The Parish Council has received the below from the National Trust, explaining the reason for the extension of the road closure at Woolbeding:
During repairs to the roof of the building, a rare Barbastelle bat was discovered. Barbastelles are one of the UK’s rarest mammals and are protected by an extra level of UK conservation law compared with other species of bats.
Work on the roof was paused while the National Trust consulted with government advisory body Natural England and ecology experts to ensure the correct conservation procedures were followed to protect this vulnerable species.
This consultation included an application process to obtain a modified bat conservation licence from Natural England allowing us to continue with the work.
During further repair work on the roof, contractors discovered that previously concealed areas of the roof structure and masonry were in a poorer condition than could have been anticipated. Contractors will need to spend additional time repairing these issues, requiring the continued use of scaffolding on the closed section of Woolbeding Lane.
Together, these factors mean the project will be delayed by an estimated four working weeks, extending the end date of the road closure from 5 June to 3 July.
We apologise for any inconvenience this causes and will continue to carry out this essential repair work as efficiently as possible in line with the new schedule.
There will still be access for vehicles to the south end of Woolbeding Lane, including to All Hallows church, and access along the full length of Woolbeding Lane for pedestrians and cyclists.
