A bold step backward for nature protections aims to accelerate housing growth
Two key policy shifts unveiled by the government on Tuesday relax rules that require new housing projects in England to support wildlife. Officials said fewer developments will have to meet Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) standards, which require developers to compensate for nature loss on site.
The plan, part of a broader overhaul of planning policy, expands exemptions for smaller sites and moves toward faster housing approvals. Critics warn that these changes jeopardize wildlife recovery and could undermine one of the country’s most important nature-protection frameworks. Supporters argue the reforms are necessary to tackle a housing shortage that has reached emergency levels in parts of Britain.
Central to the reforms is a new approach within the National Planning Policy Framework. Highlights include a default approval bias for planning applications near railway stations and a requirement that new builds incorporate nature-friendly features, such as swift bricks to aid bird habitats.
Matthew Pennycook, the Minister of State for Housing, framed the package as a means to “get Britain building again.” He acknowledged that the proposals will face opposition but insisted action is needed because past governments failed to address the housing crisis.
Under the latest changes, exemptions to Biodiversity Net Gain will cover developments on less than 2,000 square meters of land. The government estimates this could apply to about 12,500 homes annually, easing the path for smaller sites.
Nature charities welcomed the narrowing of exemptions but warned that the policy still risks eroding a major national effort to protect nature. Richard Benwell, chief executive of Wildlife and Countryside Link, described the move as damage control rather than strong leadership for biodiversity.
The Biodiversity Net Gain rule, which requires a 10% net gain in biodiversity for new developments, has been in effect for under two years. Critics say the policy increases costs and creates planning delays, especially for smaller developers, potentially rendering some projects unviable.
Industry voices have also questioned the policy’s effectiveness. Rico Wojtulewicz of the National Federation of Builders argued that BNG makes construction harder, more expensive, and slower, while not delivering the promised ecological benefits to the scale needed.
A government consultation in May explored options such as exempting sites up to 10,000 square meters (roughly the size of one or two football fields).
Emma Toovey, chief nature officer at Environment Bank—which creates habitat restoration credits developers can purchase off-site—warned that broader exemptions may reduce the amount of habitat created within developments and divert funds away from wider nature restoration efforts.
In addition to these changes, the government said it will consult on expanding exemptions for brownfield sites up to 25,000 square meters and will introduce measures to make it easier, faster, and cheaper for medium-sized projects to deliver off-site nature improvements.
