New homes in England to have bird-friendly swift bricks in planning reform

The UK government has announced reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework, which will require new builds in England to be fitted with swift bricks for nesting birds.

The proposed policy changes, which will be open for consultation until 10 March 2026, include a section on improving the natural environment, stating that new houses should incorporate features to support wildlife.

This includes "a new requirement for swift bricks in developments".

Plans described as "win-win for nature and housebuilding"

Swift bricks are hollow bricks that can be inhabited by cavity-nesting birds such as swifts, an aerial bird once common in the UK, but now on the country's Red List of conservation concern due to its declining population.

Swifts often nest in the nooks and crannies of homes, and so it is believed that a lack of nesting locations is the reason for their decline.

The inclusion of swift bricks in the updated National Planning Policy Framework – the UK's biggest rewriting of planning rules in over a decade – was intended as a "win-win for nature and housebuilding" as the government pursues its goal to build 1.5 million homes.

However, bird conservationist and swift brick campaigner Hannah Bourne-Taylor claims the planning reform does not go far enough to help wildlife.

"This is the weakest action the government could take on swift bricks," Bourne-Taylor told Dezeen.

"It is greenwashing by the government"

"It is greenwashing by the government to then claim it is a win and put it all over social media and send out press releases," added Bourne-Taylor.

"There is a giant difference between toothless policy and legislation," she continued. "A requirement for every new build to have a swift brick sounds like a win, but it is through a policy with no statutory weight – there is no legal requirement, no enforcement, no transparency, no monitoring."

"If you look at the equivalent existing policies in the National Planning Policy Framework about not building on flood plains or green belts, you see that these policies are often ignored or otherwise overturned."

Other changes to the National Planning Policy Framework included encouraging housing development around railway stations and supporting high-density housing on small sites and underused land.