Commons committee chair calls for sweeping overhaul of Natural England amid farm and housing disputes
Alistair Carmichael, chair of the Commons Environment Committee, urged radical reform of Natural England, accusing it of obstructing development and ignoring rural voices.
The chairman of the Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, Alistair Carmichael, demanded comprehensive reform of Natural England, describing the agency as obstructive and out of touch with farmers. He cited high-cost wildlife protection projects, including a £95 million bat tunnel for HS2 and an acoustic fish deterrent at Hinkley Point C, as examples of the watchdog’s overreach. Carmichael also pointed to the contentious nutrient-neutrality scheme, which forces developers to purchase pollution credits, a market in which Natural England itself participates.
The agency is under pressure from the government, which has proposed folding it into the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and is undergoing a leadership transition with Neil Hornby taking over as chief executive. Critics argue that one outlet approach threatens housing delivery, rural livelihoods, and national food security.
Why it matters
Reforming Natural England could reshape UK housing, farming and environmental policy.
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