𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

The Labour Government’s proposal for new housing to include bricks which birds can nest in has been met with fury. Housing minister, Steve Reed, launched a major consultation on a revamped National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) on Tuesday (December 16). The Government said installing “nature-friendly” features such bas swift bricks would add little to building costs and deliver a “win-win” for nature and housebuilding.

But critics have accused the Government of weakening rules to make developers pay to boost nature and of planning to bulldoze over green belt land so Labour can hit its manifesto pledge to build 1.5 million homes by 2029. The Government has repeatedly targeted bats, newts, snails and other wildlife as it seeks to unblock the planning system and speed up building.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has complained “absolutely insane” red tape was a “barrier” to investment, citing £100million being spent on a tunnel to protect bats on the HS2 railway line.

Developers would be expected to include swift bricks in new builds unless there are technical reasons not to. The bricks aim to provide places for birds to nest amid a current lack of suitable sites. They include holes and hollow spaces inside for birds to nest.

But conservationists have insisted new exemptions for England’s “biodiversity net gain” (BNG) rules risk hollowing out an emerging market which sees developers pay not only to replace habitats lost to development, but to deliver a 10% gain for nature.

Under biodiversity net gain reforms unveiled on Tuesday as part of the planning reforms, smaller developments under 0.2 hectares will be exempt from the rules, with additional targeted exemption for brownfield housing sites.

The Wildlife Trusts accused the Government of breaking manifesto promises to ensure development would be done in a way which promotes nature’s recovery.

Trusts’ Chief executive Craig Bennett said the majority of planning applications would not now contribute to nature’s recovery.

He warned “this will see a significant chunk of jobs and private sector investment in nature’s recovery lost”.

Mr Bennett said: “We should be working to rebuild our natural infrastructure alongside new housing and built infrastructure, not engage in tired old performative politics that trades one off against each other.”

Shadow housing secretary, Sir James Cleverly, told the Telegraph: “This Labour Government’s record on housebuilding is abysmal. They delivered fewer homes in their first year in office than we delivered during a global pandemic.

“Now they are planning to bulldoze through local democracy and concrete over the green belt in an attempt to make up the numbers. What’s the point of swift bricks if our natural environment is being destroyed?”

He said only the Conservatives would ensure the UK gets the right homes in the right places – prioritising brownfield land – and unfreeze the housing market by abolishing stamp duty on family homes.