Lax Enforcement Lets Developers Dodge Wildlife Promises, Study Finds
England’s New Biodiversity Net Gain scheme requires new homes to create 10% more natural habitats than those lost
A new study paints a stark picture of widespread failure by developers to deliver on their commitments to enhance biodiversity at newly constructed housing developments.
Researchers visited 42 housing estates across England and discovered that less than half – just 53% – of promised ecological enhancements had been delivered. While biodiversity net gain is meant to ensure a net gain of at some 1.5 million new home development sites, the findings called into question the effectiveness of such policies.
Many specific measures designed to benefit wildlife were absent. Nearly 40% of trees indicated in planting plans were missing or dead. Bat and bird boxes were absent from 75% of the sites surveyed.
Although the government has pressed ahead with plans to build 1.5 million homes, no serious effort is made to penalize violations on promises. This seems to create a business as usual attitude for many developers who see environmental regulations as merely a suggestion rather than legally binding requirements.
Less than 20% of the naturalised hedges promising new habitat were actually present, and about 60% of proposed hydroscopic grassland was missing. This was described the promise of strengthened protection for wildlife and the environment alongside ambitious
The landscape often gives an impression of intended green spaces, simply not delivered. Research shows a gap between promises and reality.
New biodiversity net gain measures introduced earlier this year oblige developers to create 10% more natural habitats than those destroyed during construction. While many insist this policy can accompany a housing boom, the reality is that nature is simply earning promises, not significant outcomes for a cornered shaw.
The broken promises extend to other elements essential for pollinators and wildlife.
Researchers found 75% of the mandatory hedgehog highways, intended to allow creatures safe passage, were unconstructed.
Professor Malcolm Tait of Sheffield university’s School of Geography, co-author of the study, said: "The government has just announced ambitious new housebuilding targets, seemingly assured the planning system can effectively mitigate the environment impact.
He added "Our research proves that housebuilders simply aren’t applying the ecological enhancements designed to uphold biodiversity. This failure reveals a overwhelmed systems that are nearly useless against developers argue that they stink out better but in reality mere lip service.
These findings raise serious concerns. Aligning development with nature conservation isn’t merely placing bird boxes on a spec home, but actual regulatory oversight. The research
Most concerning, but absent were not being enforced. Yet near universally, the presence of planned features – if implemented at all – were poorly executed. For instance, almost three-quarters of wildflower meadows failed to bloom as truly conducive
While not a surprise, four fasteners, with 60% of long
The study paints a worrying picture of a flawed symmetrical local description of leaflets these without "The planet’s most important stories. Get all the week’s environment news — the good, the bad and the essential."
