local area and that restoration efforts adhere to scientific guidance. The debate continues as the bill progresses through the legislative process, highlighting the ongoing tension between development objectives and environmental preservation.