As of last year, developers in England are now legally required to deliver biodiversity in major building projects. Part of this involves developers enhancing existing habitats or creating new spaces. The legislation is part of an effort to curb the rapid decline of biodiversity in the UK. It is reported that some of the most important wildlife has dropped by 50% in the last fifty years. However, with the demand for housing higher than ever, it’s a difficult balancing act between reversing the decline and building suitable homes. Solving the problem requires innovative design and action.

Partnering with a specialist ecology manufacturer we’re proud to have developed a range of habitat boxes to help our customers meet environmental obligations when it comes to their construction projects. Comprising nesting boxes, bat boxes and even a bee brick, these designs meet the requirements of large developments but are also suitable for smaller sites and self-builds where conscious developers wish to incorporate biodiversity into their projects.

Swift Boxes

The UK Swift population is said to have dropped by around 40% in the past decade. This is in part due to a drop in insects that the birds feed on, but it's also due to a reduction in suitable places for Swifts to nest.

Our Swift box brick is a pre-fabricated solution that allows easy swift box installation in brick-built properties. The opening of the swift box design has been created specifically for these slighter birds, discouraging more common species such as starlings from nesting.

The swift box can be installed at a suitable height to encourage the creatures to nest, usually just below the eves of the property. It can also be matched in a range of bricks to suit your building scheme. This ensures seamless integration while still meeting bio-diversity recommendations.

Brick Bat box

Bats have an important role to play in keeping mosquitos and other pests at bay, but again their population is under threat. We’re said to have around 18 species calling the UK home, but numbers have dwindled over the past century.

With conservation groups working hard to maintain numbers, the introduction of bat boxes for new builds is likely to have been a welcome development. Our hardwearing permanent bat habitat box is designed to be integrated into your property. A bat house suitable for UK bat species, it can be easily integrated as part of the build helping to ensure even the largest developments can adhere to bio-diversity recommendations.

Brick sparrow nest box

Available in our full brick product range, the AAB Sparrow habitat box is another product that has been designed in partnership with a specialist ecology manufacturer.

While it may seem that these birds are everywhere, according to The RSPB, house sparrow numbers have dropped by almost 30 million since 1970. Fortunately, sparrows love to nest in holes or crevices in buildings. This makes our sparrow bird box an ideal solution. This nest can be positioned away from direct sunlight and where the birds have a clear flight path to and from the box, making it an enticing home.

Bee Brick

The newest addition to our growing range of habitat solutions, the bee brick is an excellent choice for those who want to play a part in the conservation of the UK bee population.

A simple yet effective design, the bee brick is available in several sizes and can be ordered as a match to any of our products. Once installed they require very little maintenance.

This type of bee brick is suitable for solitary bees who do not produce honey and, due to the brick design, there’s no risk of creatures getting into or nesting in masonry. Solitary bees do not have a queen and are not aggressive, there’s no risk of swarming, making them a family-friendly solution.

Take a closer look at our range of brick habitat boxes, or, if you’d like more detailed information on our product range, get in touch with our team.