The Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) has launched an inquiry into the environmental impact of the Government’s plan to build 1.5 million homes in England over the next five years.
The initiative includes proposed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework, aimed at making more land available for development.
However, responses to the consultation on these reforms raised concerns about maintaining environmental protections during the housing expansion.
The EAC is seeking opinions on how the planning reforms may affect nature and climate goals.
Key areas of focus include the protection and enhancement of the environment, promoting active travel, reducing embodied carbon levels, and implementing local nature recovery networks.
The inquiry aims to ensure housing growth does not come at the expense of environmental safeguards.
An evidence session will take place on Wednesday, 20 November, exploring the extent to which the Government has considered environmental implications in its proposed reforms.
Witnesses included Professor Alister Scott, professor of environmental geography and planning at Northumbria University, Cllr Richard Wright, leader of North Kesteven District Council, Dr Hugh Ellis, director of policy at the Town and Country Planning Association and Sam Stafford, Planning Director, Home Builders Federation.
EAC Chair Toby Perkins MP said: “Britain has a housing crisis, a climate crisis and a nature crisis. All three must be tackled in tandem and addressing one must not be at the expense of another.
“The Government’s ambitious target to build 1.5 million homes in the next five years – 300,000 a year – is significant and we must ensure that climate and nature protections underpin any such reforms to our planning system.”
“Conscious that changes to the National Planning Policy Framework have already been proposed, the Committee is prioritising this area as our first inquiry.
“We will be examining whether environmental protections are being sufficiently considered in the reforms, and if not, what the Committee can recommend to Government to ensure that they are.”
