Housebuilders slam bird protection rules

摘要

Housebuilders fear that Conservative councils in the Home Counties will exploit measures to protect rare birds to delay or block development in the South-east that they are opposed to in principle, writes David Blackman. Ben Bradshaw, the nature conservation minister, confirmed last week that the Thames Basin, where 40,000 homes have been earmarked, has been designated a Special Protection Area (SPA) under the European commission's birds directive.