Link Blog

As drafted, the Planning Bill is not the promised win for nature or communities

Published on: 23 May 2025

As the Planning and Infrastructure Bill heads out of Committee and back to the floor of the House of Commons for Report Stage, we consider how the debate around the Bill is shaping up and whether our concerns that the Bill will fail to deliver for people, communities and nature have been addressed.

An Introduction to the Non-native Species Inspectorate

Published on: 12 May 2025

12 – 18 May is Invasive Species Week. Rob Wakefield, Deputy Chief Non-native Species Inspector, explains the role of the Non-native Species Inspectorate in helping to tackle invasive non-native species in Great Britain.

We’ve been delivering a successful newt offsetting scheme for seven years. Here’s why the Planning and Infrastructure Bill has us worried

Published on: 8 May 2025

The Government argues that planning changes will deliver a ‘win-win’ for development and nature recovery. However, the potential weakening of existing nature protections - along with anti-nature rhetoric from senior Government figures - has caused widespread concern amongst environmental experts.

The Land Use Framework. Unlocking future land use: nature is key

Published on: 25 April 2025

John Harold, Farm Partnership Officer at Plantlife, reflects on how the Land Use Framework could deliver for nature.

From fisheries to wind farms: understanding the different policies behind managing the North Sea

Published on: 14 April 2025

Valeria Zambianchi, postdoc at the Earth and Life Institute at UC Louvain (Belgium), analyses the UK policy landscape that governs decarbonisation and marine conservation in the management of the North Sea. The piece is based on her PhD research, available here.

From small sites to big opportunities on Biodiversity Net Gain

Published on: 2 April 2025

On April the 2nd, Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) celebrates the first full year of implementation for small sites, a crucial milestone given their collective impact. Philip Box, Senior Policy Officer at Link explains how to strengthen the scheme to make the most of the opportunity presented

One Million Hours Needs You!

Published on: 1 April 2025

The Great British Spring Clean Returns

Published on: 27 March 2025

Thousands of dedicated #LitterHeroes are donning their gloves, grabbing their litter-pickers, and cleaning up their local streets, parks and beaches. That’s because the nation’s biggest mass-action environmental campaign, the Great British Spring Clean, is back, running until 6 April!

The Planning and Infrastructure Bill: what are the risks and opportunities?

Published on: 20 March 2025

As we approach second reading of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, nature groups are concerned about the "nature vs. growth" rhetoric coming from Government. So, what are the risks to nature if we get planning reform wrong, and how can the bill be improved to ensure this doesn't happen? Richard Benwell, CEO of Wildlife and Countryside Link, explains

The UK’s National Biodiversity Plan: A Critical Next Step for Nature?

Published on: 26 February 2025

Today’s blog is written by Donia Zhang, Global Policy Volunteer at the RSPB, on the newly released UK response to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.