Protecting Our Bats and Wildlife from Destructive Housing Developments in Natural Beauty Spaces

Background to the Dumbleton Development Campaign

This green and pleasant land, this "sceptred Isle"(Shakespeare) we call England

Where is this green and pleasant land we once knew this “sceptred isle” we cherish so deeply? Across the country, the fields and hedgerows that have shaped England’s beauty for centuries are being steadily built over, leaving ever less space for our dwindling wildlife to live and thrive.

It seems there is no longer enough care for the welfare of the species who share our land. Their habitats are being eroded piece by piece, as more and more developments are approved on greenfield and even protected landscapes. We must ask at what cost?

Bats flying at dusk against a gradient twilight sky. Silhouettes of trees in the background add to the serene yet eerie mood.

In Dumbleton, a housing development has now been approved after more than a decade of local objections and multiple prior rejections. Each time before, the reasons for refusal were clear: the site’s ecological importance, landscape sensitivity, and wildlife value. Yet this time, despite no meaningful change in those facts, the application has been granted and residents have not been given a clear explanation why.

We believe it is our duty as caretakers of this countryside to seek answers and accountability. This site lies within an officially designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, a landscape that should be preserved, not diminished. To lose such land to short-term profit would be an irreversible loss for wildlife, for our community, and for generations to come.

We reject the notion that standing up for our countryside is mere “NIMBYism.” It is stewardship. It is care. It is our responsibility to ensure that what remains of England’s green heart is not buried under concrete and convenience. Future generations will thank those who spoke out who chose to defend the living world rather than quietly watch it disappear.