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Campaigners concerned with the preservation of England’s ancient woodlands warn that increased housing targets could place these invaluable natural habitats under growing threat. Despite existing government protections that restrict building on or near such sites to only “wholly exceptional circumstances,” activists say recent policies and housing ambitions are undermining these safeguards. The Labour government’s commitment to constructing 1.5 million new homes by 2029, alongside the introduction of the “grey belt”—areas of lower-quality open land that may be developed—has raised alarms among conservationists.
A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson maintains that ancient woodlands continue to receive robust protection under current regulations. However, investigations by the BBC reveal numerous planned developments adjacent to ancient woods. One notable example includes approved plans for 450 homes to be built mere yards from Hook Wood in Gillingham, Kent, sparking concerns among local residents over the potential harm to wildlife. Lucy Graebe-Watson, chairwoman of Ancient Woodland UK, has highlighted growing challenges to existing protections, noting an increase in alerts and worries from local groups since recent changes to planning rules.
Ancient woodlands are defined as areas continuously wooded since at least 1600, representing some of the richest wildlife habitats in the UK. According to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), development in these habitats is permitted only in exceptional cases, such as major infrastructure projects like HS2. Yet, Graebe-Watson warns that the creation of grey belt zones reduces protections previously afforded by green belt designations, making development near ancient woods more likely. In Derbyshire, for example, the Chaddesden Wood Nature Reserve faces pressure from proposed housing developments that could engulf the site on all sides, potentially degrading its status as a protected nature reserve.
Local residents like Helen Cherry, who has lived near Chaddesden Wood for four decades, express deep concern about the plans for roughly 150 new homes next to the woodland. She emphasized the significance of the 400-year-old trees and the beauty of the surrounding landscape, fearing the development would obliterate the cherished views and undermine the reserve’s integrity. Although Derby City Council rejected these plans in 2025, surveyors were spotted on-site later, provoking anxiety that developers, such as JGP Properties Limited, may return with revised proposals. JGP Properties asserts that their assessments show no harm to the ancient woodland or veteran trees, yet campaigners remain wary about potential long-term ecological impacts
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