Swift Bricks: update from the Government

It’s official: swift bricks are now firmly on the Government’s agenda – and it’s thanks in no small part to the incredible efforts of thousands of 38 Degrees supporters and others. From signing petitions and emailing MPs to spreading the word online and in local communities, the 38 Degrees community and campaigners across the country have taken action to protect our swifts – and now, it’s paying off.

After months of tireless campaigning, the Government has recognised the urgent need to protect our swift population – and Housing Minister, Matthew Pennycook, has publicly praised the role 38 Degrees supporters and others have played in helping force this issue into the spotlight.

This is real momentum and shows what’s possible when we work together. Although the campaign isn’t over just yet, this breakthrough proves that people power works. Thank you to everyone who stood up for our feathered friends – this success belongs to you.

Here’s the statement in full from Matthew Pennycook MP, Minister of State for Housing and Planning:

I pay tribute to 38 Degrees supporters and all those who have campaigned to increase the use and placement of swift bricks.

During the passage of the government’s Planning and Infrastructure Bill through Parliament, we have been discussing the need to rapidly increase the coverage of swift bricks across the country.

As many of you reading this will know, swift bricks are an important means of arresting the worrying long-term decline of breeding swift populations in our country.

While swift brick coverage is increasing, with nearly 30 housebuilders having already made a voluntary commitment to install a bird-nesting brick or box for every new home built, we have always been clear that we could and should do more to drive up rates of swift brick installation in new build properties across the country.

We need to get Britain building again to tackle the acute and entrenched housing crisis this government inherited – but I am very clear that new homes need not, and should not, come at the expense of the environment. This government is determined to deliver a win-win for nature recovery and development.

We made important changes in the revised National Planning Policy Framework which we published in December last year to strongly encourage developments to provide net gains for biodiversity, including through incorporating features which support priority or threatened species such as swifts, bats and hedgehogs. However, we have always intended to go further.

Recently, during the Report Stage of the Bill, I set out how the government will consult on changes to national planning policy that would set an expectation that swift bricks would be installed in all new brick-built homes.

These changes, confirmed in Parliament, would have the effect of significantly strengthening the planning policy expectations already in place.

So that no one can be in any doubt about our intention, this government has, as a first step, also recently published updated Planning Practice Guidance, setting out more fully how swift bricks are expected to be used in new developments.

The approach we are taking is the fastest and most effective way of boosting swift brick coverage across the country.

We will be consulting on a new set of national policies for planning decision-making later this year and I look forward to hearing your views as we look to support nature recovery and get Britain building.

Matthew Pennycook MP

Minister of State for Housing and Planning