PROTECTION OF ANCIENT WOODS

That this House notes that the Government has announced its intention to improve and protect ancient woods and veteran trees by adding them to a list of the nation's assets, thereby granting them added protection from development; and believes that to ensure the success of such good intentions it will be necessary to change the current National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) by updating paragraph 118 of its guidelines to deem such developments only acceptable in wholly exceptional circumstances.