Conservation groups have accused Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer of making “misleading” statements regarding rare spiders allegedly halting the construction of a new town. Sir Keir has been vocal about what he perceives as unnecessary regulatory obstacles hindering housebuilding, citing the example of Ebbsfleet in Kent, where he claimed the “dream of home ownership for thousands of families” was “held back by arachnids.”
The government has committed to building 1.5 million homes over the next five years. However, Sir Keir highlighted the case of Ebbsfleet, where the discovery of a rare species, the “distinguished jumping spider,” led to environmental protections that restricted construction. These protections reportedly prevented the building of 1,300 homes. Despite this, over 4,000 homes have already been constructed in other parts of Ebbsfleet, with thousands more planned.
Kent Wildlife Trust has criticized Sir Keir for “oversimplifying” the issue and “misrepresenting” its complexity. The charity, along with other conservation groups, plans to write directly to the Prime Minister to express their concerns. Ebbsfleet Garden City, a development project spanning 2,500 acres of brownfield land in the Thames Estuary, has been underway since 2015. Sir Keir, writing in the Daily Telegraph, emphasized the project’s goal to build over 15,000 homes with a “17-minute commute into central London.” He claimed that the previous government’s plan to develop 125 hectares of former industrial land was “blocked by Natural England” due to the discovery of the spiders, calling the situation “nonsense” and vowing to address it.
In a speech in Hull, Sir Keir reiterated his point, stating that “jumping spiders” had stopped “an entire new town,” adding, “I’ve not made that example up, it’s where we’ve got to.” However, conservation charities argue that this characterization is inaccurate. Natural England designated the Swanscombe Peninsula, where the 1,300 homes were planned, as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in March 2021 due to its ecological significance. The area is one of only two sites in the UK home to the distinguished jumping spider, a critically endangered species that thrives in post-industrial environments.
Jamie Robins from Buglife criticized Sir Keir’s remarks, stating that “making false claims about critically endangered jumping spiders stopping ‘an entire new town’ is misleading and incorrect.” He warned that such statements undermine public confidence in environmental protections and the role of Natural England. Emma Waller of Kent Wildlife Trust emphasized the importance of preserving SSSIs, stating, “We must move beyond the narrative of ‘nature versus growth.’ Sustainable development, which respects and integrates the natural environment, benefits both people and wildlife.”
The RSPB also weighed in, with a spokesperson expressing concern over the Prime Minister’s focus on development at the expense of habitat protection. A Downing Street spokesperson responded by reaffirming the government’s commitment to reforming the planning system to remove barriers to growth and deliver on its housing targets. “We need to go further and faster to remove regulations blocking the planning system, holding back growth, and ultimately preventing people from realising the dream of home ownership,” the spokesperson said.
The controversy highlights the ongoing tension between housing development and environmental conservation, with Sir Keir’s comments sparking a broader debate about sustainable growth.
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