Ben Mitchell, Principal Ecologist, will be presenting at the National Bat Conference organised by the Bat Conservation Trust which brings together wildlife conservationists, ecological consultants, researchers and technology experts who are working to secure the future of bats. The conference is taking place from 6th-8th September at Nottingham University.
Ben’s presentation will focus on how building development can threaten bat habitat and how creative efforts are being made by local policy makers to take a measure of control over the protection of bats in the face of the threat of softening legislation.
Johns Associates has been involved in many bat protection projects and Ben will use two case studies to describe how significant obstacles were overcome in developing the Corsham Neighbourhood Plan and the Trowbridge Bat Mitigation Strategy.
Ben says: “I am delighted to have this opportunity to share our local planning policy work and to promote the innovative stance adopted by both Wiltshire Council and Corsham Town Council to protect Wiltshire’s sites of international importance for bats, particularly when the existing policy and legislative protection for these sites is under threat.”