The founder of the Eden Project says he is "disturbed and extremely concerned" by Labour proposals to overhaul the planning system. Sir Tim Smit warns "iconic views" across England could be spoiled by "inappropriate buildings", while wildlife and local green spaces could also be impacted by controversial plans to speed up housebuilding as the Government lags behind its 1.5 million homes pledge.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government (MHCLG) has launched a consultation on removing a number of statutory consultees from the planning process. Among them is The Gardens Trust, the UK's only national charity with a statutory responsibility to protect and conserve the heritage of designed landscapes. The Trust, of which Sir Tim is vice-president, warns the "shameful" plans risk putting England's "crown jewels" at risk.

Sir Tim said it is in the "national interest" for The Gardens Trust to retain its status.

He said: "We fully support a national agenda for creating affordable housing and want to help ensure that this happens while protecting the green spaces and their character which are so important to us all.

"By sharing our expertise in understanding what makes parks and gardens so special, we can continue to make an invaluable contribution both protecting these national treasures while being allied to the aspiration of creating homes in places people want to live.

"We therefore suggest that our continued contribution is needed in the national interest, not as a policeman acting as a brake on progress, but as a guide to support and inform it."

The Eden Project founder added: "Without the specialist advice of The Gardens Trust and its members, hard-pressed planners would be left to make important development decisions without being fully-informed.

"Before you know it, iconic views that we have come to love could have inappropriate buildings in them, wildlife could be deprived of the homes they have enjoyed for hundreds of years, and people could be deprived of the green spaces that they have grown up in."

The Gardens Trust warns its removal as a statutory consultee could put cherished green spaces under threat from housebuilders, developers and highway construction.

Many of the landscapes it works to protect are on the Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England.

This includes iconic sites like the gardens at Hampton Court Palace - the venue for RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival, the world's largest flower show - as well as Chatsworth House Gardens in Derbyshire and Highgate Cemetery in London.

The delayed consultation on the statutory status of The Gardens Trust, as well as Sport England and the Theatres Trust, was announced last month.

Housing Secretary Steve Reed said downgrading the organisations would help "streamline" the planning process and "cut back delays".

The Gardens Trust has always denied slowing down the system, pointing out it only made 69 objections in 2024-25.

Mr Reed also announced housing developments near some stations will receive a "default yes" from planners, as well as other measures designed to accelerate the building of homes amid a housing crisis.

The minister has vowed to "go further than ever before" to hit Labour's key pledge of 1.5 million new homes by 2029.

Industry experts and councils have warned the target is impossible, with Mr Reed admitting more needs to be done.

Recent figures show 231,300 new homes had been built between last year's election and September this year.

The MHCLG has been contacted for comment.