# Opinions please



## KentuckyFrogler101 (Jul 15, 2010)

Never posted in this section before but would please like some opinions on this.

Across from my house there is a field where the owner is planning to have a large number of houses built, in the field there's a disused barn which we know bats have lived in and we know owls live in the barn as we hear them at night.

I read a report from a bat inspection which took place in and around the barn before the owner filed the application for houses to be built and the report declared there are no signs of bats living in this barn, however two parts of the barn were not accessible as stated in the report and there is no report on the owls.

From looking at the plans it looks as though they're going to demolish the barn and I'm wondering if we have any grounds for objection. From reading on Defra's website all wild birds are protected so surely they shouldn't be allowed to do this?

Thanks for reading


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## HABU (Mar 21, 2007)

private property... you can do as you wish on your own land...

oops!... that's in kentucky... i don't know about over there... can't hardly spit over there...:lol2:


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## Malic (Aug 28, 2012)

Dont quote me on this, as there is probably someone alot more knolegable than me on this:

We used to look for bats with a echo-locator (just for fun to see if there about, never got close enough to touch em. Never tryed to) I heard that if there are bats roosting you need to report them if there a certain species i belive the location must be kept "as is" for em. Ideally you'd need to gain access to all of the barn to find out.

As for the Owls i cannot help you at all. Sorry.

Sorry i could'nt help more.


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## KentuckyFrogler101 (Jul 15, 2010)

Thanks for the reply HABU 

Thanks Malic, we weren't aware of having to report about bats roosting and haven't seen bats for about 3 years (we know bats roosted in the barn though), which is when these plans were first put in. On Defra's website it says all wild birds are protected so I may contact Defra about the owls.

Thanks again Malic


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## laurencea (Aug 28, 2009)

bats and their roosts are protected - if there are bats there, then they can't demolish the barn.

it would need a full bat survey, contact the Bat Conservation Trust for details.

alas, birds are so well protected. if the barn owls were nesting, then it would be different, but it's not breeding season. if there was an active barn owl nest, then they'd have to wait until fledging before they could do anything.

this is all good on paper, but if the owner smashed the place down they'd just get a slap on the wrist for disturbing/killing the wildlife. money matters - see the new plans for local planning permission for this. governments, no matter what party, won't be happy unti the country is built on.


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## ian14 (Jan 2, 2008)

KentuckyFrogler101 said:


> Never posted in this section before but would please like some opinions on this.
> 
> Across from my house there is a field where the owner is planning to have a large number of houses built, in the field there's a disused barn which we know bats have lived in and we know owls live in the barn as we hear them at night.
> 
> ...


Without knowing all the details, going just from what is on here, then you would be best off by contacting the police (Devon and Cornwall do still have wildlife crime officers). If the report says that there is no sign of bats living there you have two options - 1) accept it as it is or 2) ask the local authority planning department to assess it, if you have any evidence yourself that this is still an active roost. It is not unheard of for those carrying out surveys to find in the developer's favour, if they are paid enough.
As for the owls, this will depend on the level of protection they have - some species are only given protection from having their nests destroyed during the nesting season, others are protected all year. You will need to know the owl species that is being affected.
I would suggest that you do this fairly quickly before any demolision work is carried out.


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## HABU (Mar 21, 2007)

i read this week about how some are complaining about planting trees there... as if it's bad...

i'll see if i can find it...

personally, i think forests and wild places are good...


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## KentuckyFrogler101 (Jul 15, 2010)

Thankyou all for the advice, the barn is on private property and I highly doubt we could get any access to it. I haven't seen bats for a few years now since the first planning application went through so I doubt there is an active roost inside the barn now but I'm sure there used to be. We will probably just leave it at that as there doesn't seem there is anything that can be done. 

Thanks again!


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## bothrops (Jan 7, 2007)

You could pm Naturally Wild on here as he runs an Ecological Consultancy business and does a lot of bat survey work.

(I don't know what your timescale is like, but I think he's currently in Gambia so you may have to wait till he gets back!)


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