Our homes, schools, places of religious worship, workplaces, bridges, and tunnels are all used by wildlife. Bats and a suit of nesting bird species are often dependent upon buildings as roost or nest sites. These species require our good intent and positive help if they are to continue to share these spaces. 

 

Most of our bat species use buildings and built structures as roost, these include both the ubiquitous common and soprano pipistrelle and rarities like lesser and greater horseshoe bats. The retention of roosting places and access is under constant threat through the needs of building/structural repair, renovation, change of use and demolition.  It is surprising how often people are unaware that their home supports an existing bat roost. The consideration of bats in the planning process, and if necessary, the licensing of works to bat roosts by NRW, is the main way that bats use of buildings/structures is considered.  

 

Nesting birds are similarly affected by building and structure works. Swifts are utterly dependent upon access to loft spaces of houses, house martin require eaves to construct nests (and a source of mud), swallows use open barns and stables where they can fly into the buildings and nest on rafters, sand martins use drainage holes in river wall, and house sparrows need a hole or gap in the fascia to build their nests. Most amazing in RCT, barn owls nest not just in rural barns and farm buildings, but also Victorian schools and chapels in Valley streets.