Newbury Town Council puts forward hedgehog-friendly fencing proposal for new developments

Newbury is set to become a hedgehog superhighway.

The town council unanimously voted to request future developments make provisions for hedgehogs – and other small mammals – in fences.

This fencing would include a 13cm hole in the bottom that allows hedgehogs to move freely between gardens to find food and find a mate.

The planning and highways committee discussed the proposal to adopt a policy of requiring hedgehog-friendly fencing in new developments that is being proposed in a national petition to Government.

The committee decided to lobby West Berkshire Council to make hedgehog-friendly fencing a specific condition of the granting of planning permission for housing developments and look to get the need for hedgehog highways identified in the Local Plan.

Newbury Town Council also wants to encourage residents to put hedgehog highway holes in their existing fences.

Here is a link to the petition.