Brian Eversham, Chief Executive of the Beds, Cambs and Northants Wildlife Trust, said:

"The scramble for growth cannot come at any cost. The Wildlife Trust supports growth, where it sits within proper protections, and where it goes hand-in-hand with improvement of nature. With the right planning and guidelines in place, both housing and infrastructure can be positive for wildlife, as developments around Trumpington Meadows and Cambourne in Cambridgeshire have demonstrated. But the natural environment underpins the economy, and our region is at the front edge of the biodiversity crisis, with historic habitat loss amongst the highest in the world and nature in dire need of help to recover, not just maintain the status quo.

"Any focus on growth in our region needs to begin with an understanding of the environmental limits we are already breaching. Water supply for people and wildlife is a major challenge, and needs real, rather than paper, solutions. The government must not push for growth at any cost. They must ensure that the environment we rely on for our own wellbeing is properly protected and enhanced alongside growth so that it is truly sustainable for all of us."