Developers destroyed a building while Swifts were nesting. We're demanding answers.

A building in Dorking, Surrey, has been demolished, and with it, what may have been the largest known Swift colony in the area. Between 17 and 22 active nests were destroyed during the destruction of Regent House, carried out by Northeast Demolition UK for the contractor, Hill Group. The work is part of a redevelopment by Clarion Housing.

Residents had raised the alarm prior to the demolition, informing Surrey Police’s Wildlife Officers in early May, shortly after the Swifts returned from their migration across Africa. Locals and campaigners also asked councillors at Mole Valley District Council to take action. Nothing was done. The contractors destroyed the building, despite having knowledge that the birds were actively nesting there.

So now we’re asking Surrey’s Police and Crime Commissioner to hold the police force to account.

Footage captured after the demolition shows the Swifts repeatedly flying back to where their nests used to be, circling and turning away because the building is gone. These birds had been nesting at this site for over a decade, and monitored by local conservation groups for many years.

Dorking Swift Conservation told Protect the Wild:

“The public deserves clear answers about how a significant Swift colony could be lost during the breeding season despite longstanding records of the birds’ presence.

We are calling for a full and transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the demolition of Regent House, including whether all ecological and planning requirements were met before works commenced.

This is not simply a local issue. If protections for species such as Swifts are to have meaning, there must be confidence that they are properly considered during development and that any failures are subject to appropriate scrutiny and enforcement.

The outcome of this case will have implications far beyond Dorking and will be watched closely by conservation groups and communities across the country.”

Swift numbers have declined by over 60% since the 1980s. They’re now on the UK’s Red List of Birds of Conservation Concern. They are fully protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, which makes it a criminal offence to intentionally or recklessly destroy active nests during the breeding season.

This cannot be allowed to pass without consequence. If wildlife crimes go unpunished, developers will continue to act with impunity while protected species pay the price.

Hit the button below to directly email Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend. Demand that she holds Surrey Police to account for its failure to act on warnings about a serious wildlife crime in Dorking.