Will the government's planning overhaul trigger a 'regression' in nature safeguards?

Michael Holder
clock • 7 min read
Credit: iStock
Image:

Credit: iStock

Office for Environmental Protection warns current iteration of Planning and Infrastructure Bill would weaken environmental protections, further fuelling nature campaigners' fears landmark legislation lacks sufficient safeguards

Labour's proposed planning reforms risk weakening crucial safeguards for nature and urgently require significant strengthening if they are to deliver on the government's twin goals of accelerating development...

To continue reading this article...

Join BusinessGreen

In just a few clicks you can start your free BusinessGreen Lite membership for 12 months, providing you access to:

  • Three complimentary articles per month covering the latest real-time news, analysis, and opinion from Europe’s leading source of information on the Green economy and business
  • Receive important and breaking news stories via our daily news alert
  • Our weekly newsletter with the best of the week’s green business news and analysis

Join now

 

Already a BusinessGreen member?

Login

More on Legislation

Osborne Clarke's Caroline Bush: 'Nature risk is higher up the corporate agenda than ever'

Osborne Clarke's Caroline Bush: 'Nature risk is higher up the corporate agenda than ever'

VIDEO: Caroline Bush, an associate director in law firm Osborne Clarke's environment team, reflects on the UK's Biodiversity Net Gain rules, assessing nature risk, and the changing landscape for environmental and climate regulation and legislation

BusinessGreen staff
clock 12 January 2026 • 1 min read
Biodiversity Net Gain can help boost economic resilience - weakening the policy would show a lack of ambition

Biodiversity Net Gain can help boost economic resilience - weakening the policy would show a lack of ambition

Government proposals to exempt small sites from BNG rules signals a disappointing lack of ambition and understanding of how the sectors have already mobilised to support this new market, writes Forsters lawyer Polly Montoneri

Polly Montoneri, Forsters
clock 09 January 2026 • 5 min read
Government presses water firms to produce mandatory pollution-cutting plans

Government presses water firms to produce mandatory pollution-cutting plans

Environment Agency warns 'every water company now needs to focus on delivery', as new rules require them to produce pollution action plans from April

Michael Holder
clock 09 January 2026 • 5 min read