The letter states the plans will result in decades of protections for biodiversity being reversed \u201cprecisely when those protections are needed the most\u201d. A recent report by the joint intelligence committee, which oversees the spy agencies MI5 and MI6, warned<\/a> that the global attack on nature was threatening the UK\u2019s national security and food supply.<\/p>\n On Wednesday, the House of Lords<\/a> will debate the nature restoration levy regulations 2026. This is the draft statutory instrument under the Planning Act that will make the environmental delivery plan regime operational. The regulations have to be approved by both the Commons and Lords.<\/p>\n Ahead of the debate, a member of the Lords introduced a motion calling on the government to withdraw the regulations.<\/p>\n In a submission to the Lords, Alexa Culver, a planning lawyer at RSK Wilding, raised \u201cserious concerns\u201d over these regulations.<\/p>\n Culver said they would allow the secretary of state to change the payment rate for an EDP at any point, without consulting Natural England<\/a> or the developer. This would hand \u201cunchecked power\u201d to ministers to \u201cset the price of environmental destruction as low as they like\u201d, she said, adding that the price could be as low as \u00a31.<\/p>\n Culver said the regulations were being \u201crushed through\u201d with \u201cserious flaws remaining unexamined\u201d, which she said could leave a \u201chuge vulnerability\u201d to lobbying pressure.<\/p>\n The letter said the plans would result in decades of protections for biodiversity reversed \u2018precisely when those protections are needed the most\u2019. Photograph: Maureen McLean\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n The government said the levy rates must be set at a level that enables Natural England to fund the conservation measures identified in the relevant EDP.<\/p>\n However, Culver\u2019s submission warns England could become Europe\u2019s \u201cbargain basement\u201d. This is because the plans disapply protections derived from the EU habitats directive, which every EU member state still applies in full.<\/p>\n \u201cDevelopers in England could face a fraction of the environmental cost their French, German, Dutch and Irish counterparts must meet,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n skip past newsletter promotion<\/a><\/p>\n Sign up to Down to Earth<\/p>\n The planet’s most important stories. Get all the week’s environment news – the good, the bad and the essential<\/p>\n after newsletter promotion<\/p>\n The financier and environmentalist Ben Goldsmith, who is a signatory of the letter, said it was \u201cclear that this Labour<\/a> government really doesn\u2019t get it when it comes to nature\u201d.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/500.jpg\")
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