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Burnham urged to drop ‘flawed’ plans that may let developers bypass environment laws for £1
More than 100 conservationists, scientists, public figures and businesses have urged Andy Burnham to stop new planning rules they say would let developers avoid environmental protections by paying into a national levy instead. Critics argue the environmental delivery plans, introduced through the Planning and Infrastructure Act, could weaken long-standing biodiversity safeguards at a time when concern about nature loss is growing, including warnings that ecological damage threatens food supply and national security. The issue matters because the regulations would change how development is approved in England and Wales and could reshape the balance between housebuilding or infrastructure and environmental protection.
The immediate focus is the nature restoration levy regulations 2026, which are due to be debated in the House of Lords and must be approved by both the Lords and Commons before the system becomes operational. Planning lawyer Alexa Culver told peers the rules would let ministers alter levy rates without consulting Natural England or developers, creating what she described as unchecked power and, in theory, allowing the price to be set as low as £1. The government says levy rates will have to cover the conservation measures required by each plan, but opponents say England could undercut environmental standards still applied across EU countries such as France, Germany, the Netherlands and Ireland.
In short
- Critics say the plans could weaken biodiversity protections.
- Developers may pay a levy instead of meeting some rules.
- Peers are set to debate the regulations this week.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The planning reforms address England's acute housing shortage by streamlining approval processes whilst maintaining environmental mitigation through a standardised levy system. Rather than protracted case-by-case negotiations, developers pay proportionate conservation contributions to a national fund, creating efficiency and cost predictability. Supporters argue this approach delivers both necessary homes and infrastructure whilst ensuring environmental safeguards are funded according to ecological requirements.
The case against
Environmental protection risks being reduced to a purchasable offset when levies could be set far below actual conservation costs, particularly given concerns about unchecked ministerial power to adjust rates without proper scrutiny. The timing is critical—as ecological damage threatens food supplies and national security, weakening direct environmental safeguards risks England falling behind other developed nations and abandoning precaution when it matters most. Critics argue that meaningful environmental protection cannot be reliably delivered through financial mechanisms potentially set by ministerial discretion rather than ecological necessity.
Explained simply
The government has introduced new planning rules that would allow property developers to pay into a national conservation fund instead of carrying out environmental protections on individual building sites. This system, introduced through the Planning and Infrastructure Act, changes how developments are approved in England and Wales.
More than 100 conservationists, scientists, and businesses have urged Manchester mayor Andy Burnham to abandon the new planning rules, saying they would weaken protections for wildlife. The specific regulations, due to be debated in Parliament, would let developers pay a levy to offset environmental damage elsewhere. Critics worry the levy rates could be set very low without consultation with environmental regulators.
Environmental protections matter because the loss of wildlife threatens food supplies and national security. Opponents argue the new system could allow England's environmental standards to drop below those in EU countries like France and Germany, potentially putting development ahead of long-term environmental protection.
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