{"id":353367,"date":"2026-01-05T13:37:09","date_gmt":"2026-01-05T13:37:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/353367\/"},"modified":"2026-01-05T13:37:09","modified_gmt":"2026-01-05T13:37:09","slug":"natural-basingstoke-criticises-housebuilding-plans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/353367\/","title":{"rendered":"Natural Basingstoke criticises housebuilding plans"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\n  Conservation charity Natural Basingstoke is urging the public to respond to a consultation on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basingstokegazette.co.uk\/topics\/basingstoke-and-deane-borough-council\/?ref=au\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council<\/a>\u2019s draft Local Plan, which outlines where 17,000 new homes could be built in the coming years under a government-imposed target.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n  The group is concerned that areas previously ruled out for development on environmental grounds are now back on the table.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n  Gill Smallman, chair of Natural Basingstoke, said: &#8220;We recognise the unenviable task the Council has faced.\u00a0However, more needs to be done to ensure our natural environment is not irreparably damaged.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n  &#8220;We look forward to working constructively with the Council to help shape a Local Plan that leaves a positive environmental legacy for future generations.&#8221;\n<\/p>\n<p>\n  The group supports the need for new housing but insists it cannot come at the expense of the environment.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n  <img  \/><\/p>\n<p>\n  Natural Basingstoke is calling for a series of changes to the draft plan, including prioritising development in less sensitive areas, using updated environmental data to guide decisions, and avoiding the most ecologically vulnerable sites.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n  The group has also emphasised the need for stronger protection of the borough\u2019s rare chalk streams, which it describes as &#8216;globally rare and irreplaceable&#8217; and vulnerable to the impacts of nearby construction.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n  They are also calling for the creation of a connected network of protected habitats across the area, which they say would allow nature to recover and thrive.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n  The charity said: &#8220;We do not believe residents should be forced to sacrifice one precious natural area to save another.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n  &#8220;The Local Plan must be strengthened so that nature is properly protected.&#8221;\n<\/p>\n<p>\n  The council\u2019s cabinet approved the consultation in November 2025, giving the public until January 23, 2026, to have their say on the proposals.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n  Natural Basingstoke is urging <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basingstokegazette.co.uk\/topics\/luke-murphy-mp\/?ref=au\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Luke Murphy<\/a> MP to help the council find a way to deliver new homes while securing lasting improvements to the natural environment.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n  Mr Murphy has previously said: &#8220;I will advocate for a planning system that supports both economic renewal and nature recovery.&#8221;\n<\/p>\n<p>\n  He also stated that he would back the delivery of &#8220;measurable improvements to our local environment here in Basingstoke.&#8221;\n<\/p>\n<p>\n  Residents can sign Natural Basingstoke&#8217;s petition here:\u00a0www.change.org\/p\/protect-basingstoke-s-rare-chalk-streams-and-natural-green-spaces<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Conservation charity Natural Basingstoke is urging the public to respond to a consultation on Basingstoke and Deane Borough&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":353368,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[1397,90,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-353367","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-environment","tag-environment","tag-science","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/353367","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=353367"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/353367\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/353368"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=353367"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=353367"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=353367"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}