I was planning on writing an update about the amazing hedgehog sculptures that have been put on a roundabout in Truro, Cornwall - I went and took some photos - as you can see from the photo at the top of the update ... but ...

Events ... the first thing I knew about it was when Fay Vass, the CEO of the British Hedgehog Preservation Society, called me. The Sunday Times had called and interviewed her about an announcement coming from Communities Secretary Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP ... he is (at time of going to press, all will change within the week I guess!) the boss of Kit Mathouse ... and his announcement was headlined in a press release saying:

Brokenshire orders house builders to protect wildlife ... 
Developers have been ordered to do more to protect Britain’s cherished wildlife.

This is basically a vindication of all of our work! Specifically he calls for - no - instructs, developers that they need to put in hedgehog highways if they have any hope of getting planning permission. I am so excited!

Now, it would have been rather lovely if our petition had received headline billing ... but as I always accepted, this was only ever going to work if someone in power 'had the idea' and made it happen. Reading on in the press release - it does say:

"For the first time the government has set out its expectations on how developers can protect specific species, including using ‘hedgehog highways’ and hollow swift bricks – which are installed into the walls of new build homes, allowing the birds to nest safely. This follows public interest for protecting these much-loved animals, with one petition receiving support from over half a million people."

That is as close as an acknowledgement as we are ever going to get - but mark my words - if we had not kicked up this beautiful fuss, this would never have made it into the National Planning Policy Framework.

If you would like to read the details - here is the full guidance. I have not read this yet - and it is fairly opaque in language - so if there are any experts out there willing to take on the job of checking what it REALLY says, I would be much obliged.

Does this meant the end of updates from me? Well, if it is okay with you, I will keep the petition open a little longer. I want to check that the guidance really does what is promised in the press release - and I want to see that it is going to be something that has a real world impact. So I will be back.

There might be a hiatus though - but before I go - I recognise that some of you might be thinking that you have had enough updates ... and that we have won enough to ask for them to stop - so I will take the opportunity to beg your support one last time ... this petition has been a labour of love - I have been thrilled by the support it has received. But I am not independently wealthy ... I write books and do talks about wildlife to earn my keep ... so if you have a passing interest in what else I do, please have a look here at my website and consider treating yourself or a friend to a book or two ....  Oh - I also rant a bit on twitter ... there - adverts over.

Thank you - without you we would not have got this far.