England’s nature chief calls for building on green belt to solve housing crisis

Tony Juniper believes new homes and protection for green spaces and wildlife should not be seen as opposites

Building on the green belt should be part of the UK's answer to the housing crisis, provided more effort is also put into improving the quality of urban green space, England's nature chief says.

New housing and better protection for green spaces, wildlife and nature should not be seen as opposites, according to Tony Juniper, the chair of Natural England. The oppositional mindset" that sees the two as binary choices" does not reflect reality, and is hindering local communities from finding ways to provide enough homes for people, while restoring the UK's dwindling species.