An investigation led by the North Yorkshire Police, with support from Bat Conservation Trust and City of York Council, has helped to prosecute a developer for unlawfully demolishing a bat roost in York.

In 2016 Mr Mike Green on behalf of GEM Holdings (York) Ltd submitted a planning application to City of York Council asking permission to demolish buildings at North Lodge, Clifton Park Avenue, York and replace them with a structure containing 14 flats. Submitted in support of the planning permission was a bat survey report evidencing that the existing structure contained a small number of non-breeding day roosts containing solitary common pipistrelle bats. The report identified the need for a European Protected Species License to be obtained prior to the building being demolished. Planning permission was subsequently granted.

The building was demolished but no bat licence had been granted or sought from Natural England. Because bats’ reproduction is slow, bats only give birth to one pup a year, destruction of a roost can be detrimental to local bat populations. The matter was reported to North Yorkshire Police for investigation.

On 6th September 2018 Mr Green appeared at York Magistrates Court where he pleaded guilty to one charge of destroying a bat roost. He was fined £910 with additional costs and victim surcharge.

Source: BCT

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