Richard Hebditch

theoep.org.uktheoep.org.uk

OEP response to the consultation on the first Environmental Delivery Plan is here: www.theoep.org.uk/news/oep-wel... They make the point about ensuring EDP/Nature Restoration Fund should be additional spending, something I'd thought we should push for during the Bill but which dropped off our list.

Also good to see @theoep.bsky.social query how Natural England has applied the "Appropriate Prioritisation Regs", which are supposed to ensure that they prioritise avoidance and mitigation measures before jumping to compensation elsewhere.

Natural England have chosen to apply these regs after first ruling out all but one avoid/mitigate measure, which seems perverse and not exactly a good faith approach to the regs which Parliament insisted be included in the Planning & Infrastructure Bill. #MitigationHierarchy

theoep.org.uktheoep.org.uk

National Lottery has "additionality" in its statutory framework, and I think a mistake that we didn't try and get this into the Bill. If EDPs ever get off the ground, this could well be an excuse to cut funding in other areas.

keadbynextgen.comKeadby Next Generation Power Station

Why would you build a power station to run on hydrogen? Seems like most illogical & inefficient way to produce electricity, using lots of energy to create the blue hydrogen, then needing to capture CO2 emissions from this. (alerted to this as DESNZ just postponed a decision on it) keadbynextgen.com

telegraph.co.uktelegraph.co.uk

My grumpy thoughts on MHCLG not tracking the impact of their grey belt policy was in the Telegraph on Friday: www.telegraph.co.uk/business/202...

Richard Hebditch@richard.hebditch.org

Green Belt stats out today. They are becoming largely meaningless. Green Belt has five purposes but post-2024 govt policy allows development on sites which don't meet three of the five policies (see below).

bbc.co.ukBudget measures to include fuel duty freeze and food tariff cutsThe BBC understands the government will also freeze fuel duty again in the Budget.

11h

"The BBC understands the government will also freeze fuel duty again in the Budget". Shocked (not shocked). www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Richard Hebditch@richard.hebditch.org

I am interested why people all seem to strongly believe the Budget statement that fuel duty will definitely rise next year. There is more detail on how this would be done, but this would be the biggest rise in fuel duty since at least the 1980s and could easily be knocked off course by opposition.

Richard Hebditch reposted

Anthony Zacharzewski

@anthonyzach.be

Counterpoint: CEOs should look at their companies as if they needed to provide a service for every citizen, constantly renew their social licence to operate, and plan for the long term wellbeing of the whole country. www.ft.com/content/8255...

ft.comPoliticians should ‘look at the UK economy as a CEO would’, says Lloyds Bank’s bossHead of Britain’s biggest lender talks about tax, AI and why the City of London has fallen behind global rivals

Richard Hebditch reposted

London TravelWatch

@ldntravelwatch.bsky.social

#OxfordStreet pedestrianisation starts on Monday 26 October 🚍 However, bus routes and stops will begin changing from this Saturday 24 Oct Main diversions will be in place from 8pm on Sunday and return journeys could differ from your outward trip See below for more details 👇

tfl.gov.uktfl.gov.uk

cpre.org.ukNorfolk's EDP consultation: getting nature restoration rightThe first Environmental Delivery Plan could shape the future of nature restoration. Explore the key concerns, risks and opportunities.

I've written a short explainer blog for CPRE about the first of the new Environmental Delivery Plans (under the Planning & Infra Act) and why this one particularly matters in setting a precendent for others. www.cpre.org.uk/news/norfolk...

gov.ukNotification of intention to prepare Environmental Delivery Plans: letter from Natural England to the Secretary of State

Natural England are working on at least another 15 EDPs at the moment, covering nutrient neutrality and great crested newts. List here: www.gov.uk/government/p...

salamandernews.orgCity Hall pare down building regulations to ease pressure on housebuilders | Salamander NewsThe capital's housing shortage has worsened in recent years, in part due to the increased burden on developers of rising interest rates and rocketing material and labour costs.

Sorry - should have said 15 on nutrient neutrality and seven on great crested newts

Richard Hebditch reposted

Salamander News

@salamandernews.org

City Hall pare down building regs .. including protections against extreme heat Local democracy reporter Kumail Jaffer reports www.salamandernews.org/2026-10-city...

Here's an example of what that looks like from Hertfordshire:

However all this land that is released for development as "grey belt" remains the formal status of Green Belt (but with none of the protections). So grey belt still shows up in the official stats as Green Belt. There's no date as to when MHCLG might start collecting stats on this.

channel4news.substack.comHow land is being redesignated as grey belt so homes can be builtEnglish councils are being asked to review their green belt and identify what could become grey belt. We used Freedom of Information laws to ask councils with green belt land what they are doing.

How much land will be grey belt? C4 News report: "96% of the green belt areas assessed [in Guildford] were potentially grey belt. In Stoke it was 92%, North Tyneside was 44%, and Solihull, nearly 80%." channel4news.substack.com/p/revealed-l...

gov.ukExpanding electric vehicle charging access for tenants and leaseholders

Not quite a right to charge EVs for tenants and leaseholders but Govt consulting on an "ability to charge": www.gov.uk/government/c...

"Continued reliance on fossil fuels exposes the UK to price volatility and supply shocks, with significant economic consequences for households and businesses. EVs can help mitigate these risks..." says the consultation, making a good case for why the ZEV mandate should not be weakened.

Also... bsky.app/profile/ralp...

Ralph Palmer@ralphpalmer.bsky.social

The middle of a fuel crisis that is continuously driving up inflation really is not the time to be watering down the UK's electric vehicle sales targets. The Government should stand firm.

gov.ukReadout of the Civil Society Council: 15 October 2026On Thursday 15 October, the Civil Society Council met at the King’s Trust in Manchester.

Civil Society Council met last week. Govt readout here: www.gov.uk/government/n... All seems pretty jolly. Maybe not quite reflecting hard times for many charities (DSC closing, more redundancies at RSPB, Reach volunteering only saved by emergency funding, etc)

committees.parliament.uk20 October 2026 - Mission Government - Oral evidence - Committees - UK Parliament09:30 - Room 15, Palace of Westminster

It's 2024 all over again at the Public Administration Committee (PACAC) this morning - "Mission Government" session with Darren Jones. Starmer govt was very secretive about mission boards, which were supposed to lead these missions. committees.parliament.uk/event/28378/...

Mission boards. None of your business. (from DESNZ letter to energy committee from a while back)

london.gov.ukWho’s driving the future of autonomous transport in London?The London Assembly Transport Committee has published the report: 'Who’s driving the future of autonomous transport in London?'

Missed this last week - @londonassembly.bsky.social Transport Committee report on autonomous vehicles. Interesting in showing tension between central govt wanting UK to be a leader & attract investment and TfL/GLA wanting to keep London moving (and moving safely). www.london.gov.uk/who-we-are/w...

Real risk that AVs will make congestion in London worse. Some of the key recommendations related to this below.

bbc.co.ukPeople playing loud music on buses could face £100 fineAntisocial behaviour on buses in England could lead to fines while a new campaign is also being launched for trains. A national campaign asking rail passengers "share the carriage, not the noise" is b...

Still think there is a strong social norm not to play music or videos on speaker on public transport (at least in London). But people's exposure to norms varies - not all countries will have that norm, & will be weaker on (for instance) teenagers too. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

@batconservation.bsky.social

(Don't think I have ever heard music or videos on the 8.17 from Lewisham to Cannon St. The City's office workers very susceptible to the pressures of social norms)

Richard Hebditch reposted

Bat Conservation Trust

🦇Prime Minister, protect nature and ditch the deregulation. Andy Burnham has criticised deregulation. Now we're calling on his government to back those words with action and protect the laws that protect our wildlife. Read our full news piece here: www.bats.org.uk/news/2026/10... .

bats.org.ukPrime Minister, protect nature and ditch the deregulation - News - Bat Conservation TrustAndy Burnham has criticised deregulation. Now we're calling on his government to back those words with action and protect the laws that protect our wildlife.

theguardian.comBurnham pledges ‘big changes’ to the way the welfare system works to tackle Neets crisis – UK politics livePrime minister’s comments come as children’s commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza highlights ‘staggering’ inequalities in young people’s treatment across UK

Slightly suspect the whole Lib Dem leadership plot was just a cunning ruse to get Westminster lobby correspondents to cover Lib Dem press conferences... www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...

@guyshrubsole.bsky.social

Metropolitan Cluster no. 13 this morning (as the draft London Plan calls central Lewisham)

Richard Hebditch reposted

Guy Shrubsole

Have we transformed our land use yet? DEFRA published their Land Use Framework over six months ago - but implementation has slowed to a crawl. Excellent to see this new progress tracker on the Land Use Framework from @green-alliance.org.uk: land-use-framework-tracker.green-alliance.org.uk

londontravelwatch.org.ukBus stop bypasses - London TravelWatch statement - London TravelWatchWe are calling for a number of changes to London's 'floating bus stops', which we believe have a range of fundamental design flaws

Bus stop bypasses improve safety for cyclists but can risk making it harder for disabled and older people to use buses (plenty of videos show problems with some of them). Recommendations from @ldntravelwatch.bsky.social: www.londontravelwatch.org.uk/news/bus-sto...

Recommendations:

New post-Burnham as PM doc on ministerial responsibilities published yesterday. Cabinet Office, BIST, HMT, DESNZ, DfT, MoD, MoJ, Scotland Office, Wales Office, DWP and FCDO all claiming ownership of aspects of AI policy. But not DCMS who have digital in their name.

gov.ukGovernment ministers and responsibilitiesThis document lists government ministers and their responsibilities.

Doc here: www.gov.uk/government/p...

ukhousingreview.org.ukUK Housing Review 2026 - Compendium

Really interesting webinar yesterday from @cihhousing.bsky.social with autumn update of their UK housing review. Including loads of great data at www.ukhousingreview.org.uk/ukhr26/compe...

The hassle of buying and selling houses (over half a million failed transactions a year), and taxation policy does not help with more efficient allocation of housing. Conservative plans on IHT would probably make this worse too. (below from www.santander.co.uk/about-santan...)

Average repayment as % of average income for first time buyers and owner occupier movers For most of this period, repayments lower than mid-2000s

ukhousingreview.org.ukUK Housing Review 2026 - Compendium

Really interesting webinar yesterday from @cihhousing.bsky.social with autumn update of their UK housing review. Including loads of great data at www.ukhousingreview.org.uk/ukhr26/compe...

Changes in private rented stock

"In the context of housing shortages, distribution of living space has become an important issue warranting greater policy attention. A system that better matches households to homes would reduce overcrowding and expand choice."

ukhousingreview.org.ukUK Housing Review 2026 - Compendium

Really interesting webinar yesterday from @cihhousing.bsky.social with autumn update of their UK housing review. Including loads of great data at www.ukhousingreview.org.uk/ukhr26/compe...

Will share some of the data - this on English house prices in real terms (indexed - 2000=100).

labourlist.org'The zero-emission vehicle mandate is a major climate test for Burnham' - LabourListLabour needs prove to voters that the party is the home of climate leadership and environmentalism.

Private rents as a percentage of income of households in work in England 2013/14-2024/25 (but higher for those not in work - "the ‘affordability crisis’ is unevenly felt" says CIH report)

Richard Hebditch reposted

Ralph Palmer

@ralphpalmer.bsky.social

I've written for @labourlist.bsky.social on why standing firm on policies like the ZEV mandate not only has a climate & industrial imperative, but a political one too. labourlist.org/2026/10/zero...

Arab Strap v good tonight at Heaven. 30 years to the day since their first ever gig apparently. Not the greatest pic but I was stood behind the tallest man in London, & his mate the second tallest man in London.

bbc.co.ukPublicly owned rail is popular. But is it making the trains run on time?Meeting travellers' expectations could be challenging, experts warn.

BBC article on rail nationalisation - agree with much of it but counting London Overground, Elizabeth Line & Merseyrail as the same "private" rail as Avanti is a bit misleading. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Also obviously don't agree with Glaister - actually model of control from TfL & Merseytravel produced better outcomes for passengers without necessarily massive spending by public sector. Southeastern also has improved without increased spending.