Charities have accused the Prime Minister of making “misleading” claims about rare spiders and conservation efforts blocking a major housing development.
Writing in the Telegraph, Sir Keir Starmer suggested plans for 15,000 new homes in Ebbsfleet, Kent, had been halted by the discovery of endangered spiders.
He cited the case as an example of unnecessary restrictions on development.
“Take the project in Ebbsfleet to build more than 15,000 new homes… The plan was blocked by Natural England,” Starmer said.
“Why? The discovery of a colony of ‘distinguished jumping spiders’, the dream of home ownership for thousands of families, held back by arachnids.
“It’s nonsense, and we’ll stop it.”
The Kent Wildlife Trust called Starmer’s example an “oversimplification” of the situation and emphasised the majority of the planned homes are still progressing.
Emma Waller, planning and policy officer at the Kent Wildlife Trust, said: “It is disappointing to see this complex issue misrepresented. The vast majority of the 15,000 homes are going ahead.
“However, 1,300 homes were proposed for development on the Swanscombe Peninsula, a designated site of special scientific interest.
“The distinguished jumping spider is not found in the area where those homes were proposed but in other protected parts of the SSSI.”
Waller said all of the SSSI, including where the 1,300 homes were planned, were vital habitats that the charity cannot afford to lose.
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