Colony of bats prevent Midlands housing build until at least September

A stalled building development of nine local authority homes in the centre of Roscrea town will not proceed until September due to a colony of bats preventing further construction work.

The unfolding situation, set against the backdrop of a burgeoning housing crisis in the heritage town, has outraged local representatives and Roscrea residents living close to the building site, which has been forcibly abandoned until a resolution is found.

The site, which is located on Grove Street in Roscrea adjacent to the town's only set of traffic lights, is currently occupied by partially demolished dilapidated buildings and a former storefront in the heart of the heritage town.

The buildings had fallen into serious disrepair and became one of the town's worst eyesores, located on the busiest traffic corridor through Roscrea on the N62 and news the site had been purchased by the local authority and designated for housing in 2021 was widely welcomed.

A contractor for the demolition and construction works was appointed and work was progressing until 14 months ago when the colony of bats was discovered, requiring consultation with the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and construction work to cease.

A decision by the NPWS on if a derogation will be granted to the Roscrea site to permit construction works to continue was expected earlier this year and an update on the situation was provided at the monthly meeting of Tipperary County Council in Clonmel on Monday, which left local representatives voicing their deep disappointment.

Newly appointed Director of Services in the Council's housing department, Jonathan Cooney, told the meeting further work cannot be performed at the site until the end of the bat mating and nesting season, which will be September 2025.

A survey of the bat colony was carried out in August of last year, a submission was made to the NPWS in October and in mid-March the Council were informed of the requirement to halt any further work or inspection until at least September.

"We have no discretion on that unfortunately and it is disappointing for those nine houses", Mr. Cooney said.

While making it clear the blame does not lie with the local authority's housing section, Roscrea based Independent Lowry Team Councillor, Shane Lee, described the situation as "ridiculous."

The rear of the Roscrea building site stalled by bats. Photo: D. Keegan

"As a Councillor in the town of Roscrea and someone who has been working hard with the housing section I am hugely disappointed. We all understand the importance of bats, but every elected representative here is dealing with a housing crisis and has families who are approaching them on a daily basis", Cllr. Lee said.

"We are now in a situation where common sense is not common anymore - to think the NPWS in this situation has kicked this to touch and delayed a housing development for 14 months down to pure ignorance and that is the only way I can describe it.

"They completely neglected this Council and only came back in March to carry out a derogation and it is absolutely appalling in the middle of a housing crisis to think this is the case.

"I love animals but we have young families out there who would absolutely bite your right arm off to get one of those houses and now, as a Councillor in Roscrea, I have to tell people we have a development held up 14 months because of bats", Cllr. Lee said.

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The Roscrea Councillor added that he spoke to an 80-year-old resident of the area who is very disappointed at "how unsightly that site is" in the centre of a heritage town and on one of the town's busiest approach routes.

"Local groups like our Tidy Towns are left to deal with this as well and it is just not good enough", Cllr. Lee said.