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Richard Hebditch @richard.hebditch.org · 4h

Autumn sunshine in NT's Petts Wood

Richard Hebditch @richard.hebditch.org · 4h

"Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has ordered a last-minute rewrite of the UK government’s flagship planning bill as he attempts to boost growth and patch up the public finances ahead of the November Budget."
www.ft.com/content/8437...

Keir Starmer orders planning bill rewrite in bid to get Budget boost

UK ministers working through weekend to agree amendments meant to speed up big infrastructure projects and housing schemes

www.ft.com

Richard Hebditch @richard.hebditch.org · 2d

The Government has tabled over 180 amendments to their own bill. Suggests might have been better to have a draft bill first with less of a rush?

Richard Hebditch @richard.hebditch.org · 2d

160 pages of proposed amendments to the English Devolution Bill published today - including climate amendments from @sianberry.bsky.social (see below) & Lib Dems

Richard Hebditch @richard.hebditch.org · 2d

The vision for Great British Railways does seem to be more about stabilisation and efficiencies rather than an improving network. Given the end of franchising, you'd hope that GBR would be able to have a long-term vision for improving stations (or should hand over London ones to TfL...)

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Richard Hebditch @richard.hebditch.org · 2d

This weekend will more than half of train operators being state controlled in UK. This post from @murkydepths.bsky.social is worth a read on how state control has not yet impacted on significantly improving stations in my neck of the woods in SE London: www.fromthemurkydepths.co.uk/2025/10/09/l...

Lewisham station to see upgrade and entrance changes for capacity improvement - Murky Depths

Lewisham station upgrade is set to see entrance changes to enhance capacity from next year according to Southeastern

www.fromthemurkydepths.co.uk

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Reposted by Richard Hebditch

Dr Alex Bond @thelabandfield.bsky.social · 2d

It's also not "just another" extinction, it's the first from mainland Europe in centuries. CENTURIES.

And there will be others within our lifetime.

That's biodiversity loss.

We'll never hear this sound, ever again xeno-canto.org/398794

XC398794 Slender-billed Curlew (Numenius tenuirostris)

Awful wind noise in the original! See sonogram and notes of the recording circumstances on p12 of Gretton A. (1991) The ecology and conservation of the Slender-billed Curlew (Numenius tenuirostris). ...

xeno-canto.org

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Reposted by Richard Hebditch

Dr Alex Bond @thelabandfield.bsky.social · 2d

Well, it's official. After our paper last year (onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....), the Slender-billed Curlew is officially declared Extinct today.

Scientists dream of describing new species, not writing their obituary and epitaph, knowing that they are gone forever #ornithology

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Richard Hebditch @richard.hebditch.org · 2d

Perran Moon looking to carve out special status for Cornwall (one of a number of similar amendments)

Richard Hebditch @richard.hebditch.org · 2d

Also linked to the type of politician who are in it only to stop the other side from having power, whether internally in the party or the opposing party (this is pretty much the overriding ideology of the Conservative party to stop socialists or liberals from ruining the country)

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Richard Hebditch @richard.hebditch.org · 2d

160 pages of proposed amendments to the English Devolution Bill published today - including climate amendments from @sianberry.bsky.social (see below) & Lib Dems

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Richard Hebditch @richard.hebditch.org · 3d

2025 second worst harvest on record. Made worse by climate change.
eciu.net/media/press-...

England has second worst harvest on record: comment

2024 harvest pushed into third place, as three of the five worst harvests on record seen this decade alone.

eciu.net

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Richard Hebditch @richard.hebditch.org · 4d

"The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), Southern Water and Natural England have agreed on new guidelines to protect wetlands and wildlife while building homes"
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Water agreement to allow 21,000 new homes to by built in Sussex

An agreement is reached on new guidelines to protect wetlands and wildlife while building homes.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Richard Hebditch @richard.hebditch.org · 4d

"The agreement ensures protection for rare species like the Lesser Whirlpool Ramshorn Snail, a unique part of the Arun Valley’s ecosystem."
(following Rachel Reeves comments earlier this week - water company is changing its approach which will allow development)
www.gov.uk/government/n...

Thousands of new homes get the go ahead in North Sussex

21,000 new homes in North Sussex unlocked after four-year bottleneck

www.gov.uk

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Reposted by Richard Hebditch

Simon Evans @drsimevans.carbonbrief.org · 4d

FACTCHECK: Claire Coutinho claims UK gas power only costs £55/MWh…

…but she is ignoring a few small details:

🤫 Gas prices always rise in winter
🤫 Gas plants cost money to build
🤫 CO2 causes economic damages

THREAD with receipts

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Richard Hebditch @richard.hebditch.org · 4d

Actually I think this is just an incorrect title for the saving (though the social and affordable homes programme is the same amount). It is the alleged saving from restricting social housing support to British nationals (though any savings could well mean higher costs elsewhere)

Richard Hebditch @richard.hebditch.org · 4d

Bang goes the social and affordable homes programme (if the Conservatives were to form the next government)

Scorecard for proposals for spending cuts and spending commitments from Conservatives

Richard Hebditch @richard.hebditch.org · 4d

Bang goes the social and affordable homes programme (if the Conservatives were to form the next government)

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Richard Hebditch @richard.hebditch.org · 4d

Full letter is here: www.cnp.org.uk/wp-content/u...

www.cnp.org.uk

Richard Hebditch @richard.hebditch.org · 4d

Government quote below - does not necessarily mean that the plan to change and weaken the duty will not go ahead.

A government spokesperson told the Guardian: “These claims are untrue. We will deliver the infrastructure and 1.5 million homes the country needs while preserving the natural beauty of our Protected Landscapes.”

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Richard Hebditch @richard.hebditch.org · 4d

I'm one of the 170 names signing this letter to the PM, over serious alarm that the Government intends to weaken statutory duties protecting national parks & AONBs.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Plans to weaken protections for national parks will have ‘disastrous consequences’ say green groups

Exclusive: Letter from 170-plus organisations calls on government to drop proposed changes to planning law

www.theguardian.com

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Richard Hebditch @richard.hebditch.org · 5d

Silent Skies exhibition on air pollution in Manchester. On till 2 November www.museum.manchester.ac.uk/event/silent...

www.museum.manchester.ac.uk

Richard Hebditch @richard.hebditch.org · 5d

Since the Clean Air Acts, the peppered moth in Manchester has returned to its earlier dominant lighter colour.

Just need now to tackle the pollution from vehicles to save the estimated 1.200 lives per year where air quality is a contributory factor...

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Richard Hebditch @richard.hebditch.org · 5d

Popped out to Manchester Museum today where there is exhibition on air pollution in the city. Inc the peppered moth - a light coloured moth with ideal camouflage against lichen. The dark variant (first seen in Manchester at beginning of C19) almost entirety replaced the lighter variant by end of C19

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Richard Hebditch @richard.hebditch.org · 5d

At a fringe at Conservative conference called "Why Does Nothing Work?". It's started ten minutes late.

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Richard Hebditch @richard.hebditch.org · 6d

Manchester. Not a proper municipal bus network while buses still only have one door. Discuss.

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Richard Hebditch @richard.hebditch.org · 6d

Good effective speech from James Cleverly earlier (though no new policies in his speech, which wasn't expectation) but the hall dynamics kills any atmosphere.