Osborne’s blast sparks warning on landscapes

TREASURED British landscapes including the Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors could be under threat from the Chancellor’s attack on environmental laws, wildlife groups have warned.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) has accused George Osborne of permitting “unrestrained growth” to “trample over our precious natural environment” following his announcement that Britain’s Habitat Regulations would be reviewed.

The regulations were introduced by the last Conservative Government in 1994 to protect key wildlife areas across the UK.

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But in his Autumn Statement, Mr Osborne bemoaned the burden of environmental rules upon industry, and described habitat regulations as a “ridiculous cost on British business”.

The RSPB, however, says the rules safeguard areas such as the Dales and the Moors from uncontrolled development.

RSPB regional director Peter Robertson said: “Clearly the Chancellor believes he can bring about a quick economic fix by allowing unrestrained growth to trample over our natural environment.

“This short-sighted approach seems to ignore the huge economic value that wildlife and landscapes bring to the region.”

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Both the Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors park authorities have so far declined to comment, with a spokeswoman for the Dales saying the authority would need time to assess the impact.

But the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust said it was “deeply concerned” by Mr Osborne’s comments, coming so soon after proposals for a huge relaxation of planning laws.

Chief executive Rob Stoneman said: “This Government risks going down as the one that trashed the British countryside.”

Environment secretary Caroline Spelman insisted that the Government “strongly supports the aims” of the regulations and will continue to protect Britain’s treasured wildlife sites. She said the review would address “a small number of cases” where the regulations “give rise to unnecessary costs and delays”.