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Fears for protected bats if glamping pod plans are approved

Dale Spridgeon,Local Democracy Reporting Serviceand
Danielle Herbert,BBC Wales
News imageGetty Images A close up photograph of a common pipistrelle bat. It has a black face with prominent nostrils and black pointed ears poking through grey and white fur.Getty Images
The common pipistrelle was among the multiple species of bat found on the land

Fears have been raised over plans for a glamping site in a woodland with multiple species of bat.

Gwynedd council is considering the application for 11 pods at Bluebell Woods, Caerhun, which would also include pathways, a parking area, soft landscaping and drainage.

A bat survey commissioned before the proposed work concluded that without a mitigation strategy the impact on the creatures would be "major" and restrict many of "the most light-sensitive species" from continuing to use the location.

In Britain, all bat species and their roosts are protected by law.

News imageCyngor Gwynedd Plans Proposed site of glamping pods in Bluebell woods. A range of large and smaller trees can be seen on the grassy land. There is wooden fencing, as well as a metal gate on the site.Cyngor Gwynedd Plans
Applicant Michael Williams hopes to create 11 glamping pods on a proposed site in Bluebell woods

It is an offence to kill, injure, take or disturb a bat, or to destroy, damage, obstruct or otherwise interfere with a bat roost, breeding site or resting place.

Several species of bat were identified on the proposed site, including the common and soprano pipistrelle, as well as the myotis bat.

They were observed entering the woodland from the north of the site and along the road corridors in the area, as well as "congregating" in the open parkland in the south-west corner.

The mitigation strategy recommendations included "maintaining the woodland as a suitable flight corridor and foraging area", to preserve part of the woodland as a "dark area for bats".

Without mitigation, the impact would be assessed "as major" at a national level, primarily due to the effect of lighting on bat access through the woodland, the survey said.

Further ecological mitigation proposed included use of bat boxes, a lighting plan with "properly positioned and shielded lighting minimising light spill", standard trees and 20 smaller trees and hedging.