Lead member
Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
Conservative, Life peer
Lords
Decision
Not moved
The amendment was not moved. The House was not invited to take a decision on it (though it may have been debated with other amendments).
Amendment text
After Clause 108
insert the following new Clause—
“Swift bricks and boxes
(1)
It is a condition in any grant of planning permission for new build developments greater than 5 metres in height, that there must be a minimum average of one swift brick or box per dwelling or unit.
(2)
Where feasible, swift bricks integrated into walls must be installed in preference to external swift nest boxes, following best practice guidance.
(3)
A planning authority may grant planning permission with exceptions or modifications to the condition specified in subsection (1) in exceptional circumstances, where possible following best practice guidance.
(4)
Where a planning authority considers that there are exceptional circumstances under subsection (3), it must publish those exceptional circumstances.
(5)
For the purpose of this section—
“best practice guidance” means the British Standard BS 42021:2022;
“swift brick” means an integral nest box integrated into the wall of a building suitable for the nesting of the common swift;
“swift nest box” means an external nest box suitable for the nesting of the common swift.”
Member's explanatory statement
This amendment would make planning permission for new developments conditional on the provision of a minimum number of swift bricks. These bricks provide the only permanent nesting habitat for red-listed cavity-nesting birds who are almost solely reliant on these sites to breed. Also known as universal nest bricks, they provide habitat for other small urban birds and invertebrates.