Protecting Nature Shouldn’t Be an Obstacle to Housing

Ensuring everyone has a home is one of the biggest challenges facing our country, but it shouldn’t come at the expense of the natural spaces we all rely on. Over recent months, I’ve been speaking with many people who are rightly concerned about provisions in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill and what they mean for the protection of nature.

I share these concerns, which is why I voted against the Bill at its Third Reading. Nature is not an obstacle to tackling the housing crisis; it should be a key consideration for all new developments. Access to green spaces and a healthy environment is vital for residents’ health and wellbeing, and it’s something I am passionate about protecting here in Newbury and West Berkshire.

Throughout the Bill’s passage, my party, the Liberal Democrats, has pushed for stronger protections. Our spokesperson for Housing and Communities, Gideon Amos MP, tabled 128 amendments aimed at safeguarding habitats, tackling climate change, and ensuring development is responsible. One amendment in particular, which unfortunately failed, would have added protections for our precious chalk streams, a priority for me, given their environmental importance and vulnerability.

That said, the Bill does include measures with the potential to support nature. The new Environmental Development Plans, secured in the Lords, provide developers with a clear framework for responsible growth. They embed the mitigation hierarchy in law: avoid environmental harm where possible, minimise impacts where unavoidable, and only compensate as a last resort.

The Bill is now in its final stages, and I, along with my fellow Liberal Democrats, will continue to push the Government to deliver on its promises to protect nature and go further wherever possible. Protecting our environment and meeting our housing needs aren’t mutually exclusive; both are essential for our communities and future generations.