Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to the planning system within the Planning and Infrastructure Bill on irreplaceable habitats.

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) is clear that development resulting in the loss or deterioration of irreplaceable habitats should be refused, unless there are wholly exceptional reasons and a suitable compensation strategy exists.

The Nature Restoration Fund (NRF) provides an alternative mechanism for development to discharge environmental obligations relating specifically to the Habitats and Species Regulations, the Wildlife and Countryside Act, and the Protection of Badgers Act.

It does not apply to irreplaceable habitats generally, for which the strong protections in the National Planning Policy Framework will continue to apply.