Plans for seven luxury homes at a wildlife haven on the outskirts of Bristol have been approved despite fears for bats, badgers, otters, water voles and other protected species.
More than 220 residents objected to the proposals, along with both Oldland and Bitton parish councils, but the development management committee voted by 5-3 to give the go-ahead after hearing the site could be cleared at any time because there were no tree preservation orders, as long as the protected animals were not harmed.
Neither the council’s ecologist or the Environment Agency objected, subject to conditions, and planning officers recommended granting consent, even though they admitted “all species on site will be impacted by a loss of habitat”.
