| Trowbridge houses rejected over nearby bat colony Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 01:20, 10th May 2026 |     |
From the BBC:
Bat colony blocks houses from being built
The developer's appeal of Wiltshire Council's decision was rejected - Image © Google
A final attempt to get planning permission for houses on a prehistoric site near a bat colony has failed.
Last year, Drynham Lane Ltd applied for permission to build 40 houses on land near Drynham Lane in Trowbridge.
The developer appealed to the Planning Inspectorate after its initial application was rejected by Wiltshire Council, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
But planning inspector Hollie Nicholls ruled the scheme could have a "direct effect on the relevant bat population...and quality of the habitats they use". While she agreed more housing was needed in the area, she said this did not justify the environmental risks.
Developers had argued to the inspector that the council's policy on bat protection was "inconsistent".
(BBC article continues)
The developer's appeal of Wiltshire Council's decision was rejected - Image © Google
A final attempt to get planning permission for houses on a prehistoric site near a bat colony has failed.
Last year, Drynham Lane Ltd applied for permission to build 40 houses on land near Drynham Lane in Trowbridge.
The developer appealed to the Planning Inspectorate after its initial application was rejected by Wiltshire Council, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
But planning inspector Hollie Nicholls ruled the scheme could have a "direct effect on the relevant bat population...and quality of the habitats they use". While she agreed more housing was needed in the area, she said this did not justify the environmental risks.
Developers had argued to the inspector that the council's policy on bat protection was "inconsistent".
(BBC article continues)
