Nature at risk: report warns of ‘evidence black hole’ in Planning Bill

A new report by Wildlife and Countryside Link, a coalition of 90 nature organisations, has warned that there is no scientific evidence that the proposed “Nature Restoration Levy” will work for most wildlife. Applying the new system to protected species without rigorous evidence and effective field trials would pose serious risks for wildlife.

The proposed “Nature Restoration Levy” would allow housing and infrastructure developers to pay a fee rather than following existing laws to protect habitats and species. The funds would be used to pay for landscape-scale conservation measures in place of existing strict safeguards for individual animals or habitats.

For some environmental issues (such as water pollution and water availability) there is good science and evidence that strategic action at a broader scale can be an effective way to protect nature. However, at present, there is no evidence that the Bill’s approach will work for any protected species, particularly those that are less mobile or reliant on very specific sites or habitats.

Government cites the district level licensing approaches that have been developed or great crested newts as a model. Where these schemes have been taken forward with safeguards in place, there are signs of positive results. However, the Bill is looking at new ways of regulating, funding and delivering compensation measures, which has yet to be proven even for great crested newts, and many important details remain undefined, bringing uncertainty that provide risks for both wildlife and for developers.

The Government has agreed to follow “the best available scientific evidence” in designing new schemes, and the “need to achieve favourable conservation status” for affected wildlife.

Protected species for which there is no evidence that the new approach would work include:

• Hazel dormice, a declining species reliant on ancient hedgerows, woodland and scrub.
• Otters, a symbol of river health, are highly territorial and difficult to relocate.
  
• Barn owls are dependent on open countryside and barns for nesting.
• Lizard orchid, a beautiful orchid that smells of goats, scarce and hard to translocate.
• Grey seals, found in the North Atlantic, which supports a third of the global population.
• Atlantic salmon have declined by around 70% across the North Atlantic in a few decades, driven by habitat loss, barriers to migration, and water pollution.
  

Richard Benwell, CEO of Wildlife and Countryside Link, said: “When it comes to protected species, there’s a gaping black hole in evidence. If applied to the wrong wildlife, the new approach could accelerate decline from chronic to catastrophic. Government has rightly promised to follow the best scientific evidence, but detailed processes are needed to ensure the new system can’t be abused for profit or political convenience. We’re calling for a transparent scientific process, a strict precautionary approach, and real-world data to ensure wildlife can’t be swept under a concrete carpet in the name of growth.”

Gill Perkins, CEO of Bumblebee Conservation Trust, said: “If we replace local safeguards with vague promises of compensation elsewhere, we are leaving species like the Shrill carder bumblebee, which is barely afforded any protection as things stand, even more exposed than ever. Strategic off-site mitigation might work on paper, but nature doesn’t live in spreadsheets. There are, however, spreadsheets filled with overlooked, endangered species that deserve stronger safeguards and more meaningful mitigation in the places they are still found.”

Becky Pullinger, head of land use planning at The Wildlife Trusts, said: “The Planning and Infrastructure Bill threatens a huge shake up of the regulations that protect wildlife and poses a significant risk. Scientific evidence should be the bedrock of any planning process and if the strength of this is undermined there will be serious consequences for nature and the wild places that communities take pride in; species such as hazel dormice, otter and barn owl could all be impacted. It is possible for new development and nature recovery to go hand in hand and so we implore Government to work with peers to ensure that the protection of nature is at the forefront of the new legislation.”

Kit Stoner, CEO of Bat Conservation Trust, said: “All bats are protected because they’ve experienced significant historical declines. Bats are not just part of our natural heritage; our 18 species make up over a quarter of our terrestrial mammal species, but also play an important role in healthy ecosystems, including the control of crop-damaging insects. Without further change the Planning and Infrastructure Bill will create a licence to kill with dire consequences for all wildlife and the wider environment.”

See further additional quotes here. The nature charities are calling for guidelines and regulations to establish:

• Strict adherence to the precautionary principle, guaranteeing the new approach will not cover protected species without rigorous, independent, real-world evidence that it works;
• A transparent scientific process to assess the quality of any scientific evidence; and
• Site-specific ecological baseline assessments to ensure nature genuinely benefits.
  

Read more in the report here.

ENDS

Notes:

1. Species decline stats:
   1. Hazel dormice, shy and declining, reliant on ancient hedgerows, woodland and scrub, have seen populations decline by 70% since 2000. Their populations are fragmented, and they require well-connected habitats to thrive.
   2. Otters, symbols of river health, highly territorial and difficult to relocate. They require extensive, unpolluted river systems with ample food. Habitat loss can lead to long-term population declines.
   3. Barn owls, dependent on open countryside and barns for breeding. Barn owls have suffered from habitat loss due to agricultural intensification and conversion of old buildings. Nest boxes have provided some relief, but loss of traditional nesting sites continues to pose a threat.
   4. Lizard orchid, a beautiful orchid that smells of goat. They only grow in certain areas of the South East in England and are hard to translocate, given complex relationships with mycorrhizal fungi and other soil organisms.
   5. Grey seal, found only in the North Atlantic, rely heavily on UK coastlines, which support over a third of the global population, down from 50% just 25 years ago.
   6. Atlantic salmon, iconic in UK rivers, have declined by around 70% across the North Atlantic in a few decades. In Great Britain the species is endangered, having suffered a projected 50-80% decline between 2010-2025, driven by habitat loss, barriers to migration, and water pollution.