The Environment Agency has been instructed by ministers to approve planning applications in England with minimal resistance, as part of a regulatory overhaul aimed at boosting economic growth and addressing the government's financial deficit. Officials at the agency report being told to do the bare minimum legally required to prevent housing approvals, with senior advisers from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) brought in to expedite the process.
Some within the agency fear its very existence is under threat, given Chancellor Rachel Reeves's drive to eliminate government quangos. However, government officials deny this. The push is part of a broader effort by the chancellor to accelerate housing and infrastructure development, which she hopes will help fill a multibillion-pound hole in the upcoming budget.
Environmental campaigners warn that weakening the Environment Agency could harm wildlife and natural habitats. One agency source stated that MHCLG staff are 'pushing development at any cost' and that the organisation's steer is to 'do the minimum required to fulfil our legal duties but nothing more'. They added that the agency is seeking legal advice on the minimum it can get away with.
An Environment Agency spokesperson disputed the claims, saying, 'We have received no directions to wave planning applications through. The EA continues to provide robust technical advice to ensure that environmental protections are considered in planning decisions.' They acknowledged that MHCLG staff have been brought in but emphasised the agency's commitment to achieving the best outcomes for both the environment and economic growth.
The chancellor has expressed frustration with environmental regulators for holding up development, citing examples like the £100m 'bat tunnel' for HS2. The Environment Agency enforces nutrient neutrality rules that ban developments in regions where they would add nutrients to rivers, which critics blame for stifling housebuilding. Reeves is working on a planning and infrastructure bill that could overhaul permitted development rules, and new measures may also appear in the forthcoming water bill.
Environmental groups argue that removing the agency from planning decisions would damage British wildlife. Ali Plummer of Wildlife and Countryside Link said, 'Deregulation won’t speed up nature recovery; it will just leave us with poorly designed developments, increased pollution and lower access to nature.' Alexa Culver of RSK Wilding added, 'Properly funded and independent regulators are an essential part of any thriving economy.'
