Colony of rare bats delays hotel development

The developer of a proposed five-star hotel in Co Clare may miss out on lucrative tax-breaks as a result of a colony of rare protected bats roosting at the site.

Last year Austin Delaney lodged a €15 million plan to transform an 18th-century country home, Ballykilty Manor, near Quin, into an exclusive hotel, along with a proposal to develop 11 luxury homes on the estate.

However, a survey of bats on the estate undertaken by the applicant found seven bat species were present, including a large colony of the EU-protected Lesser Horseshoe Bat, with 80 to 90 breeding females.

The presence of this bat has already led the council to refuse Mr Delaney planning permission for the 11 houses on the estate.

As well as expressing concern at the scale of the proposal, the council ruled that the plan "would interfere with bat commuting routes and feeding ground of the Lesser Horseshoe Bat, a species which is afforded protection under Annex II of the Habitats Directive.

"The proposal would therefore be contrary to the proper planning and development of the area".

Mr Delaney's plans for Ballykilty Manor include a restaurant, a bar, function room, 27 bedrooms, 200 parking spaces and a helipad for the clientele expected to use the hotel.

He has yet to secure permission to redevelop the hotel, and in order for him to secure Government tax breaks for the hotel development it must be complete by July of next year.

However, that deadline has been thrown into doubt as the council has told Mr Delaney that he cannot even start the first stages of construction, including development works and clearance of vegetation, until the Lesser Horseshoe Bats have been relocated to an alternative roost.

That process is not expected to start until next winter when the bats are expected to vacate their maternity roost in the attic space of the stables.

Mr Delaney's consultants have said that work will only start if all interested parties are satisfied that the bats have been successfully relocated.

To that end, the applicant has lodged plans to build a house for the bats on the estate that will resemble an old-style cottage with a ground floor and a large loft space which could accommodate up to 100 bats.

A decision is expected on the application later this month.