We are reaching out to you at a critical moment for bat conservation in England. Last week, the government published the long-anticipated Planning and Infrastructure Bill, and its proposals could have devastating consequences for bats, other wildlife, their habitats and protected sites.

The government is blaming bats for blocking development, but the real issue is a failure to plan for nature and people. The Bill threatens to strip away key protections and undermine decades of conservation progress.

We gave an initial response on Monday after the government’s damaging rhetoric was ramped up and they specifically claimed bats are the cause of housing and infrastructure project delays.