Hedgehog highway opening at New Marske development
Tuesday 5 April 2022
We’re preparing to welcome new residents – both human and animal – to our latest development in New Marske, which features a ‘hedgehog highway.’
The 23 home scheme, which has been developed with Gus Robinson Developments, contains bungalows and two-and-three-bedroom houses and is due for completion in early May.
At the inception of the project, we joined forces with Redcar and Cleveland councillor and hedgehog expert, Anne Watts, who regularly cares for multiple hedgehogs at her home in Guisborough.
Cllr Watts had advocated for the creation of a hedgehog highway, a system of tunnels to allow the visiting creatures safe passage, through the gardens of the new homes at a meeting of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council’s regulatory committee before backing the planning application for the £2.5 million development.
While the hedgehogs prefer to travel at night and rest up in woodpiles or small burrows during the day, human residents of the new houses will be able to access the affordable rent scheme via Tees Valley Homefinder.
Elaine Dance, Assistant Project Manager at Beyond Housing, said: “At Beyond Housing we are committed to being good neighbours, protecting the environment and building sustainable developments for the future. We’ve built this Hedgehog Highway in New Marske because we have developed in a rural area and are committed to protecting the hedgehog population.”
Cllr Anne Watts, Redcar and Cleveland councillor and hedgehog expert, said: “Hedgehog Highways are very important to stop the decline of the numbers. I’m really pleased with what I’ve seen here, so this is going to improve life for the hedgehogs.
