Representation by Wild Wings Ecology (Wild Wings Ecology)
- Date submitted
- 16 June 2021
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
The proposed scheme is located within the 6km radius Core Sustenance Zone of a nationally important 'super-colony' of a very rare Annex II bat species, the western barbastelle (Barbastella barbastellus). This super-colony is located in the Ringland/Attlebridge/Weston Longville/Lenwade area and includes a known 77 confirmed barbastelle roosts (to date - located from radio-tracking), one of which is the largest known extant barbastelle roost in the country. The area exceeds criteria for Special Area of Conservation (SAC) designation and as such should be treated in the same manner. We have been carrying out research on this barbastelle super-colony for a number of years, in collaboration with the University of East Anglia and the Norfolk Barbastelle Study Group. This has included radio-tracking of 40 adult female barbastelles. Night-tracking of individuals which travel south to cross the A47 has identified a single, specific crossing point over the A47, within the scheme's boundary/proposed dualling area. Very careful consideration is therefore needed as to how safe crossing of barbastelles over the road at this location will be maintained by the scheme, noting that standard mitigation approaches (green bridges, gantries, underpass) on the Norwich Northern Distributor Road (NDR) have failed. The cumulative impacts on the barbastelle super-colony of the proposed A47 dualling, Norwich Western Link road and the off-shore windfarm cable route are likely to be substantial and will need very careful consideration to avoid damaging the Favourable Conservation Status of this nationally important population. We have not been consulted about this scheme and therefore our research findings on the barbastelle population here have not been considered by the proposal. We do not consider that a full and informed assessment of impacts on the barbastelle population has been made; the road is likely to negatively impact this nationally important population and no suitable, effective mitigation measures have been proposed.