\n Natural Basingstoke has put forward a proposal near Cufaude Lane in Bramley where developments on 103 acres of countryside are proposed.\n<\/p>\n
\n Croudace Homes is building more than 300 homes in the area, with an additional phase recently approved, and a neighbouring site has been proposed byTaylor Wimpey for 265 homes.\n<\/p>\n
\n The charity has warned that current plans do not adequately protect the area’s wildlife, including common toads, barn owls, skylarks, brown hares and hazel dormice, which have the site as their home.\n<\/p>\n
\n A common toad on a street (Image: Unsplash)\n<\/p>\n
\n Gill Smallman, chair of Natural Basingstoke, said: “We see the creation of a protected wildlife corridor around Cufaude Lane in north Basingstoke as a reasonable compromise that enables new homes to be built while providing meaningful protection for local ecology and compensating for the loss of open countryside.\n<\/p>\n
\n “By embracing this proposal, developers have the opportunity to demonstrate genuine support for our natural environment to residents and future homeowners.”\n<\/p>\n
\n Natural Basingstoke said the current approach of designating \u2018countryside parks\u2019 within developments is not enough, as these shared spaces do not adequately protect wildlife from disturbance, habitat degradation, and predation.\n<\/p>\n
\n Instead, the charity is calling for a landscape-scale, strategic solution that would connect remaining habitats and allow wildlife to thrive.\n<\/p>\n
\n Block plan of Croudace Homes development (Image: Croudace Homes)\n<\/p>\n
\n The group has developed a detailed plan for a protected wildlife corridor connecting Bramley Camp, which is owned by the Ministry of Defence (MOD), to National Trust land to the west of Cufaude Lane.\n<\/p>\n