
Swanscombe Peninsula
Chief Executive for Kent Wildlife Trust, Evan Bowen-Jones said: “Framing nature and development as opposing forces is unhelpful and misleading.
“Sustainable development must integrate environmental protections to create thriving, liveable communities. Protecting Swanscombe Peninsula is not about blocking homes, it’s about building the right homes in the right places while safeguarding our natural heritage.”
The conservationists also highlight the broader environmental risks of overdevelopment in an already densely built-up area, including the loss of vital green spaces, which contribute to mental well-being and physical health, and the destruction of natural carbon sinks that help absorb CO₂ and improve air quality in a region that already suffers from poor air quality.
“Nature underpins economic prosperity,” added Buglife Conservation Director, Craig Macadam. “Rather than promoting unsustainable expansion, we urge the government to focus on making better decisions for housebuilding. We need developments that are in the right places, enhance biodiversity and support climate goals.”
In their letter, the signatories invite Prime Minister Starmer to visit the Swanscombe Peninsula to see firsthand how conservation efforts and responsible development can work in harmony. They call on the government to support a development strategy that respects and integrates the natural environment rather than one that undermines essential protections for the UK’s most valuable wildlife sites.