Big Ambitions Seen In 25 Year Environment Plan

The government's 25 Year Plan for the Environment may be light on new legal obligations but it does provide useful pointers to possible future policy developments. Net environmental gain might become mandatory, warns Helen Bowdren in her article for Construction Law.

Bats, badgers and newts. These can sometimes be the most urgent, and disruptive, environmental issues for construction companies. But a whole host of other green issues – such as waste and resources, contaminated materials, energy efficiency, sustainability and biodiversity – can also impact on timing and costs for construction projects.

Which is why the industry should be interested in the government's 25 Year Plan for the Environment. Published in January 2018, the plan sets out the government's plans for the environment for the next generation. Significant regulatory change could be on the cards following Brexit in March 2019, so the plan is highly relevant and timely.