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Hedgerows

A girl picking berries from an overgrown hedgerow

England’s hedgerows offer a valuable habitat for wildlife, amongst many other benefits, and we’re working to protect them and create more.

Hedgerows are the vital stitching in the patchwork of our countryside. Not only are they beautiful, with shifting seasonal colours, but they also benefit wildlife and the wider environment. They store carbon and help slow climate change.

Unfortunately, the current National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) makes no mention of hedgerows. In Penkridge, Bloor Homes has removed nearly 300 metres of mature hedgerow to facilitate access for a greenfield development that we opposed.

We think hedgerows need protecting, and are calling on the government to commit to extending the hedgerow network by 40% by 2050.