Every household in England ‘to be within 15 minutes of green space or water’

Major environmental plan includes tackling sewage spills and restoring wildlife habitats but critics question lack of funding

• Farmers will be key to plan to restore England’s green spaces and wildlife

Every household will be within a 15-minute walk of a green space or water, under a major environmental improvement plan for England set out by the government on Tuesday.

The long-awaited measures will include commitments to restore at least 500,000 hectares (1.2m acres) of wildlife habitat, and 400 miles of river. This will include 25 new or expanded national nature reserves and 3,000 hectares (7,400 acres) of new woodland along England’s rivers. A new species survival fund will target some of the most threatened wildlife, including hedgehogs and red squirrels.