As research from the British Ornothological Trust reveals that swift populations in England have fallen by more than half in the last 20 years, Surrey housebuilder Barratt Homes has renewed its commitment to protect swifts at Eldebury Place in Chertsey. The housebuilder will be installing a series of custom-made ‘Swift Bricks’ at select homes at the development.
Swifts are a migratory species that make their home in the roofs and eaves of old buildings each spring. However, changes to roof design and the demolition of derelict buildings has led to many habitats being lost over recent years. To protect declining swift populations and encourage residents to live safely alongside nature, Barratt Southern Counties has begun work installing the Swift Bricks into the fabric of the homes at its developments.
A total of 134 custom-design swift nesting boxes will be installed at the development. These special bricks have been designed to match the existing framework of the homes, and once installed will create a safe, unobtrusive home for the swifts.
Lynnette St-Quintin, Sales & Marketing Director for Barratt Southern Counties, comments: “As a responsible housebuilder, it is our mission to provide a safe home for nature at our developments. Our longstanding partnership with wildlife conservation charity the RSPB has allowed us to deliver a range of nature-friendly features at our developments, including our latest pledge to provide a home for swifts. We look forward to seeing the swifts move into their new homes this spring.”
Barratt Homes is currently building new homes at its Eldebury Place development in Chertsey, Surrey. Currently available at the development is a selection of three and four-bedroom homes, with prices starting from £509,995 for a three-bedroom property.
To find out more about Barratt Homes, visit www.barratthomes.co.uk or call 0333 355 8498.