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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the guidance entitled Summary: Planning and Infrastructure Bill, Government Amendments to Part 3 (Lords Committee Stage), published on 17 July 2025, in what circumstances the mitigation measures would have to be (a) in place and (b) be completed before the substantive development is allowed to be (i) started and (ii) occupied.

Where a developer has been granted permission relying on the payment of the Nature Restoration Levy, Natural England will be responsible for securing the necessary conservation measures to outweigh the negative effects of the development.

Natural England are being given the powers they need to deliver conservation measures at pace, to reduce any short-term impacts on the environment. There is no strict requirement to always have conservation measures in place in advance of impacts as there are instances when this could unnecessarily delay development and create liabilities for public finances.

However, an Environmental Delivery Plan must however set out the anticipated sequencing of the implementation of the conservation measures by reference to the development to which the Environmental Delivery Plan applies.

Ultimately, an Environmental Delivery Plan can only be put in place where the Secretary of State is satisfied the delivery of conservation measures will materially outweigh the negative effects of development by the plan’s end date.