Gwynedd council is reviewing an application to develop a glamping site comprising 11 pods at Bluebell Woods in Caerhun, along with associated infrastructure including pathways, parking, landscaping and drainage systems.
A bat survey conducted ahead of the proposed development identified multiple bat species using the woodland, including common pipistrelle, soprano pipistrelle and myotis bats. The survey documented bats entering the site from the northern boundary and road corridors, with additional congregations observed in the open parkland area to the south-west. All bat species in Britain are afforded legal protection, making it an offense to kill, injure, disturb or harm bats, or to damage their roosts and breeding sites.
According to the survey findings, the development would result in “major” impacts on bat activity without appropriate mitigation strategies in place. The primary concern centers on artificial lighting associated with the glamping infrastructure, which would restrict access for light-sensitive bat species throughout the woodland. The survey classified the potential impact as major at a national level based on these lighting effects.
Proposed mitigation measures include maintaining woodland sections as functional flight corridors and foraging habitat, designating dark zones to protect light-sensitive species, installing bat boxes, implementing a specialized lighting scheme with shielded fixtures to minimize light spillage, and planting additional trees and hedgerow vegetation. These interventions are designed to offset the development’s ecological impacts and ensure continued bat habitat viability at the location.
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