Rolling back on environmental protection will not boost development

Statement following rumours of a new Planning Bill led by HM Treasury looking to remove further protections for nature and wildlife

Emily MacAulay

18/08/25

Rolling back on environmental protection will not help boost development - the Government’s own impact assessment shows that environmental protections are not a major factor causing delays.

The government must stop the anti-nature rhetoric and recognise the real cause of delays and the real impact of reducing environmental protection, as every day we are seeing increasingly devastating impacts of flooding, drought and high temperatures on our communities, economy, and nature.

We need a healthy environment for a thriving future as we face more climatic extremes and backtracking on environmental protections is not the way to achieve that.

Tessa Wardley, Director of Communications & Advocacy

For more information, contact:

Rebecca Duncan

Media & Events Lead, The Rivers Trust

[email protected]

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