Council Leader Alleges “Rushed” Bat Rules Aimed to Block Road Project

The head of a local council has asserted that government consultants intentionally “rushed out” updated regulations concerning bats with the aim of stopping a significant road project. Norfolk County Council intends to construct a 3.9-mile (6.3-km) road designed to link the Northern Distributor Road, also referred to as Broadland Northway, to the A47 in Easton, situated west of Norwich. However, earlier in the current year, Natural England—the government’s advisory body for the natural environment—revised regulations safeguarding rare Barbastelle bats, a species inhabiting the path of the planned £274m Norwich Western Link (NWL). A spokesperson for Natural England stated that the organization had collaborated extensively with the council for over four years regarding the NWL and had consistently communicated its “significant concerns.” Kay Mason Billig, who leads the county council, commented: “I think it [the new guidance] was rushed out because of the scheme we had on the table.” Norfolk County Council indicated that its officials had been collaborating with Natural England to explore potential strategies for mitigating any prospective harm to the rare bat population. Nevertheless, just prior to the county council’s scheduled submission of its planning application for the project in March, Natural England released updated guidance that conferred “favourable conservation status” upon the species. This development implied that the council would be highly improbable to obtain the necessary licence for the road’s construction. During a cabinet meeting held on Monday, Mason Billig, a Conservative councillor, expressed her conviction that the new guidance had been intentionally issued to influence the application for the NWL. She stated: “I feel like we’ve been stitched up quite honestly,” Adding: “I said in March the timing of this stinks and I think I have been proved right quite honestly. It’s a crazy situation.” At the same cabinet meeting, attendees were informed that the council had lodged a Freedom of Information request with Natural England. The authority sought to ascertain if any connection existed between its preliminary bat licence application and the revised guidance pertaining to barbastelle bats. A report indicated that Natural England’s response contained a document which read: “The publication is timely due to casework in Norfolk; we wanted to publish this before we received a planning application.“We were delayed waiting for a relevant paper to be published.” Mason Billig commented: “It sounds like they [Natural England] were determined that they weren’t going to allow us to build this road.“If they had never got any intention of giving us a licence, why did they lead us down the garden path?” Mason Billig has since formally communicated with the government, requesting its intervention on behalf of the authority. Her correspondence inquired whether the government would still allocate funding for a “potential alternative” project—or provide compensation—should the NWL be cancelled. A report stated that the expenses incurred for work completed to date would amount to £56m by April. The preceding Conservative government had pledged £213m towards the construction of the road. However, the Labour party is presently scrutinizing all financial commitments and has already rescinded the £50m Vauxhall Roundabout upgrade slated for Great Yarmouth. During a meeting on Monday, the county council’s cabinet resolved to decrease expenditure “by reducing or pausing activity on the project” pending an announcement regarding funding. A determination is anticipated to be revealed within the government’s spending review scheduled for the spring. The spokesperson for Natural England further stated: “Decisions to grant or deny planning applications are ultimately matters for local authorities.“We cannot see how the proposed road would not destroy the bats’ habitat even if there was mitigation in place, so we have objected to this planning application, which will also risk harm to important wildlife sites.” Brian Watkins, who leads the Liberal Democrat opposition group, remarked: “The county council seems to be making Natural England a scape goat for the issue in regard to the road.” He added: “Whatever we may think of Natural England, they are a pressure group and they have a right to have a view on it.” Steve Morphew, leader of the Labour group, commented: “This is an extraordinarily myopic, self-righteous rewriting of history.” He continued: “The Conservative administration have created this problem and are desperate to convince others they are not guilty.” And concluded: “How many times have we called for a Plan B and been ignored? Blaming Natural England won’t wash.”