Cheltenham’s £166,000 “Luxury” Bat Houses Divide Opinion

Cheltenham’s £166,000 “Luxury” Bat Houses Spark Controversy

Gloucestershire County Council’s plans to build two new bat roosts near the M5 Junction 10 have drawn criticism over their high price tag. The £372 million road upgrade project is displacing around 130 bat roosts, and the council is required by the government to construct replacement housing for the protected species.

Details

The two new bat roosts are estimated to cost a total of £166,000, with £133,000 already spent so far. Councillor Vernon Smith of the Reform UK party criticised the expense, describing it as “batty” and questioning why equal consideration is not being given to other local wildlife like hedgehogs and squirrels.

Planning and Infrastructure cabinet member Julian Tooke explained that creating these roosting areas is a statutory requirement, as the bats are a protected species. The costs are predominantly being funded through central government and developer contributions.

Tooke outlined the sheer scale of the bat population being impacted, with 57 confirmed roosts and potentially up to 130 roosts in total across the study area. 14 different bat species were confirmed or assumed to be present, including brown long-eared, common pipistrelle, and lesser horseshoe bats.

What You Need to Know

– The £372 million M5 Junction 10 upgrade is displacing around 130 bat roosts
– Gloucestershire County Council must build replacement roosts costing £166,000 total
– The high cost has been criticised by some councillors as “batty” spending
– The roosts are required under government rules to protect the endangered bat species
– Further details are available from Gloucestershire County Council

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