Demolition of old Fleetwood docks buildings awaits confirmation over roosting bats and birds

Plans to demolish dilapidated old fish-processing buildings on Fleetwood Docks will first have to wait to see if bats are present.

Many of the old dockside buildings have become more and more run-down over the years and last year a shiny new £8m dockside development – Project Neptune – saw the unveiling of brand new fish processing units.

Now an application has been lodged with Wyre planners for prior approval of the demolition of some of those dilapidated fish processing buildings on Herring Arm Road.

The fish-processing sector remains one of Fleetwood’ key industries and there is no longer a need for some of those old buildings in light of the new developments.

However, the planning process in this application must take into consideration whether bats are roosting there and if the demolition would affect their habitat- and the same consideration must apply to roosting feral pigeons.

A Preliminary Roost Assessment (PRA) by Bowland Ecology Ltd was commissioned by Cassidy & Ashton on behalf of Associated British Ports in light of the proposed demolition of three buildings on the docks.

The report stated: “Given the limited suitability (for roosting bats) of the site overall, further dusk emergence surveys are highly unlikely to yield any additional information as to the potential use of the building by roosting bats – that being low to negligible value habitat with potential for small numbers of pipistrelle bats.

“Furthermore, as it is considered highly unlikely that the buildings would provide roosting habitat suitable for a roost of greater conservation significance, the proposed demolition will not impact upon the conservation status of bats within the area.

“The most recent National Planning Police Framework (2024) which states “bearing in mind the delay and costs that may be involved, developers should not be required to undertake surveys for a protected species unless there is reasonable likelihood of the species being present and affected by the development”.

“Therefore, it is considered that the implementation of Reasonable Avoidance Measures in relation to works to demolish the buildings will minimise impacts to roosting bats to a negligible level. “

Ironically, the same report finds that a greater impediment to the demolition going ahead is the presence of feral pigeons.

It stated: “Feral pigeons can nest at any time of year. Potential nesting sites were identified in Building 1, and there is potential for nesting pigeons within Building 2. As a result, it is recommended that a suitably qualified ecologist undertakes a survey prior to demolition, to determine the activity status of the identified nests.

“No works will be carried out within 5 m of a nest deemed to be active until the young have fledged and are no longer returning to the nest site. Works will only be undertaken once a scheme ecologist has declared the nest to be no longer in use. “