How Housebuilders are Protecting the Local Environment and Wildlife

A growing number of new home developers are signing the ‘Homes for Nature’ commitment. The commitment includes the installation of bat and bird boxes to all homes, hedgehog highways, planting native trees and shrubs, and creating pollinating landscapes.

Hedgehog highways

Due to the rapid decline in hedgehog numbers, developers have taken action with the introduction of Hedgehog highways. By installing fences, walls or even building new roads, this can disturb their journey and create a dangerous environment. To combat this, and thanks to an online petition in 2019, developers are now required to provide small gaps (13cm x 13cm) in fences to allow them to easily move through new developments.

To help protect the endangered species yourself, here are a few tips: It is recommended to create an undisturbed wild patch in your garden or even better, install a hedgehog house. They will forage for insects and worms although you can provide fruit and vegetables (apples, bananas and leafy greens) but avoid bread and cake items as well as sunflower seeds and peanuts. Hedgehogs are lactose intolerant, so do not leave milk out but provide a fresh water source instead.

Bat and bird boxes

Whilst there is no legal requirement for developers to include bat and bird boxes to their developments, thanks to initiatives like Homes for Nature and Biodiversity Net Gain regulations, they are becoming increasingly more common. There are many different styles of boxes available however, they are usually small letterbox shaped slits in the side of buildings, often the same colour to the brickwork. Bat boxes are positioned at least 3 metres from the ground whilst bird boxes sit at a minimum of 2.5 metres. The boxes are completely enclosed meaning the animals cannot get into your property. It is important to note that if you intend to move bats from their roosting site, you may require a license to do so.

Trees

Since 2024, new build developers in England now have to achieve a 10% Biodiversity New Gain (BNG) across their developments. Green spaces are shown to not only improve the environment but also a person's health and wellbeing, by reducing stress and boosting the immune system. Even though there is no legal requirement for developers to include trees within the development, it is heavily encouraged due to BNG.

The benefits of trees include improved air quality, absorbing pollutants and contaminants from the air as well as releasing oxygen, improving overall air quality. Developers tactically position the trees to create shading, reducing the need for air conditioning, lowering your energy consumption. Other benefits include flood control, noise reduction from local roads and increasing habitats for wildlife.

Balancing ponds

Balancing ponds, also known as attenuation ponds, are an engineered structure to help regulate rainwater flow into the drainage systems, ultimately helping to prevent flooding. Even though that is their primary function, they are also a great environment for wildlife.