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Bat surveyors boost Shrewsbury Old Maltings scheme
Thursday 26th January 2012, 10:59AM GMT.
Image courtesy of Hugh Clark/BCT
Plans to create up to 30 jobs by redeveloping a historic Shrewsbury building have been boosted after it was revealed there is no evidence of rare bats inhabiting the property.
Council officers said this month plans to turn the derelict Old Maltings in Frankwell into shops, restaurants and offices should be refused as no survey had been carried out to determine if there were any rare species of bats on site.
But Fran Lancaster, planning ecologist for Shropshire council, said a survey by consultants Greenscape Environmental found no evidence of bats.
The building was re-roofed about 18 months ago with a modern membrane and the original roof tiles then re-used.
She said: “The new roof has potential for crevice dwelling bats but there is no access for bats into the building and the roof will not be affected any further during the proposed works.”
But a condition will be put on the project, if approved, meaning applicant Kad Zaman would have to put a lighting plan into place following bat conservation guidelines.
A council statement says: “The submitted scheme shall be designed to take into account the advice on lighting set out in the Bat Conservation Trust booklet Bats and Lighting in the UK to minimise disturbance to bats, a European Protected Species.”
Council ecologists previously said the application triggered the need for a survey because it involved a pre-1960 detached building.
Without the information, the applicants would have failed to prove that an offence had not occurred relating to the conservation of rare species of animals.
A design and access statement says the scheme will ‘re-invigorate the local economy’ by providing a hub of activity in close proximity to the Theatre Severn and waterside. It would have space in the complex for eight units.
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