Source · Select Committees · Environmental Audit Committee
6th Report - Environmental sustainability and housing growth
Environmental Audit Committee
HC 439
Published 16 November 2025
Recommendations
6
Accepted in Part
Ensure local planning authorities produce up-to-date local plans for appropriate development assessment
Recommendation
We recommend that the Government do more to ensure that local planning authorities are able to, and do, produce up to date local plans, to ensure that developments are being assessed by appropriate local policies, rather than being subject to …
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Government Response Summary
The government has published a consultation on a new NPPF with policies to align plans with environmental requirements and aims to digitise the planning system with new digital tools to improve plan-making and monitoring. This partially addresses enabling local planning authorities to produce updated plans.
14
Accepted in Part
Employ the full breadth of policy levers to improve the natural environment.
Recommendation
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 …
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Government Response Summary
The government explains how the mitigation hierarchy will be applied through the Nature Restoration Fund (NRF) and how the Secretary of State will regulate the prioritisation of conservation measures within Environmental Delivery Plans (EDPs), demonstrating action on some policy levers.
60
Accepted in Part
Planning qualifications fail to adequately equip professionals with carbon literacy and ecological knowledge
Recommendation
Planning qualifications do not adequately equip professionals with sufficient levels of carbon literacy or ecological knowledge. This undermines planning officers’ ability to fully consider environmental factors in their decision making. To ensure that climate resilience, carbon emissions and ecology are …
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Government Response Summary
The government rejected mandatory training or a review of planning qualifications, but will work with the Planning Advisory Service to develop continuous professional development modules in ecology, carbon literacy and climate change, and provide funding for training.
62
Accepted in Part
Develop and support continuous professional development modules in ecology and carbon literacy for qualified planning professionals
Recommendation
In addition, we recommend that the Government works with the Planning Advisory Service to develop suitable continuous professional development modules in ecology, carbon literacy and climate change, for qualified planning professionals and support their delivery through local authorities. These should …
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Government Response Summary
The government will continue to work with PAS and explore opportunities to strengthen continuous professional development for planners, including modules related to ecology, carbon literacy and climate change, but does not fully commit to the recommendation.