Overview

The Bat Habitats Regulation Bill aims to improve bat habitat protection in undeveloped areas while reducing protections in buildings where bats significantly impact users. This involves mandatory surveys before construction and potential mitigation measures in undeveloped areas, and exemptions for bats in buildings used for public worship if their presence causes significant problems.

Description

Enhancing Protection in Undeveloped Areas: The bill mandates bat surveys before any new building or wind turbine construction on previously undeveloped land. If bats are present, developers must provide artificial roosts before occupancy of new buildings. This applies to all new buildings and wind turbines requiring planning permission.

Limiting Protection in Buildings: The bill modifies existing legislation (European Communities Act 1972, Habitats Regulations, and Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981) regarding bat roosts in buildings used for public worship. Protection will not apply if the bats' presence negatively impacts building users.

Short Title, Commencement, and Extent: The bill will be known as the Bat Habitats Regulation Act 2015, coming into force upon passage and applying to England and Wales.

Government Spending

The bill's financial implications are not explicitly stated in the provided text. The cost of bat surveys and the provision of artificial roosts will likely fall on developers. Any potential government spending related to enforcement or policy changes is not detailed.

Groups Affected

• Developers: Will face additional costs and potential delays due to mandatory bat surveys and the requirement to provide artificial roosts in undeveloped areas.
• Bat Conservation Groups: May see increased protection for bats in undeveloped areas but potentially reduced protection in some buildings.
• Places of Worship: May see altered legal protections for bats within their buildings depending on the impact on building users.
• Wind Turbine Developers: Will be subject to the same bat survey requirements as other developers in undeveloped areas.

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