Put nature first!

We always think of our needs and the needs of the other animals that share this world us always seem to be secondary. This needs to change and the SLP should ensure we shift from allowing developers to get away with minimum standards on everything to having to deliver excellence and the highest standards on all aspects of their developments. The highest standards should be for nature where all existing trees and hedgerows baring exceptional circumstances have to be incorporated into developments. Green corridors to link up the green spaces left by developments should be mandatory and relocation of all species effected by developments should be done prior to any ground being broken. Excellence should also be delivered on climate change and all properties should conform to the highest possible environmentally friendly standards. Developers should also be made to deliver a higher percentage of affordable housing. Currently the emphasis seems to be on maximising profits rather than truly delivering much needed housing. Necessary infrastructure changes need to be in place prior to any homes being built. This will ensure the impact on existing communities is kept to a minimum which is something that currently doesn't happen. If we truly need new homes they need to be built in the highest possible ethical ways and they impact every aspect of every development thoroughly thought through before planning is granted. The needs of prospective home owner's cant be allowed to outweigh everything else. The system we currently have seems to brush aside communities concerns about developments. It ignores concerns on flooding, it ignores the concerns of nature, it limits as much as possible peoples chances to have their say. This needs to change!