‘New homes must not come at cost to wildlife’
THE Government must consider wildlife in its plans for the building of thousands of houses in the North West.
Chancellor Philip Hammond’s budget offered incentives to help build 300,000 houses a year across the UK over the next decade.
Conservationists fear the plans will include housing estates encroaching onto wildlife sites and breaking up green networks, within and outside important wildlife areas.
The Lancashire Wildlife Trust is raising concerns that new estates could be detrimental to the region’s wildlife and local people’s enjoyment of nature unless they are developed with care and attention to the needs of the environment.
Senior Policy Officer Dave Dunlop said: “We understand there is a great need for housing, particularly affordable homes for young people trying to get on the property ladder, but any plans must take into account our region’s diverse wildlife.
“We really need to stress the importance of green space and natural corridors, through which wildlife can move and increase.
“Any developments need to take into account the vital wildlife networks that we have created in the North West and across the United Kingdom and take the opportunity to create more.”
The Wildlife Trust is asking for improvements and additions to the network of green and blue corridors and natural habitat connecting larger or more expansive open spaces – for both people and wildlife.
Mr Dunlop said: “We have 10% of the nation’s willow tits, the UK’s most endangered small bird, around Wigan, Salford and South Lancashire. If we break the link between habitats in this vital network that could be disastrous for willow tits seeking homes and mates.
“This is a network for wildlife of all shapes and sizes; deer, foxes, frogs, hedgehogs, bats, birds – and many of our vitally important insects and the wildflowers and crops they pollinate.”
The Wildlife Trust is asking for regulations for developers to include highquality habitat to match local wildlife priorities. They also want developers to consider providing streets and roads that are tree-lined or contain hedgerows for local species.
Mr Dunlop said: “It would be ideal for any street trees lost to be replaced by at least two trees. These trees must then be allowed to reach the same stature as the original tree and provide similar ecosystem services.”
Landscaping work would have to incorporate insect-attracting plants, hedgerows, log-piles and other places of shelter for wildlife refuge and hibernation. Ponds must also be part of any plans.
The Wildlife Trust is also keen that developers look into rainwater storage and renewable energy sources to help the environment.
Mr Dunlop said: “Developers must strive to ‘do their bit’, creating high-quality town parks which offer habitat provision for biodiversity and a variety of facilities, services, experiences and community events for all age groups.
“Parks should be easily accessible by public transport, cycleways and footpaths, with natural green spaces and wild or free play areas in the urban setting. In these areas there should be some provision for wildflowers and rough grassland to encourage wildlife.
“These areas should be attached to parks and any educational facilities that are being built.”
One of the Wildlife Trust’s aims is to get people out into their local wild areas and even their own gardens, which obviously has health benefits.
Mr Dunlop said: “The Government should be encouraging and enabling developers and local government planners to create a network of streets, open spaces and parks. There should be safe routes linking these to homes and schools, allowing children to both play in their own neighbourhoods and move around without traffic danger.
“At the same time, they should be looking to enhance the transport system and help further reduce the effects of air pollution through the provision of verges of priority habitats, hedgerows, and wildflower-rich or rough grassland along railway lines, roads, streets, and pedestrian and cycle networks.”
Any development must provide allotments, community meadows, orchards and woodlands and a series of community gardens offering social and amenity space, readily accessible from people’s homes.
Mr Dunlop said: “The Wildlife Trust is happy to advise Government, local authorities and developers on what is best for wildlife.”