As a result of this response, the proposal was debated by the Senedd (Welsh Parliament) on 1 October 2025 (watch the debate here). Despite support for swifts from a number of Senedd Members, the Government rejected the proposal on the grounds that mandating swift bricks would complicate calculations of ‘net benefit for biodiversity' (NBB), and could mean that developers would see installing swift bricks alone as enough to satisfy this National Planning Policy requirement.

We, and our campaign partners at RSPB Cymru, believe that the argument that mandating the installation of swift bricks in all new buildings would undermine the delivery of net benefit for biodiversity (NBB) does not hold up.

If lawmakers agree that swifts need urgent help, it should be entirely possible to integrate mandatory swift bricks within current frameworks. Similarly, the suggestion that developers might try to claim swift brick installation as their sole responsibility under NBB, at the expense of other biodiversity measures, is not a valid reason not to legislate. Given their uniformity, cost effectiveness, ease of installation and multi-species benefits, there is nothing to prevent their mandatory installation in addition to NBB requirements. And the idea that developers would baulk at the prospect of a £35 swift brick per dwelling, which takes 20 minutes to install, seems far-fetched in the context of development proposals for new buildings. 

Unfortunately, the Welsh Government’s disappointing response to the proposal meant that, despite the strong sense that MSs want to support swifts, the Petitions Committee were obliged to close the petition at a meeting in November, noting that the issue could be taken up by the separate Parties in their manifestos ahead of the Senedd elections in May 2026. 

What next?
In the coming months we will be conveying the message to the Parties that swifts need urgent help now, and that mandating swift bricks is an achievable measure that will help to address their decline, allowing future generations to enjoy swifts’ presence around their homes and communities. 

We are encouraging members of the public to convey this same message to politicians, or those canvassing on their behalf in the run up to elections. We believe that demonstrating popular support for this proposal will ensure it is on the agenda of the next Welsh Government.

Read more about the campaign to Support Swift Bricks for Wales here

What is net benefit for biodiversity (NBB)?

As part of National Planning Policy, Welsh Government uses a net benefit for biodiversity (NBB) approach to deliver an overall improvement in biodiversity from building developments. This puts the emphasis on considering biodiversity impacts and benefits early in the design stage of developments, to benefit wider ecosystem resilience.