Hedgehog Highways & Wildlife‑Safe Design: What Lords’ Amendments Mean for Schemes

From ‘nice to have’ to normal practice

Wildlife‑friendly design is moving from marketing copy into mainstream planning requirements. Lords’ amendments and local policy shifts are pushing for tangible features such as hedgehog highways, bird‑safe glass, integrated swift bricks and sensitive lighting. The direction is clear: applicants that evidence ecology‑positive choices early will find validation smoother and committee sessions friendlier. The trick is to propose measures that are both effective and buildable, then link them to a clear baseline.

Start with a site‑specific baseline

A Phase 1 Desktop Study gives the early map you need. It brings together historic land use, hydrology, and ecological context so you can select measures that will actually work. Fence gaps are positioned to connect green corridors rather than isolate them. Bird‑safe glazing is targeted where tree lines meet façades. Lighting levels are set to respect bat commuting routes. Because the Phase 1 Desktop Study also considers contamination and pathways, you avoid locating habitats over ground that later needs remediation or capping.

Join ecology and drainage

Nature‑based solutions gain credibility when they interlock. With measured rates from Infiltration Testing, SuDS can double as habitat—varied banks, shallow shelves and native planting. Planting palettes can emphasise forage species supporting insects and birds. Small decisions made early—brick types, eaves detailing for swift bricks, and fence standards with 13cm x 13cm passages—add up to a coherent strategy that survives value engineering.

Make maintenance realistic

Planners increasingly ask “who will look after this?” Include simple, costed maintenance notes in your design and access statement, and tie responsibilities to management companies or covenants. Provide monitoring suggestions (e.g., seasonal checks of hedgehog routes) so measures aren’t forgotten once homes are occupied. Because these details are anchored in the Phase 1 Desktop Study evidence, consultees can see they’re proportionate and deliverable.

Evidence beats assertion

EnviroSolution’s fast Phase 1 Desktop Study packages constraints, opportunities and a concise rationale for wildlife‑safe features. The outcome is an application that reads as practical and policy‑aligned—without slowing your programme.

Step‑by‑step integration

During concept design, map desire lines and habitat edges on the same plan as utilities and SuDS. Use fence specs that include 13cm x 13cm hedgehog gaps at intervals, and confirm with your ecologist where to concentrate them. Specify bird‑safe glazing patterns only where flight paths make them necessary to keep costs proportionate. Tie all measures to maintenance responsibilities in the management plan so they persist after handover.

EnviroSolution’s role

Our {P1} gives you the defensible baseline and a short schedule of measures matched to your site constraints. We also coordinate with SuDS designers using {INF} results so habitats and drainage mutually reinforce each other. If demolition or soft strip is involved, we can add proportionate {ASB} to keep programmes safe and compliant.

Win support without delay

With early, evidence‑led design, wildlife‑safe measures become an asset in your planning narrative rather than an afterthought that triggers requests for changes.