building regulations

[Aylsham Swift Group]

Hi,

I've recently had a minor victory in persuading the National Trust at Blickling Hall to remove bird combs they had installed in a couple of their estate cottages. I support of my arguments I sent them a copy of the NFRC-GN57 Guidance Note "Encouraging roof-nesting birds" and Sheffield Swift Network's "Guidance to Builders" - thank you Sheffield people! I'm planning now to contact the NT Director of Land and Nature (Harry Bowell) to ask if they have a national policy on swifts. Mr Bowell held a senior role with RSPB before taking his current job and before that worked for the Norfolk Wildlife Trust so I'm hoping to get a sympathetic reception.

Can anyone give me chapter and verse on building regulations and bird guards as I'd like to have something authoritative to quote? In a recent post,  Mike Priaulx said they are "not a legal requirement but just the modern way" but we are constantly being told that "it's building regulations".

Can anyone help me with this?

Thanks,

Pat

--

Aylsham Swift Group 01263 731128

Aylsham Swift Group | @AylshamSwifts  |  Make a donation 

Virus-free.www.avg.com

[Swifts (SOS)]

The guards are shown on the ‘Best Practice’ guide for eaves. Felt manufacturers quote this when installing their products. 

If there is a warranty claim and combing isn’t there then the installers become liable for any claim, hence their inclusion. 

SuffolkBirdGroup.org

On 9 Apr 2026, at 09:11, Aylsham Swift Group <aylsha...@gmail.com> wrote:



--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "swiftslocalnetwork" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to swiftslocalnetw...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/swiftslocalnetwork/CALzo9mymDE3j7kDMNf%2BaUgS2YjpTH0vdG%3DEsCiMjF-%3DSNuSXJQ%40mail.gmail.com.

Suffolk Bird Group (SBG) is committed to protecting your privacy as a member.  If you share your contact details we will keep them on a secure spreadsheet to enable us to fulfil our responsibilities to provide you with the benefits of membership.  We value your support and will not pass on information about you to anyone outside SBG.  If you would prefer not to receive future information from SBG please inform us by emailing communications@suffolkbirdgroup.org

[Mike Priaulx]

Hi Pat,

The slight confusion has come about because NHBC (National House Building Council) Building Standards do not allow birds or other wildlife to enter the roof space,

but the Building Regulations just don't mention it.

Standards and Regulations sound similar, but the first are just standard practice for various reasons, and the latter are a legal requirement for most significant building work.

I work as a contractor for NHBC, so have some knowledge about it.

I'll send a bit more detail later.

All the best,

Mike

Member of SLN Swifts & Planning Group

+++

Aylsham Swift Group <aylsha...@gmail.com>: Apr 09 09:11AM +0100