Love is in the air at Tarmac's Kings Cross batching plant

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, employees at Tarmac's Kings Cross concrete batching plant are hoping that new nest boxes recently erected at the top of a large aggregate storage building will entice at least a couple of love birds to live happily ever after 30 metres above the capital's skyline.

Simon Treacy, Tarmac's estates manager for Anglia & the South East, said: "We have erected 15 nest boxes on the aggregate storage building for a range of birds including kestrels, swifts, black redstarts, house sparrows and pied wagtails. Some species of birds are in decline and we are doing our bit by providing these nests at our Kings Cross site. During the course of the spring and summer we will also be developing some foraging habitats for these birds through landscape planting and wildflower seeding."

"With commanding views over London, it's the ideal Penthouse apartment. Who couldn't fail to be attracted to it? So, you never know, love could literally be in the air at Kings Cross," Simon added.

The kestrel box in particular is very different from those found in gardens. Made out of 'woodcrete' a robust material which means the box will last for many years, the box is about 12 inches high, has a landing ledge, a perch across the entrance and was made to a special design supplied by the RSPB.

Situated in an area not normally associated with biodiversity, the aggregate storage facility is jointly owned by Tarmac Limited and Hanson UK. All the sand, gravel and crushed rock for the modern and sustainable batching plant next door is delivered to the building by rail. The plant is ideally located to supply concrete to major construction projects. Recent developments supplied include Channel Tunnel Rail Link, Arsenal FC's Emirates stadium and the redevelopment of St Pancras International station.

Hanson UK communications manager David Weeks said: "This is a very busy site in the heart of London, but it still attracts an amazing number of bird species. The Tarmac team deserves a lot of credit for introducing the nest boxes."

Tim Webb of the RSPB said: "This is an excellent project in the heart of London that will hopefully support and attract a range of wildlife. With fewer than 100 breeding pairs in the UK, the black redstart is on the amber list of Birds of Conservation Concern. Swifts are soon likely to join the once common house sparrow on the red list. Both have seen numbers fall dramatically and a lack of food and shelter are underlying causes."

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11 February 2009