More than 100 conservationists, scientists, celebrities, and business leaders have signed a letter urging incoming Prime Minister Andy Burnham to immediately halt the rollout of environmental delivery plans (EDPs). The plans, introduced through the Planning and Infrastructure Act and applying mainly to England and Wales, allow developers to bypass environmental laws by paying into a national nature levy. Critics argue this enables developers to pay as little as £1 to destroy wildlife habitats, a practice they call "cash to trash."
Experts Warn of Reversed Protections
The letter states that the plans will reverse decades of biodiversity protections "precisely when those protections are needed the most." Signatories include actor and writer Stephen Fry, broadcaster Chris Packham, financier and environmentalist Ben Goldsmith, and Labour donor Dale Vince. A recent report by the Joint Intelligence Committee, which oversees MI5 and MI6, warned that the global attack on nature threatens UK national security and food supply.
House of Lords Debate on Nature Restoration Levy
On Wednesday, the House of Lords will debate the Nature Restoration Levy Regulations 2026, the statutory instrument that operationalizes the EDP regime. The regulations require approval from both the Commons and Lords. Ahead of the debate, a member of the Lords introduced a motion calling on the government to withdraw the regulations.
Legal Concerns Over Unchecked Ministerial Power
In a submission to the Lords, planning lawyer Alexa Culver of RSK Wilding raised "serious concerns" about the regulations. Culver warned that the secretary of state could change the payment rate for an EDP at any time without consulting Natural England or the developer, handing "unchecked power" to ministers to "set the price of environmental destruction as low as they like," potentially as low as £1. She described the regulations as being "rushed through" with "serious flaws remaining unexamined," leaving a "huge vulnerability" to lobbying pressure.
Risk of England Becoming Europe's 'Bargain Basement'
Culver's submission warns that England could become Europe's "bargain basement" because the plans disapply protections derived from the EU Habitats Directive, which every EU member state still applies in full. "Developers in England could face a fraction of the environmental cost their French, German, Dutch and Irish counterparts must meet," she said.
Government Response and Criticism
Ben Goldsmith stated it was "clear that this Labour government really doesn't get it when it comes to nature." He noted the government's plan to restore 30% of land for nature by 2030 was condemned as "pathetic" and "completely insufficient." Dale Vince urged Burnham to bring "nature into the centre of government thinking" as an economic priority. A government spokesperson countered: "The status quo for development and nature is not working. This government's vision is for a planning system that delivers for both nature and people. Environmental delivery plans will secure better environmental outcomes that go further than current legislation: not just preventing harm to existing habitats and species but actively restoring and improving them."
