𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Thousands of people will protest on Saturday to demand the protection of Britain’s countryside against Labour’s development drive. Chris Packham, the Woodland Trust and the National Federation of Parks have united to raise the alarm ahead of local elections on May 7. Keir Starmer is also continuing his push to build 1.5 million new homes by 2029, which campaigners warn “encroaches further on the country’s green spaces”.

The Community Planning Alliance, organisers of the “national day of action”, suggested 14,700 acres of Green Belt land – equivalent to over 11,000 football pitches – is currently at risk of development.

Wildlife Broadcaster Mr Packham, said: “Britain’s wildlife and biodiversity are facing a once-in-a-generation threat. Less than 3% of England is adequately protected for nature, and today’s Day of Action shows that this isn’t just a fringe concern.

“The British public want to see nature protected, and any politician who ignores that does so at their peril.

“The Green Belt was created to protect both nature and people’s quality of life. We all want to see more and better housing for Britain – but not at the expense of our nature and wildlife.

“What we need is smarter, more creative thinking – bringing together communities, planners, scientists and developers to design homes that are affordable, future-proof and that work with nature, not against it.”

The mass protest will see more than 190 locations across the UK demand people support nature.

It will include human chains on countryside threatened by development, nature walks, peaceful demonstrations, litter picks.

The members of the public will demand local election candidates to commit to protecting green spaces and reversing “unfair” land classifications introduced by Labour’s Planning and Infrastructure Bill last year.

Juli Titherington, lead policy advocate of planning at The Woodland Trust, said: “Across the country, communities are alarmed about the ongoing loss of nature. Places we once thought sacred are being opened up to developers. The protections we fought for to safeguard our most precious green spaces are now at risk through Government reform and deregulation. That’s why it’s so important to show Government that our woods and green spaces matter to everyone.”

A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesman said: “We are getting Britain building so we can make homes affordable and have been clear this will not come at the expense of the environment.”