The Bat Habitats Regulation Bill, a Private Members’ Bill, has had its Second Reading in the House of Lords.
During second reading of the Bill on 27 April, a wide-ranging discussion took place on issues including the conservation of churches and historic buildings, the vicinity of bat habitats to proposed new buildings and the protection of other animal species.
Clause 2 would set out that the European Communities Act 1972, the provisions of the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010 and the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 shall not apply to bats or bat roosts located inside a building used for public worship unless it has been established that the presence of such bats or bat roosts has no significant adverse impact.