The Land Trust and Buglife have called upon politicians to remember that whilst the NPPF prioritises development upon brownfield land, many brownfield sites can be wildlife havens and intrinsically valuable for public use.
Buglife writes:
Let’s change our assumptions about developing land – that’s the message from national land management charity The Land Trust and Buglife, who want to remind politicians it’s not as simple as brown versus green.
Euan Hall, Chief Executive of The Land Trust, said: ‘Certainly, there are areas of brownfield that are well positioned to accommodate the UK’s housing needs, but equally, there are many brownfield sites are more valuable to society and the environment as public open space. A blinkered blanket approach is damaging.
‘Brownfield can be a great place for wildlife, a great place for society to engage with nature and reap the benefits of the open space, as well as being a resource to assist with climate change adaptation. Oliver Road Lagoons is a prime example with its wildflower-rich habitats supporting over 1,300 wildlife species, 50 of which, are classified as endangered. This proves that brownfield should not necessarily be the first port of call for new developments.’
