RSPB Magazine - Building homes for Nature
Edward Mayer
Dear Swift Friends & Colleagues, I have just seen this article
(attached) in the RSPB Magazine, and it is both interesting and useful
to us. In summary it says that the RSPB has agreed with 28 developers
through the Future Homes Hub for wildlife supporting features to be
built into new homes. These include Swift Bricks. We need to find out
from the RSPB (I have copied in Laurinda Luffman there so she can help
us with this) who the 28 developers are, so we can approach them and ask
them about their commitment when we see their developments being
promoted in our areas. Then we can report back to the RSPB and to each
other about which of the developers is doing best, is easiest to deal
with, and who are not being helpful enough. Best wishes, Edward
Camilla Barlow
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Laurinda Luffman
Thanks for flagging, Edward. I hadn’t seen this article.
I believe the RSPB was ably assisted in the conversations with FHH by Becky Ingham (AfS), as well as other organisations such as PTES and BCT.
When I can find out anything more of relevance from colleagues, I’ll let the SLN know.
Laurinda
27 listed in link...
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Cally Smith Huntly & District Swift Group
Edward Mayer - Swift Conservation
Gill Stacey
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Jon and Camilla Barlow
Hi Edward & SLN members
Vistry is indeed a signatory of FHH Homes for Nature Commitment …. . AfS & SLN have now been in partnership with them for almost a year and they have agreed to extend for a further year. AfS and SLN provided the information for Vistry’s intranet and AfS also provided much of the information on swifts for the FHH Guidance Document (which is only available to FHH members).
Vistry (brand names Bovis/Linden/Countryside) has 26 regional offices across the UK and they do work independently, although obviously Head Office make Group decisions such as joining the HfN commitment. So we do have HO backing, and regional offices do have to embrace the HfN commitment, but we still have to build a relationship with each of the regions. Vistry has nominated a contact in each of their regions and we have linked an SLN member with most of these, with Becky (AfS) picking up the rest. So we are working to get each region onboard but a lot depends on the enthusiasm and workload of our Vistry contacts….. Internally Vistry has been ‘spreading the word’ about the HfN commitment and our partnership at training sessions and group meetings.
Yes it has been quite slow but we did expect that. The commitment only kicks in for applications starting through the planning process from 01/09/2024, and of course most of their developments have been in the planning pipeline long before this date. Many large developments take a number of years from first applying for outline planning through to the diggers arriving on site, so theoretically it could take years before we see the fruit of the HfN commitment coming through, although we have seen encouraging signs from some developers that they are willing to start including the 1:1 ratio now if it is possible within the planning process.
We’ve now had meetings with several of the regions, AfS and Vistry are close to finalising a procurement deal which will offer Vistry a very competitive group price and we have been receiving a few ‘bird box’ plans to look over and advise on….. so all moving in the right direction. Vistry regions use different consultant ecologists but we have been contacting the main ones to make sure they are aware of HfN as it does take time for information to filter down through………
For those regions we have made contact with we are finding that Vistry is often willing to increase the number of swift bricks in applications already in the pipeline if it is possible…. Pre the HfN commitment the numbers of swift provisions were often very poor…… in my area we had 2 for 106 dwellings and 4 for Phase 1 of 234 dwellings. Since the commitment, Phase 2 now has 406 for 406 dwellings…..
A downside is that it costs rather a lot to join FHH so smaller developers are unlikely to join…. but on the upside it is the large developers who will be building the majority of the houses and they are the ones most likely to sign up.
As we make progress with the most responsive Vistry regions, we feel that momentum will increase, the HfN commitment will begin to kick-in, hopefully we can showcase some successful developments …and things will begin to snowball!
Kind regards
Camilla
From: swiftsloc...@googlegroups.com <swiftsloc...@googlegroups.com> On Behalf Of Edward Mayer - Swift Conservation
Sent: 15 April 2025 09:43
To: swiftslocalnetwork <swiftsloc...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [SLN] RSPB Magazine - Building homes for Nature
Thanks Camilla, I missed that! But I note that Vistry is on the list. I have made three efforts this year to get through to Vistry's London and SE Regional managers to pursue the installation of Swift Bricks at their local sites. So far none have replied to me. So I think we may be facing rather a long slog up a rocky road! What is the experience of others? Has anyone had a good result? Best wishes, Edward
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Edward Mayer
Hi Gill, That's most valuable information! If others could report
successes it would I think be a great encouragement to those like
us who don't seem to be getting anywhere! And it would build up a
pattern of compliance/non-compliance that Camilla and Becky could
show to Vistry's HQ people who agreed the whole idea. Best wishes,
Edward
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Louise at Bolton and Bury Swifts
Sent: Tuesday, April 15, 2025 9:43:06 AM
To: swiftslocalnetwork <swiftsloc...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [SLN] RSPB Magazine - Building homes for Nature