Planning and Infrastructure Bill: Key Concerns and Recommendations
The Planning and Infrastructure Bill, currently being debated in the House of Lords, has far-reaching implications for biodiversity, local democracy, and community wellbeing. We have prepared a briefing note to highlight priority amendments to make the Bill less damaging and more nature-positive. September 5, 2025
The Planning and Infrastructure Bill, currently being debated in the House of Lords, has far-reaching implications for biodiversity, local democracy, and community wellbeing. While the Bill is intended to speed up planning and deliver new housing and infrastructure, the proposed mechanisms in Part 3 risk enabling the destruction of some of England’s most precious habitats and species.
Under the current drafting, nationally protected sites and irreplaceable habitats – such as ancient woodlands, chalk streams and peatlands– could be destroyed if developers pay into a new “nature restoration fund”. Replacement habitats may be created later, elsewhere, but these are unlikely to match the ecological value of what has been lost.
Why this matters
- Mature habitats provide ecological features that can take centuries to form, and many can’t be recreated elsewhere.
- Protected sites (such as SSSIs, Ramsar wetlands and National Nature Reserves) are the last refuge for many of our most threatened species.
- Translocation is risky – many species won’t survive the loss of their habitats, and cannot simply move to newly created sites.
- Oversight is weak – Environmental Delivery Plans (EDPs) would be controlled by the government, with limited public scrutiny and only short-term guarantees.
Key recommendations
In a new briefing note, Senior Research Associate Alison Smith and Kiera Chapman highlight priority amendments to make the Bill less damaging and more nature-positive:
- Re-instate the mitigation hierarchy – avoid damage first, then minimise, only compensating as a last resort (Amendments 245, 258A, 275, 301, 336, 341).
- Protect irreplaceable habitats – such as ancient trees and ancient woodland, peat bogs and chalk streams (Amendments 242, 301).
- Protect the most vulnerable species – require the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) to publish a list of protected species which would not be suitable for inclusion in an Environmental Delivery Plan (Amendment 255).
- Strengthen the overall improvement test – ensure compensatory habitats deliver a measurable and certain benefit for biodiversity (Amendments 290, 300).
- Deliver compensatory habitats in advance – new habitats must be created before protected habitats are destroyed (Amendments 237, 265, 290).
- Limit political interference – prevent the Secretary of State from watering down Environmental Delivery Plans (Amendment 294).
- Seize opportunities for positive changes in Part 3 –
- Make Sustainable Drainage Systems mandatory in new developments (Amendments 337, 342).
- Create a new, permanently protected ‘Wildbelt’ designation (Amendment 339).
- Make developments nature-friendly, enable nature-friendly housing measures such as swift bricks, bat boxes, hedgehog highways and biodiverse roofs and walls (Amendment 338).
- Support healthier, climate-resilient homes with access to green space (Amendment 351).
Improvements to Parts 1 and 2
Parts 1 and 2 of the Bill also weaken local democratic oversight and environmental safeguards. However, there are opportunities to improve outcomes through amendments on:
- Net Zero planning (Local Energy Plans, Amendments 90 & 177).
- Biodiversity and climate change training for planning authorities (Amendment 100).
- Flood and heat resilience in new developments (Amendments 125, 126, 135C, 155).
- Zero carbon homes with rooftop solar (Amendment 216).
- Stronger protections for Local Wildlife Sites (Amendment 150).
Read the full briefing
The full briefing note provides a more detailed analysis of the Bill and a list of priority amendments to safeguard nature, strengthen climate resilience and uphold local democratic accountability.