Dr Tony Whitbread, Chief Executive of Sussex Wildlife Trust (SWT), says the government must stop dismantling the current planning system if the natural environment is to be properly protected.

Following The Wildlife Trusts’ annual conference, SWT has joined forces with the other UK Wildlife Trusts (TWT) and issued 10 key recommendations to the Government – in a bid to convince the Secretary of State, Rt Hon Hazel Blears MP, to halt changes to the planning system. TWT ask, instead, for a land-use decision-making system to stand the test of time, including the impacts of climate change.

Tony Whitbread explains, “The Government is fundamentally altering the planning system through the Planning Bill. Changes include alterations to decisions about regional planning meaning local wildlife defenders will no longer have an automatic right to comment on planning proposals. There’s also the introduction of the new ‘eco-towns’ initiative, which includes , in Sussex, proposals for a new town at Ford.

“We have the opportunity now to make the right decision to plan for the future, not for the Government to propose various changes to the planning system and for new towns by the back door. SWT wants its valuable contribution to planning decisions at every level to continue. The natural environment must become centre stage.”

For a full list of TWT 10 recommendations please visit www.wildlifetrusts.org
For more information on SWT’s response to the proposed Eco-Town at Ford visit Dr Tony Whitbread’s blog at www.sussexwt.org.uk
ENDS

Editor’s Notes:
The Wildlife Trusts, which have 765,000 members across the country, engage in planning policies and decisions that affect land-use – primarily through the different levels of the planning system – regional spatial strategies; local development frameworks, presenting evidence to planning inquiries and scrutinising planning applications. The Wildlife Trusts use their local knowledge and expertise in scrutinising around 90,000 planning applications each year to ensure that the natural environment is protected and enhanced.