Police called to school by residents concerned that work on its new football pitch could kill bats

Police were called to a school over fears that bats could be killed. Residents living near Dorothy Stringer School in Brighton, Sussex, called the police accusing the school of potentially destroying bat habitats as part of work to build a new artificial football pitch. Neighbours have been calling for environmental surveys into two species of endangered bat believed to live at the school.

But when diggers arrived on the school fields on Tuesday morning tempers flared. Council planners have told the school they are not allowed to start work until ecological surveys have been approved. But workers appeared to have starting work removing trees. David Alderton, chairman of the Preston Park and Fiveways Local Action Team, said: “Many people – including the parents of pupils at Stringer – are very upset by what is going on.



“There are at least two species of bat there, and birds’ nests are potentially being destroyed illegally as well, as a result of this unauthorised development work. I think this sets an appalling example for the pupils at this school – it sends a message that wildlife is completely expendable and you do not need to consider it seriously when undertaking large-scale development work. Bats are strictly protected in this country.”

A spokesman for Sussex Police said: “At 11.50am on Tuesday we received a call from a local resident that bats were being endangered in woodland next to Dorothy Stringer School in Brighton. A PCSO attended, confirmed that the issue had nothing to do with the police and advised the caller to speak to the council planning department.” A spokesman for Brighton and Hove City Council said: “The school has actively approached us regarding their obligations about bats under the planning consent. As the planning authority, we’ll be making sure that all planning conditions for this project are met.”