At what cost is development to the environment and nature?

I am sure many of my colleagues on LinkedIn could write a thesis on this subject....✅

However, the purpose of this post is to give the development industry the 'heads up' that in the numerous pre-Christmas documents, the Government published a working paper to consider development and Nature Recovery.

The opening to the document states:

👉🏻 "This paper invites views on proposals for a new approach to how housing and infrastructure development can meet its environmental obligations and contribute to nature recovery. The Government wants to accelerate development while going beyond simply offsetting harm to unlock the positive impact this development can have in driving nature recovery. This new approach would use funding from development to deliver environmental improvements at a scale which will have the greatest impact – moving us from an unacceptable status quo that can hold up development without improving nature, to a win-win for both."

👉🏻 "These working proposals reflect valuable feedback already received from representatives of the development industry, nature conservation organizations, nature service providers, and local government. If taken forward, the Government would use the Planning and Infrastructure Bill to make the necessary legislative changes to establish a more efficient and effective way for Habitats Regulations and other environmental obligations to be discharged, pooling individual contributions to deliver the strategic interventions necessary to drive nature recovery. A series of questions are posed at the end of the paper, to inform further discussions before determining whether these proposals are taken forward."