Recommendation 14

We acknowledge and welcome the Government’s amendments in June 2025 to Part 3 of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill. Akin to the OEP, we see the potential benefits of moving towards a more strategic approach to nature recovery. The amendments are a promising step towards ensuring that the proposed strategic approach of Environmental Delivery Plans and the Nature Restoration Fund do not result in the reduction of any environmental protections, risking irrevocable harm to our national ecosystems. Nevertheless, the new approach to meeting existing environmental requirements, introduced in Part 3 of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, is not enough on its own to ensure that the Government can meet its environmental targets alongside its housing target. Beyond the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, the Government must actively employ the full breadth of policy levers at its disposal to improve the natural environment. (Conclusion, Paragraph 77)