Recent revelations suggest that housing developers are now permitted to construct on previously protected green spaces without mandatory replacement of nature in the area. The new planning and infrastructure bill would allow developers to pay into a fund creating habitats elsewhere, potentially even outside the county. Critics warn that this could disproportionately impact poorer rural communities, already facing barriers to accessing green spaces for mental and physical health benefits. Experts insist that the focus should be on preserving local nature, rather than offsetting losses further afield, as current provisions lack necessary safeguards for local environments and communities.
"The planning and infrastructure bill, currently at committee stage, permits developers to build on green spaces without replacing the loss of nature nearby, raising significant concerns about local environments."
"Ali Plummer from Wildlife and Countryside Link expressed that allowing loss of nature without local offset locations creates uncertainty and neglects the needs of local communities and their environment."
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