News from the gardening world
Government orders housebuilders to introduce measures to protect wildlife
Developers and housebuilders have been ordered to do more to protect Britain’s wildlife. The Government has insisted that companies consider the long-term impact of developments on the local ecosystem, both during and after construction, from the proposal stage through to building homes.
The announcement was influenced by online public lobbying, with one petition attracting more than 583,000 signatures. The lobby was launched to help curb the practice of hedge netting to prevent birds from nesting and inadvertently trapping hedgehogs on development sites.
In one of his last acts before leaving Government, Communities Secretary James Brokenshire introduced a range of measures to protect specific species, such as including hedgehog highways between properties and the use of hollow bricks to enable swifts to nest more easily and safely. Wider
measures emphasised the importance of using innovative techniques to support nature, such as drainage areas to create wetlands for birds and amphibians, as well as creating meadows and planting more trees.
“The public told us that protecting wildlife is important to them,” said Mr Brokenshire. “So my message to housebuilders is to harness this support and get building in a way that protects the environment for the next generation.”
Reaction to the news was favourable. “The fact we have got government to change planning law is a great victory for hedgehogs and also for the wildlife-loving public who put considerable political muscle behind the campaign,” said British Hedgehog Preservation Society spokesperson and campaign initiator, Hugh Warwick.
“No one wants to live in a neighbourhood where birdsong has been pushed out and our wildlife is not welcome,” said an RSPB spokesperson. “This announcement is an important recognition that builders and planners can be part of the answer, by ensuring they replace what is lost. But it’s only part of the picture, we also need wildlife-friendly planting and features to bring wildlife back into our gardens and communities.”
“It’s great to hear the Government making decrees about supporting wildlife, but it doesn’t go far enough,” said Paul Hetherington from invertebrate conservation charity Buglife. “It needs the necessary implementation tools to back them up.”