Deanfield Homes has signed up to a major new initiative to support wildlife on its developments.

The Homes for Nature commitment will see a bird-nesting brick or box installed for every new
home built, as well as hedgehog highways created as standard on every new development taken
through planning from September 2024.

Deanfield is one of 20 homebuilders to sign up to the voluntary commitment, which represents a
major step towards providing at least 300,000 nesting bricks and boxes thought to be required to
support swift populations and many more bird species across the country.

In addition to integrated nest bricks, boxes and hedgehog highways, homebuilders who support
the scheme are encouraged to incorporate additional features, such as bat roosts, insect bricks
and hibernacula. Away from the home, nature-led sustainable urban drainage systems and
pollinator-friendly landscaping help to make even more homes for nature on new developments.

Homes for Nature was developed by the industry-led On Site Nature Measures Working Group,
convened by the Future Homes Hub, an independent organisation established to enable the new
homes sector to meet the climate and environmental challenges.

Ed Lockhart, Chief Executive of the Future Homes Hub, said: “Homes for Nature is a fantastic
opportunity to create many more homes for wildlife, bring people closer to nature and, at the same
time, provide a helping hand to some much-loved and critically endangered species.
“A commitment to installing integral nest bricks or boxes and creating hedgehog highways as
standard is a simple but effective way to support our precious wildlife, including the iconic swift and
hedgehog.”

Peter Blades, Managing Director of Deanfield Homes, comments: “Housebuilders are already
required to create a 10% biodiversity net gain on new development sites, but this initiative goes
even further and is something that we at Deanfield are incredibly proud to support.

“Our focus is on creating high quality, traditionally designed homes in aspirational village locations,
so a sensitive approach to development is central to our ethos. Homes for Nature is a long-term
commitment that will leave a lasting legacy, benefitting both local wildlife and those who live in our
homes now and in the future.”

The scheme will come into effect in September 2024 for all new planning applications. The
initiative will run until at least 2030, with annual reporting to track progress and to identify further
suitable measures that could be introduced to support other wildlife.

Becky Ingham, Chief Executive of Action for Swifts, said: “For centuries swifts have shared our
buildings and homes by nesting in the nooks and crannies of old style buildings. In recent years
the loss of nesting sites has had a major detrimental effect on this Red-Listed species.

“It’s heartening to now see the commitment from so many major developers towards installing
integral bricks, which will last the lifetime of the building and provide our Swifts and other cavity
nesting birds with long-term habitat.”