Guano clearance across Cambridge
Cambridge mixes some of the country’s oldest stone buildings with modern labs, offices and industrial units, and pigeons make use of both. Ledges, parapets, roof voids, plant rooms and loading canopies give them shelter, and the droppings build up out of sight until they block a gutter, foul a walkway or reach the stock below.
Locus Services clears pigeon guano across Cambridge and the surrounding villages. We’re based in Wicken, near Ely, so Cambridge is on our doorstep. We remove the droppings and nesting material safely, clean and disinfect the area, take the waste away with full paperwork and can fit bird proofing afterwards.
Guano clearance and bird proofing: our work
Science parks, industrial estates and business sites
The Greater Cambridge Planning Service’s employment topic paper for North East Cambridge names Cambridge Science Park, St John’s Innovation Park and Cambridge Business Park, with the Nuffield Road and Cowley Road industrial estates near Cambridge North station. It notes that larger industrial and warehouse deals tend to be in business parks in South Cambridgeshire, along the A11, A14 and M11. We work across all of these, as well as on retail sites, schools, car parks and homes.
| Where | What we usually find | How we deal with it |
|---|---|---|
| Labs, offices and plant rooms | Guano around roof plant, air handling units and pipework | Removed first, then the area is cleaned and disinfected before plant is serviced |
| Industrial units and warehouses | Droppings on racking, roof steelwork and stock | Cleared from MEWPs one zone at a time. See warehouse and factory cleaning |
| Loading bays and canopies | Fouling on canopies, dock levellers and the yard below | Worked out of hours, so the bays reopen on time |
| Gutters and roof lights | Nests and droppings blocking outlets and dulling the glass | Cleared at the same visit. See gutter cleaning and skylight cleaning |
| Older stone and brick buildings | Droppings on ledges, parapets and carved stonework | Cleaned by hand with methods chosen to protect the stone |
Older and listed buildings
English Heritage’s fact sheet on feral pigeons says pigeon droppings are corrosive to stone and to metals such as lead, iron and zinc, which is why they matter so much on Cambridge’s historic buildings. Left in place, they stain and eat into the surface.
Many of the city’s older buildings are listed. Under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, works that would affect a listed building’s character need listed building consent. Cleaning off guano is usually straightforward, but if you want bird proofing fixed to a listed building afterwards, check with your planning team or conservation officer first. We can choose netting, wire or spikes that are discreet and fixed into joints rather than the stone itself.
Why guano needs a specialist
The same English Heritage fact sheet sets out the main risks:
- Health: where droppings and nests build up, diseases such as psittacosis can develop, and the dust can be breathed in when it’s disturbed.
- Food safety: pigeons can carry food poisoning bacteria such as Salmonella, E. coli and Campylobacter. Food hygiene law requires food businesses to have adequate procedures to control pests.
- Slips: droppings are slippery when wet, a real problem on walkways, stairs and fire escapes.
- Insects: nests can host pests, including fleas and bird mites.
That’s why our crews work in full PPE, including respirators, use dust suppression and keep the area closed off until it has been cleaned and disinfected.
Check for nests first
Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, it’s an offence to take, damage or destroy the nest of any wild bird while it’s in use or being built. Feral pigeons can breed at any time of year, so we check for active nests during the survey and plan the clearance around what we find.
How a guano clearance works
- Free site survey: we look at the affected areas, check for nests, plan safe access and agree timings around your staff, students or deliveries.
- Written quote and RAMS: you get a fixed quote, risk assessments and method statements before any work starts.
- Safe removal: droppings, nesting material and contaminated insulation are bagged up under dust suppression.
- Clean and disinfect: surfaces are washed down and disinfected, and any remaining smell is treated.
- Waste paperwork: the guano goes away with a registered waste carrier, and you get the waste transfer notes for your records.
Keeping pigeons out
English Heritage calls prevention the only long-term solution that has proved effective: closing off the ledges and gaps the birds use, and stopping them getting into roof spaces. Not feeding them helps too. East Cambridgeshire District Council’s pigeon leaflet puts it simply: “Do not feed the pigeons!”
After the clean, we can fit bird proofing such as netting, spikes or wire, chosen for the building and the birds using it. Read more about our pigeon guano removal service, or see our commercial cleaning in Cambridge.
Accredited and properly documented
Locus is SafeContractor-accredited, Constructionline Silver and a BICSc corporate member, and our operatives hold IPAF and CSCS cards. We’re registered with the Environment Agency as a waste carrier (CBDU320327).