Something of the night could be about to delay a major industrial redevelopment project in Heybridge
Neighbours of Wyndeham Heron printworks in the Bentall Complex say they have seen bats flying in and out of a huge workshop where the famous Bentall car was made a century ago.
A protest movement is gathering force among Wyndeham Heron's residential neighbours to fight the factory extension plans, which include the demolition of the Bentall car workshop to make way for parking spaces.
But if the presence of bats is detected in the building by wildlife experts, as all British bats are protected by law, any scheme to alter or demolish the workshop will be subject to strict controls.
Antony Muller, Colchester-based conservation officer for English Nature, confirmed that the agency's species protection team was investigating the presence of bats on the site.
Miranda Hayward, spokesman for Wyndeham Heron, said the company was taking the bats claims seriously, although none of the staff members who visited the building on a regular basis had reported seeing them.
Published Friday, February 18, 2005
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