Bats pose pricey problem for Church of England

Wednesday, 28th October 2009
By George Conger

Bats in British belfries has become an expensive problem for the Church of England, the Second Church Estates Commissioner told Parliament last week, in response to a query from the member for North-West Norfolk about the church’s work with Natural England on protecting rare bats found in church roofs.

Speaking for the Church of England, Sir Stuart Bell told Mr Henry Bellingham (Con) the Archbishops’ Council was working with Natural England as well as English Heritage, the Bat Conservation Trust and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to “strike a sensible balance between the protection of church buildings and their contents, and the protection of bats.”

Mr Bellingham asked Sir Stuart whether he was aware that a number of churches in his constituency have had much-needed restoration work delayed by Natural England, which had required “lengthy and costly bat surveys.” the rest image