Fact check: Part of a new town in Kent was impacted by a spider’s habitat

In a speech on Thursday, March 13, Sir Keir Starmer said “an entire new town” had been stopped by spiders.

Sir Keir said: “Jumping spiders stopping an entire new town – and I’ve not made that example up – that’s where we’ve got to.”

Evaluation

Sir Keir was likely referring to Ebbsfleet Garden City. But only part of that project has been impacted by its designation as a site of special scientific interest – which was in part because of a critically endangered spider.

The facts

Although he did not mention it by name, it appears the Prime Minister was referring to a development in Kent known as Ebbsfleet Garden City – where 15,000 new homes are planned to be built.

This scheme was recently featured in the national press with reports stating that part of a new town project had been obstructed by a Natural England decision to designate an area of Kent as a “site of special scientific interest” (SSSI).

These reports refer to Natural England’s 2021 decision to make Swanscombe Peninsula an SSSI. The site spans an area which includes part of Ebbsfleet Valley – which is where the garden city is being built.

The area is one of only two places in the UK that are home to a critically endangered spider called the distinguished jumping spider. The spider was among the reasons that Natural England gave for designating the SSSI.

But the SSSI decision does not affect the entire Ebbsfleet Garden City site. The impacted area is the part called “Ebbsfleet Central West”, and an update from the board in July 2024 said the master planning of Ebbsfleet Central West “is progressing well with strategic input from Natural England”.

The company behind the development says: “The ambition for Ebbsfleet Central West will seek to deliver an ambitious residential development whilst ensuring we protect, conserve and support local wildlife and nature.”

Work is also still progressing on other parts of the Ebbsfleet Garden City project, including Ebbsfleet Central East which was last year granted outline planning consent. By last July around 4,000 homes had been completed as part of the garden city project.

In 2023, the Ebbsfleet Development Corporation said it has “adjusted the plans” to take account of the SSSI and “concluded that the vision for the centre can still be achieved”.

It added that its planning “has shown that the overall quantum of development at Ebbsfleet Central will still be significant and will deliver the vision for the ‘heart of Ebbsfleet’”.

Links

Sir Keir Starmer’s speech on YouTube

Ebbsfleet Garden City – Welcome to Ebbsfleet (archived)

Colony of endangered spiders halts Government’s plans for 1,300 new homes (archived)

Ebbsfleet Development Corporation board meeting March 5 2025 (archived)

Gov.uk – Swanscombe Peninsula confirmed as Site of Special Scientific Interest (archived)

Ebbsfleet Garden City – Ebbsfleet Central (archived)

Ebbsfleet Development Corporation board meeting July 24 2024 (archived)

Plans for major development around Ebbsfleet International Train Station approved (archived)

Ebbsfleet Development Corporation – Annual report March 31 2023 (archived)