B2.1.1 Designing for nature

Where development directly affects the Wildlife Habitat Network, developers must incorporate measures that enhance ecological connectivity. These may include soft-engineered solutions such as the creation of continuous habitat corridors, as well as hard-engineered features like wildlife tunnels and underpasses. Opportunities to integrate the habitat network into the surrounding landscape must be explored and clearly set out within the landscape strategy.

To help reduce species mortality, particular priority should be given to implementing the features outlined in C2.1 in locations with a high potential for human-wildlife conflict, including highways, cycleways, and car parks.

Artificial lighting can disturb and isolate bats and other nocturnal wildlife by deterring them from roosting and foraging areas. The design of proposed lighting must be informed by ecological survey reporting to determine appropriate adaptations to reduce impacts to wildlife, including disturbance to roosting places and corridors used for commuting or foraging.

Development proposals must ensure lighting is designed to minimise light spill, especially near protected species mitigation habitat, blue and green linear features and soft landscaping. This may include the use of:

• directional lighting to avoid illuminating sensitive features, such as existing or new roost sites

• place lighting columns at lower levels and select the lowest possible light intensity to achieve the required function

• incorporate time controls or passive infrared (PIR) sensors to ensure lighting is only active when necessary

• a warm-white spectrum (ideally less than 2700 Kelvin) should be adopted to reduce the blue light component

• light emitting diode (LED) lighting should be used where possible, due to their sharp cut-off, lower intensity, good colour rendition, and dimming capabilities and lack of UV

• metal halide and fluorescent sources of light should not be used

• lighting should feature peak wavelengths higher than 550nm to avoid the component most disturbing to bats

• use landscape features (for example trees, hedges) to screen and buffer light

• integration of ‘dark zones’ within areas of limited surveillance, such as site boundaries

Proposed public footpaths should ideally be located away from areas where bats are known to forage, roost, or commute, to minimise disturbance while also meeting safe and secure design requirements.

Development proposals should be designed to meet the following standards set out within ‘Building with Nature’, a green infrastructure benchmark that sets out standards for high-quality, nature-rich development:

Core Standards

• Standard 1: Optimises Multifunctionality and Connectivity

• Standard 3: Environmental Net Gain

• Standard 4: Champions a Context Driven Approach

Wildlife Standards

• Standard 11: Delivers Wildlife Enhancement

• Standard 12: Underpins Nature’s Recovery

To support declining bird populations and boost local biodiversity, development proposals should integrate the following measures as part of a connected habitat network, rather than as isolated features:

• external bird boxes: made from durable materials like woodcrete or hardwood, positioned 2 to 5 metres above ground on north to east facing walls or trees, away from windows, doors, and external lighting. Different species need different box types and entrance sizes (for example, blue tits prefer a 25mm hole, house sparrows 32mm, and starlings 45mm). Open-fronted boxes can be used for robins and wrens, while sparrow terraces provide for communal species like house sparrows. Boxes should ideally be placed close to hedgerows, wildflower meadows, or woodland edges to support a wider habitat network

• integral nest boxes: incorporated into buildings in line with best practice set out in British Standard BS 42021:2022. Placement should be informed by ecological surveys and assessments to ensure suitability. As a general guide, aim for at least one nest box per building across the site. Where feasible, install boxes in small clusters of two or three, ideally on north-east or north-west-facing gable ends or just beneath eaves. They should be at least 5 metres above ground, with clear flight paths and away from windows, doors, or obstructions such as garage roofs.

• species-specific features: Include infrastructure such as swift towers or swift bricks, located within or near connected habitat areas to maximise their benefit for target species

• planting for birds: Use native, berry and nectar-rich plants in landscape design to offer food sources and attract invertebrates. Planting should link to existing or new hedgerows, wildflower areas, or woodland edges, creating continuous corridors for wildlife. More detail can be found on the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) webpage about suitable planting for birds

Development proposals should incorporate measures to support bat conservation by providing suitable roosting and foraging opportunities. This can be achieved by:

• integrating permanent bat roost features, such as bat bricks, bat tiles and/or roost tubes, into the walls or roof spaces of buildings. These should be positioned at soffit level, oriented south to west or south east to maximize solar warmth, and located away from windows, doors, and primary access routes

• installing durable woodcrete or hardwood bat boxes on mature trees (where an integrated approach is not feasible), ideally 3 to 6 metres above ground with clear flight paths. Boxes should be mounted using coach bolts to avoid damage to trees

• enhancing the surrounding landscape to support foraging by planting native hedgerows (for example, hawthorn, hazel, holly) or larger native trees, as the structure of the habitat is more critical than the specific species

Further technical guidance can be found on the Bat Conservation Trust webpage about bat boxes.

Hedgehog populations are declining due to habitat fragmentation and reduced access to foraging areas. Development proposals should support hedgehog movement and shelter by:

• providing connectivity features such as wildlife tunnels and 13cm by 13cm or (5-inch by 5-inch) gaps at the base of fences or boundary walls to enable movement between gardens and into the wider green network

• creating suitable habitat, including areas of long grass, shrubs, log piles (in private gardens or green spaces only), and leaf litter to offer shelter and feeding opportunities

• including the following in private covenants or site maintenance contracts to ensure long term protection:

  • restricting the use of pesticides or slug pellets harmful to hedgehogs and their prey

  • requirements for pre-maintenance checks before strimming or clearing vegetation

To strengthen ecological networks, proposals should prioritise native and pollinator friendly planting along paths, verges and green links. This should incorporate features that provide clear benefits to specific species or groups of species, with priority given to those that support Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) or Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) target species. Additionally, the climate resilience of selected species should be considered to ensure they can thrive amid changing weather patterns.

Ideas on potential plant selection can be found on the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) webpages relating to Plants for Pollinators, Tree Shrubs native to Britain, Wildflower meadows, and the Forestry Commission webpage about Right tree, right place for the right reasons.