Debate looms over housing land campaigners say is vital for bats

Twm Owen, Local Democracy Reporter

The fate of agricultural fields campaigners say are vital to endangered species of bats will be considered in 2026. 

The fields have been earmarked for housing in a council’s local development plan which is intended to set out where new developments, including 2,000 new homes, should be built. 

It was approved by Monmouthshire County Council in a narrow vote in October but must now be examined by an independent planning inspector who must consider if it is “sound” meaning it is in line with Welsh Government planning policies and all relevant law. 

Campaigner Jonty Pearce hopes the proposal for 270 homes on land at Leasbrook in Monmouth will fall down on this point as he insists it is placing a bat population at risk. 

Mr Pearce, who raised bat protections directly with councillors at a council meeting in 2024, also spoke against the proposals during a scrutiny session to examine responses received during the consultation stage on the development plan. 

The council has accepted “appropriate ecology mitigation” is required as the Leasbrook site one kilometre southwest of to two special areas of conservation known as SACs and has also said a “green buffer” will be needed minimise any potential landscape impact on the adjacent Dixton Conservation Area and the Lower Wye Valley Landscape of Historic Interest. 

It had commissioned a further ecological report after environmental regulator Natural Resources Wales “raised some concerns” the site could pose a risk to Wye Valley and Forest of Dean Bat Special Area of Conservation, which includes Newton Court Stable Blocks Bat Site of Special Scientific Interest which supports roosts of both lesser and greater horseshoe bats. 

Mr Pearce intends pushing the case the area is unsuitable for new housing, due to the impact on bats, and should be removed from the council’s development plan which will ultimately be a decision for the inspector. 

The plan is required to have identified the demand for new housing and the council has put in place a requirement 50 per cent of all new builds are affordable, meaning 135 of those at Leasbrook would be either for social rent or below market rate. 

As part of his objections Mr Pearce submitted results from a citizen science survey to demonstrate the importance of the fields to bats and has stressed as they feed on insects found in cattle dung the removal of grazing land equivalent to 20 football pitches poses a significant risk. 

Mr Pearce said work by the Dixton Bat group, which has been verified by ecologists, “shows the site is used for foraging by the highly protected bats from the Wye Valley and Forest of Dean Bat Sites Special Area of Conservation.   

“In August alone we recorded 893 detections of Greater Horseshoe Bats.” 

He also said the group has confirmed recordings of 14 bat species. 

The report by the council’s environmental consultants, Aecom, however said it is satisfied its policies to protect wildlife and ecology are suffient and offer suitable protection. 

The council’s report stated: “It is considered that the conservation status of local bat populations is unlikely to be adversely affected by the development of the Leasbrook site.” 

It also said the results provided by local campaigners hadn’t altered its views that its policies comply with legislation and offer sufficient protection: “This is not materially changed by the data provided by local residents. Therefore, it is considered that the replacement local development plan provides a sufficient policy framework to ensure no adverse effects on the integrity of habitat sites will arise.”