COUNCIL chiefs have left villagers fuming after they installed a 22ft tower for roosting bats.
Locals say the bat house is a “monstrosity” and blasted councillors for approving the building and has made their lives a “misery”.
3
The tower in Scarisbrick, West Lancs., was demanded by environmentalists after planning permission was granted to build 22 new homes.
Experts warned councillors dozens of brown long eared and common pipistrelle bats could die without the ‘bat loft’.
Granddad Keith Denton, 68, says the tower is just 12 metres from his house and claims locals had no idea before construction began.
He said: “These bat people have told the council that it’s one of the conditions of the planning permission and the housing going up.
“I don’t want it.
Most read in Property
“I don’t mind bats but we have been here for 20 odd years and why they’ve picked the spot is beyond me.
“I would say it’s a mystery.
“They could put it down the edge of Southport Road and it would still be okay but they decided to put it there because somebody said that’s the best place for it.
“I don’t know who the bat people are but we have had nothing, nobody has come and said this is the reason why we are building the bat tower here.
“I want it taken down or moved; I don’t think the new residents will want it.”
Demanded by environment experts
The bat house in Scarisbrick, West Lancs., was demanded by environmentalists for planning permission for 22 homes could be granted.
During an inspection of the site environment experts found bats roosting in an old barn, house, and factory.
Laws state all bat species, their breeding sites, and resting places are protected.
A license can be granted by Natural England if it is not possible to avoid disturbing bats or damaging their habitats.
Construction by Eccleston Homes began in January.
Bat house is a planning condition
Keith added: “I have complained to the council, and to Eccleston Homes and they said they’re not happy with it but it’s a condition of the planning.
“They don’t want it there – who does want it?
“The bat people; the council had to consult Natural England as part of the planning application and now they’re building a bat tower of seven meters high; there used to be squirrels, foxes.
“That’s gone; we haven’t seen a squirrel for about ten months.”
3
3
Planning documents revealed by West Lancashire Borough Council show comprehensive research into the bats including surveys, various bat reports and a highly detailed bat migration report carried out by environmental consultants.
A sketch of the site, showing a ‘bat roost’ in its current location was unveiled on the council website in January.
The site was found to be ‘not environmentally sensitive area’ but recommended a “provision of a bat box…integrated within new or retained buildings’.
No warning or consultation
Granddad Keith claimed had complained to the council but was told the bat tower was a “minor, non material change’.
He said: “They said they did not have to inform us as it was a minor non material change to the plan.
“I would not call it non material, it’s seven metres high and they said it needed to be finished by the end of March.
“The next thing we knew they started demolishing the site of the factory and building the footings of the bat tower in January.
“There was no warning, no consultation whatsoever and they said they didn’t need to, they said it was a non material amendment.
“They said there’s a process.
“They said if you disagree with the decision, go to the Ombudsman.
“We went to the Ombudsman and the Ombudsman agreed with them last week, so it looks like we will be stuck with this bat thing.
“They said it would be 15 metres from my house. It’s about 12.”
Bat people turned up at night
“The bat people turned up one night, it was a dark night in November 2020 and it must have been roundabout half past eight in the evening.
“I saw all these cars pulling up and I thought next door is having a party, and I said what are you doing?”
“He said we are going down to the barn to see if there’s any species.
“They were wearing dark clothes. He said he was going into the barn. – they were there for about an hour and a half and they didn’t say who they were or where they were from.
“Next thing they disappeared; they got into their cars and went. It was all very mysterious.“
The bats might come in my house
Keith added: “We are worried that the bats will come in here as well.
“These random bat people have made my life a misery, and all this has been going on while I have been in remission from cancer and my wife is really stressed out and she had a stroke a few years ago.
“She’s got a bad heart.”
The green light was given last September by planners to Eccleston Homes Ltd to build 22 new detached homes ‘together with associated infrastructure, access, internal roads, footpaths including a footpath along part of Black Moss Lane and landscaping.’
Locals’ objection over traffic, flooding, and drainage issues, were ignored.
Natural England issued a license for the bats to ‘safeguard protected species’.
A spokesperson for Natural England said: “As a statutory consultee, we have provided advice and guidance to West Lancashire Borough Council about this development to reduce environmental impacts of the project.
“This included advice around the installation of the bat loft to provide an alternative home for this legally protected species.”
A spokesperson for Eccleston Homes Ltd said: “Eccleston Homes Ltd submitted a planning application in March 2021, as part of the application bat surveys were carried out by experienced ecologists.
“These surveys identified an established maternity bat roost in the existing building known as Park House.”
“Due to bats being identified in the existing building, legislation requires that mitigation measures must be provided for the loss of the existing building.
“Prior to planning consent being granted, approvals were required from Natural England, Merseyside Environmental Advisory Service and Merseyside and West Lancs Bat Group.”
“Eccleston Homes Ltd take their obligations very seriously when dealing with protected species and we have constructed the bat facility in accordance with our Planning Consent.”
West Lancashire Borough Council have been contacted for comment.
