Councils with positive swift policies

Caroline McLelland

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Jul 10, 2025, 10:18:23 AM7/10/25

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Hi all,

Can I ask anyone who has or knows of a Council with a policy of putting swift bricks and/or holes in soffits into new builds, and any similar policy when houses are updated to let me know?
I’m wanting evidence of this to present as leverage to our Councils to try to get them to adopt a positive policy. It might be easier if they see that other Councils have done it. I know of Wakefield Councils policy after pressure from Wakefield Swift Group.
Thanks
Caroline drcaroline...@gmail.com
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Andy Bullen

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Jul 10, 2025, 10:31:55 AM7/10/25

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Hi

Borough council of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk on some of their developments

Please let me know if you’d like more details

Thanks

Andy

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Ian Donovan

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Jul 10, 2025, 11:03:25 AM7/10/25

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Hastings Borough Council

Ian

Ian Donovan

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Jul 10, 2025, 11:03:49 AM7/10/25

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Brighton & Hove City Council

Henry Kenner

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Jul 10, 2025, 6:24:19 PM7/10/25

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Cotswold District Council

Exeter City Council

..a couple.of examples

On Thu, 10 Jul 2025, 15:18 Caroline McLelland, <drcaroline...@gmail.com> wrote:

Gill Stacey

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Jul 11, 2025, 1:24:23 AM7/11/25

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Also Stroud District Council

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Mike Priaulx

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Jul 11, 2025, 4:15:49 AM7/11/25

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Hi Caroline,

Here is my top 16 local authorities - these are all adopted policies in force which is why some of the others people have suggested are not here (because they're not adopted yet).

I don't know of any council policies for holes in soffits in new-build so this is just bricks; some apply to extensions too, such as Brighton & Hove.

If you let me know your local authority name I can look up what its current policy is.

Here is the list updated 11/12/24, starting with the best worded policies in my opinion; I have split into those applying best-practice in terms of numbers, e.g. reference to BS 42021 or CIEEM, and those that don't state specific numbers -

as mentioned previously Brighton & Hove I think is the closest to a model clause due to the high numbers of bricks required and clear guidance, that's the one I suggest using as a good example for wording.

(SPD = Supplementary Planning Document.)

1. Brighton & Hove: guidance note -

https://ww3.brighton-hove.gov.uk/sites/brighton-hove.gov.uk/files/Swift%20Guidance.pdf

2. Greater Cambridge: Biodiversity SPD -

https://www.greatercambridgeplanning.org/media/2476/gcsp-biodiversity-spd-feb-2022.pdf

3. Royal [London] Borough of Kingston Upon Thames: Swift Species Action Plan -

https://habitatsandheritage.org.uk/our-work/parks-nature/kingston-biodiversity-partnership/

4. The Lake District National Planning Authority: Design Code -

https://www.lakedistrict.gov.uk/planning/planningpolicies/design-code

5. London Borough of Merton: Local Plan -

https://www.merton.gov.uk/planning-and-buildings/planning/local-plan/newlocalplan/green-and-blue-infrastructure

6. Cornwall: Planning for Biodiversity & Net Gain SPD -