Chancellor Rachel Reeves has been accused of removing environmental protections in last-minute changes to the government's planning bill, sparking a furious backlash from nature groups. The changes, promoted by Reeves, are designed to make it easier for developers to bypass environmental laws to build major projects such as AI datacentres.
The amendments include new powers for the government to overrule local democracy if councils refuse developments on environmental grounds or issues such as water shortages. Charities including the RSPB and Wildlife Trusts have criticised the move, saying Reeves is seeking short-term growth headlines to save her budget rather than implementing well-thought-out planning reforms.
Dr James Robinson, the RSPB's chief operating officer, described the late introduction of 67 amendments as 'legislative chaos' and 'a cynical attempt to game a better forecast from the OBR'. The bill is being rushed through before Reeves's budget on 26 November, allowing the Office for Budget Responsibility to factor it into forecasts, potentially giving the chancellor about £3bn extra breathing room against her debt rules.
The intervention follows Reeves being filmed boasting about her closeness to a major developer after she intervened to lift legal blocks on housing plans in Sussex. The objections to 21,000 homes concerned water shortages and risks to protected wildlife in the Arun Valley. Horsham MP John Milne criticised the decision as 'top-down government at its worst'.
Environmental lawyer Alexa Culver warned that for the first time, the secretary of state will be able to prevent planning refusals by local authorities, potentially ignoring real-world constraints like water shortages. Joan Edwards of the Wildlife Trusts said the amendments were 'performative' and promised only delay and muddle, while Richard Benwell of Wildlife and Countryside Link warned that the government's race to speed up planning would fail without including the environment at its core.
