NESTING birds could put a spanner in the works for West Somerset Council after an RSPCA inspector was called in to investigate whether building work could begin on the authority's new centralised offices. Villagers called in the animal charity after being told the former Red Cross Centre on the Killick Way site in Williton was due to be bulldozed on Monday. The hut is an annual favourite for nesting house sparrows - a species which is nationally in decline. Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act it is a criminal offence to disturb or damage any nesting birds, their nests, eggs or fledglings, and villagers claim a number of sparrows have already set up home in the Red Cross building. On Wednesday, an RSPCA inspector met contractors and a council representative on the site to see whether birds had begun nest building. The findings of that survey were not known before the Free Press went to print. Stacey Beaumont, the council's media and public relations officer, said responsibility for the site now lay with the contractors, Mansell, and would not be drawn on whether there were birds nesting in the building or how the development might be affected. "An ecological study and checks undertaken prior to handing over the site did not reveal the presence of nesting birds," she said. "However, the site has since been handed over to the contractors and the council is confident the matter will be dealt with appropriately." By law, a nest can constitute a single stick and can only be removed by someone who has been granted a special licence. In turn, licences are only granted if a nest is deemed to pose a threat to public health, is damaging to agriculture or is in an area where food is served. RSPCA press officer Jo Barr confirmed an inspector had been called to Williton as a matter of urgency but said her findings were not yet known. A spokesman from Mansell said the company was experienced in dealing with wildlife on building sites but was unable to say whether Monday's demolition would go ahead as planned. "We have only just become aware of the situation, but things like this do come up from time to time," she said. "We are experienced in situations like this and have moved things like slow worms and newts in the past. "We are confident we will be able to reach a solution and are working closely with the council." The demolition of the Red Cross Centre is central to the council's plans for new offices as it lies directly within the footprint of the proposed new building. If birds are found to be nesting there, the contractors could, potentially, be forced to down tools on that section of the build until the end of August.