Futures Forum: District Council to consider application to demolish habitat of 11 species of bat > Tuesday 12th February
And things did not quite go according to plan, as reported by the East Devon Watch blog:
BATS (AND BATMEN AND BATWOMEN) IN EAST BUDLEIGH – TODAY’S DEVELOPMENT
12 FEB 2019
Owl hears that, somewhat surprisingly, EDDC’s Development Management Committee voted to defer the bat habitat decision.
It also appears that yesterday’s activity in and around the barn, reported by Owl here:
https://eastdevonwatch.org/2019/02/11/bats-in-east-budleigh-barn-cleared-24-hours-before-eddc-planning-committee-meets-to-decide-their-fate/
has been reported to the Police who have allocated a crime number to it.
Bats (and Batmen and Batwomen) in East Budleigh – today’s development | East Devon Watch
The Exmouth Journal gives further information:
Controversial East Budleigh bat barn plan deferred
PUBLISHED: 16:05 12 February 2019 | UPDATED: 16:05 12 February 2019
Daniel Wilkins
A decision on the future of a bat habitat in The Pound, East Budleigh, has been deferred. Picture: Google
Campaigners fighting the proposed demolition of a known bat habitat in East Budleigh have been given ‘breathing space’.
Residents from East Budleigh protesting outside Exmouth Town Hall ahead of the meeting which will decide the future of The Pound. Picture: Daniel Wilkins
More than 20 members of a conservation group gathered outside Exmouth Town Hall this morning (Tuesday, February 12) ahead of a crucial meeting to decide the fate of an East Budleigh barn known to be home to rare and protected bats.
East Devon District Council’s development management committee decided to defer their decision pending additional information from Natural England about wildlife mitigation on the site.
Landowner Clinton Devon Estates (CDE) is looking to knock down the barn and build a new dwelling on the site and has offered to build a separate ‘bat barn’ on the plot as mitigation.
Speaking after the meeting, Karen Alexander-Clarke, secretary of the East Budleigh Parish Conservation Group told The Journal this decision gives them ‘breathing space’ in their fight to protect the bats’ home.
More than 20 members of a conservation group gathered outside Exmouth Town Hall this morning (Tuesday, February 12) ahead of a crucial meeting to decide the fate of an East Budleigh barn known to be home to rare and protected bats.
East Devon District Council’s development management committee decided to defer their decision pending additional information from Natural England about wildlife mitigation on the site.
Landowner Clinton Devon Estates (CDE) is looking to knock down the barn and build a new dwelling on the site and has offered to build a separate ‘bat barn’ on the plot as mitigation.
Speaking after the meeting, Karen Alexander-Clarke, secretary of the East Budleigh Parish Conservation Group told The Journal this decision gives them ‘breathing space’ in their fight to protect the bats’ home.
The Pound, in East Budleigh, which is subject to a planning application to demolish a barn which is thought to be home to speciies of rare bats. Picture: Google
She also said they would be writing to Natural England to lobby them and ‘emphasise that there are councillors that feel as strongly as we do’.
Speaking at the meeting, councillor Brian Bailey also raised concerns over whether the bats would take to their new home.
He said: “The bats, I feel, have been served poorly because there is no guarantee what so ever that the bats will survive the demolition or would accept their new home.”
Cllr Geoff Jung said: “This is one house and one family that is going to benefit and how many bats and other wildlife are going to benefit?”
An independent ecology report commissioned by the council recommended that the mitigation being offered by CDE be accepted.
Cllr Mark Williamson said he did not feel confident that, if they refused the application and CDE appealed, the Planning Inspectorate would back their original decision.
He said: “As we do frequently, we would look to our statutory consultees to guide us. Natural England is giving quite detailed guidance and they recommend the planning authority follow advice from the ecologist.”
Councillors voted in favour of deferring the application pending information from Natural England on the suitability of the proposed ‘bat barn’.
East Budleigh bat barn demolition plan deferred | Latest Exmouth News - Exmouth Journal
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She also said they would be writing to Natural England to lobby them and ‘emphasise that there are councillors that feel as strongly as we do’.
Speaking at the meeting, councillor Brian Bailey also raised concerns over whether the bats would take to their new home.
He said: “The bats, I feel, have been served poorly because there is no guarantee what so ever that the bats will survive the demolition or would accept their new home.”
Cllr Geoff Jung said: “This is one house and one family that is going to benefit and how many bats and other wildlife are going to benefit?”
An independent ecology report commissioned by the council recommended that the mitigation being offered by CDE be accepted.
Cllr Mark Williamson said he did not feel confident that, if they refused the application and CDE appealed, the Planning Inspectorate would back their original decision.
He said: “As we do frequently, we would look to our statutory consultees to guide us. Natural England is giving quite detailed guidance and they recommend the planning authority follow advice from the ecologist.”
Councillors voted in favour of deferring the application pending information from Natural England on the suitability of the proposed ‘bat barn’.
East Budleigh bat barn demolition plan deferred | Latest Exmouth News - Exmouth Journal
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