Natural England: Building Nature into Britain's Homes- A Leadership Dialogue

Yemí took part in a Natural England roundtable exploring how nature can be more effectively built into people’s homes and neighbourhoods.

Opening the discussion, Yemí was clear that ambition is not the problem. There is widespread agreement on the need for greener, healthier and more climate-resilient places. The real challenge lies in a delivery system that continues to prioritise speed, certainty and lowest first cost. For local authorities stewarding public land and working with communities who are often seldom heard, delays, viability pressures and uncertainty have tangible consequences.

Yemí highlighted that many of the barriers to nature-positive development are systemic rather than ideological. Misaligned incentives, fragmented responsibilities and short-term cost thinking too often erode good intentions as projects move from vision to delivery. Nature is still frequently treated as an optional extra rather than essential infrastructure.

Her contribution focused on the opportunity to shift this balance. With clearer structures, earlier collaboration and stronger partnerships across the public, private and third sectors, these challenges become solvable. Embedding nature early, aligning incentives and planning for long-term stewardship can move nature from aspiration to delivery.

Yemí also emphasised the role Natural England can play as an enabler, supporting homes and infrastructure to be delivered in ways that are genuinely nature-positive rather than acting solely as a regulator.

The roundtable marked the beginning of a more collaborative approach, reinforcing a shared ambition to make nature an investable, integral part of how homes and places are created.