Green light given – High Peak MP demands Network Rail action to save Swifts

Labour MP for High Peak, Jon Pearce, has welcomed breaking news that High Peak Borough Council’s planners have confirmed that urgent works to reopen swift nesting holes at Chapel Milton Viaduct can proceed without the need for Listed Building Consent.

The decision removes a key barrier to action and paves the way for immediate intervention to protect one of Britain’s most threatened bird species.

The move follows widespread concern after nesting holes used by swifts for generations were blocked during refurbishment works by Network Rail. Campaigners warned that returning birds could be unable to access their nests, with potentially fatal consequences and a loss of breeding for this year.

Swifts are a red-listed species in the UK, with populations having fallen dramatically in recent decades due largely to the loss of nesting sites.

Jon Pearce MP said:

“Local residents and conservation groups raised important concerns to me regarding the repair works at Chapel Milton Viaduct and how this will affect our local Swift population. I immediately took it up with Network Rail, government ministers and High Peak Borough Council.

“I’m pleased to report that High Peak Borough Council have acted quickly to remove any planning delays.”

“Now there is no excuse – Network Rail must get on with this work immediately. I am urging them to act as soon as possible to reopen the nesting holes.

“Swifts are already beginning to return to High Peak after their long migration. They come back to the exact same nesting sites year after year. If those entrances are blocked, they simply won’t breed. We have a small window to put this right. Every day matters.

“This situation should never have happened – but it can still be fixed if Network Rail acts now to restored nesting these sites. I will continue to press Network Rail until the job is done and these birds are given the best possible chance to return and thrive in their ancestral homes.”

The Chapel Milton Viaduct, a historic structure in the High Peak, has long provided vital nesting spaces within its stonework for swifts, which are known for returning to the same tiny gaps each year to breed.

Jon Pearce MP has been working with local campaigners, the council and government ministers to secure urgent action and ensure the protection of wildlife alongside necessary infrastructure works.

He has now called on Network Rail to move at pace and deliver the works without delay.