We are in a climate and ecological emergency. If we don’t start prioritising nature’s recovery, our cities will quickly become uninhabitable for both wildlife and people!
To destroy part of Portsmouth's natural assets is unsustainable and would be to the detriment of the people of Portsmouth. Given the threats of climate change and rising sea levels, these proposals are wholly inappropriate and would be extremely costly both financially and environmentally.
Meeting required housing targets has been the focus of the Council’s concerns so far. As one of the most densely populated cities in the UK, Portsmouth struggles to accommodate the significant additional housing demanded by Government. There is limited space and the existing infrastructure is already under pressure.
But pressure to respond to Central Government's demands for housing cannot excuse the destruction of Portsmouth’s vital natural assets, or important existing legal safeguards to be dismissed!
The Council currently believes that there no alternatives and that meeting housing targets might trump nature’s protection and the Government's many pledges for the environment. If approved, this would set an extremely damaging precedent, which could give the green light to further destructive developments and take a wrecking ball to the country’s natural heritage.