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Protecting Our Local Environment
What is the state of nature in the UK?
The UK is facing a serious nature crisis. One in six species are now threatened with extinction, air pollution contributes to tens of thousands of deaths each year, and our rivers and coastline are under severe pressure. I believe everyone should be able to enjoy open green spaces, clean rivers and a healthy coastline, and I'm fighting to make that a reality for people across Chichester.
What are you doing about sewage in our waterways?
This is one of my top priorities. Water quality matters for our environment, our public health, and our local economy, and the current situation in Chichester is unacceptable. In 2023 alone, the constituency experienced 990 sewage spills lasting over 17,000 hours. I've seen firsthand the damage caused by excessive abstraction from chalk streams, high levels of leakage, and wastewater infrastructure that simply hasn't kept pace with housing development.
The Liberal Democrats used our second Opposition Day debate in this Parliament to highlight the ongoing scandal of raw sewage discharges. We're calling for water companies to be transformed into public benefit companies, executive bonuses to be banned until discharges and leaks are properly addressed, and OFWAT to be replaced with a regulator with real teeth: a call the Government has now listened to.
What are you doing locally on planning and the environment?
I tabled an amendment to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill to make National Landscapes like Chichester Harbour Conservancy statutory consultees on planning applications. This would have given the Conservancy a stronger voice in decisions affecting water quality and this vital natural habitat. The government chose not to accept it, but I will keep pushing for stronger environmental protections in our area.
What's your approach to nature recovery more broadly?
I strongly support nature-based solutions to tackle climate change and restore biodiversity. That means restoring peatlands, creating wetlands and saltmarshes in flood-prone areas, and taking a more strategic approach to land use so that the places most vital for nature and climate are properly protected. The Liberal Democrats are also calling for a Nature Act with legally binding targets on water quality, air quality, soil health and biodiversity, backed by long-term investment.
What about farmers and nature?
Paying farmers properly to help nature thrive is essential. I've visited a number of local farms embarking on rewilding projects, including the farmland surrounding Halnaker windmill, which offers a fascinating glimpse of how quickly biodiversity returns when land is given the chance. The Liberal Democrats are calling for additional DEFRA funding so that farmers can farm sustainably and improve biodiversity on their land.
I'm also raising serious concerns about the loss of high-grade agricultural land in our area. We have some of the best farmland in the country here, and once it's gone, it's gone. I'm making this case regularly in Parliament and directly to Ministers.
What about local wildlife?
The loss of wildlife across the country is deeply concerning. I recently visited Brent Lodge Wildlife Hospital to see the vital work the team there do, including efforts to rehabilitate hedgehogs, whose numbers have fallen dramatically. It's a reminder of what's at stake, and why strong environmental protections matter so much at every level.
