Badgers and their setts are protected by law. The Protection of Badgers Act (1992) strictly prohibits any malicious or negligent act which disturbs badgers or their homes. However, the rapid rise of property and road development across England and Wales means that Planning and Development now represent one of the most significant risks to local badger populations. If not handled correctly, development projects can result in the loss of badger habitat, the increased urbanisation of badgers, an increase in garden problems for surrounding homeowners and even an increase in road casualties, which already claim the lives of an estimated 50,000 badgers each year. As ecosystem engineers, the loss of viable habitat for badgers has wide reaching consequences for other native plants and animals.
How You Can Help and Get Involved
With the right action at the right time, you can make a positive impact for badgers. Whilst the presence of badgers will rarely be enough to prevent planning permission from being granted, it is often possible to intervene at the consultation phase to protect badgers from harm and avoid any long-term problems.
Before a local planning authority (LPA) can grant planning permission for any development scheme, a statutory consultation period of at least 21 days is required to allow anyone with an interest in the scheme to come forward and state their views. All of these views have to be taken into consideration by the planning officer dealing with the case, and these are generally compiled into a formal planning officer report ahead of a decision notice being issued.
At the start of the 21-day consultation period, the LPA will contact neighbouring homeowners/landowners to alert them to the planning application and also contact a number of advisory parties whose views are sought by the council as consultees. These will vary from council to council and from scheme to scheme but may include the relevant water companies, county council highways departments, environmental health and local wildlife groups, including Badger Groups. If you need help responding to a planning application please Contact Us. Essex Badger Group has created a guide for individuals who wish to intervene at the consultation phase in order to seek the correct mitigation measures to protect the badgers from harm and avoid any long term problems:
Badger Trust has created a Guide for Developers. The document is designed to guide developers through appropriate steps to protect badgers and their setts from development activities, with advice on legal responsibilities and badger harm mitigation strategies.
Badger Trust also encourages local councils to liaise with local Badger Groups such as our Gloucestershire Badger Group who may offer advice and information on local badger populations. You can read the document or download it here:
Guidance for Developers