Hedgehog highways for housing developments in areas including Aston Clinton and Steeple Claydon

Wildlife author Hugh Warwick has praised the initiative

Bovis Homes, will install hedgehog highways to its existing developments and all future sites wherever possible, as part of a campaign that they and the Hedgehog Preservation Society say, will also help other small mammals, birds, frogs and insects.

The housebuilder has also donated £5,000 to the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) and teamed up with national project Hedgehog Street - a joint undertaking between BHPS and People’s Trust for Endangered Species - to further support their work.

Regional marketing manager, Louise Macrae, said: “We are proud to be the first housebuilder aiming to roll-out hedgehog highways as standard across current locations and our new developments, to help one of the nation’s favourite animals roam freely at night between gardens.

“As part of our new sustainability steering group, protecting hedgehogs and the environment is at the forefront of what we want to achieve and we are delighted to join forces with the British Hedgehog Preservation Society and take the lead in the housebuilding industry.

“Connectivity is vital to allow hedgehogs to find enough food, mates and shelter. There are many simple measures we can all take to help their numbers recover and ensuring easy access to our gardens is a very important step.”

Fay Vass, chief executive of BHPS, said: “We are delighted that Bovis Homes is making this important pledge to help our dwindling population of hedgehogs. Creating holes for hedgehogs in fences and walls is a simple step but it could have a huge impact on the amount of habitat available for hedgehogs following the development of a site.

“There are many small actions we can all take to help hedgehogs in our gardens and green spaces, and joined together those small actions can make a huge difference to a species under threat.”

Wildlife author and ecologist Hugh Warwick added that the “built environment” could help hedgehogs recover, if developments were built with wildlife in mind, and that Bovis Homes’ hedgehog highways were a “crucial” contribution.

For more information on the Hedgehog Highways campaign, visit www.bovishomes.co.uk.