PLANNING COMMENT FOR APPLICATION REF:  5/2025/1875

Dean Cornish

4 Adstone
Luton

Please could St Albans Council ensure that 162 British Standard BS42021:2022 integrated Swift bricks are correctly installed on this development. The current recommendations are totally inadequate and neglect Taylor Wimpey's own commitments under the Homes for Nature Initiative: https://www.futurehomes.org.uk/homes-for-nature

Swift bricks are cheap, easy to install, fit neatly into the building looking aesthetically pleasing and are barely visible if properly installed https://www.actionforswifts.com/s/Integral-Nest-Brick-Guidance-ns83.pdf The bricks last the lifetime of the building and require no maintenance.

Because of the British Standard, integrated Swift bricks are 'universal' providing homes for Swifts (68% UK decline) and other red-listed hole nesting species including but not limited to: Starlings (57% UK decline), House Martins (42% UK decline) and House Sparrows (25% decline in England) see: https://www.bto.org/sites/default/files/BBS-Report-2024.pdf for full statistics.

In addition, the newly published Hertfordshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy expects one Swift brick per dwelling on average https://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/doc/about/partner/lnrs/local-nature-recovery-strategy-pdf-17.6mb.pdf (Page 62).

This development could support and help grow local populations hole-nesting species including Swifts and provide resilience to local colonies.