Rare bats at risk from HS2, naturalists claim

HS2 felling on ancient woodland must be halted because the project does not have permission to disturb bat populations, the Woodland Trust has claimed.

The charity said it believed felling at Jones’ Hill Wood in the Chilterns was due to start “any day”.

While HS2 had recently announced bat surveys, the trust said they should have been carried out earlier in the year, before the bats were hibernating, and over a period of months.

The rail project connecting London with the Midlands and North has faced widespread criticism from opponents who say it will be prohibitively expensive and damage the environment.

Jones’ Hill Wood is among ancient woodlands under threat from the line.

Dr Darren Moorcroft, chief executive of the Woodland Trust, said: “Felling ancient woodland without carrying out industry standard surveys or securing licences for protected species would be like bulldozing a church or listed building without looking what’s inside it.”

Last month Leigh Day, a law firm, said it had written to HS2 Limited calling for a halt to work after ecologists found rare barbastelle bat roosts at the site. HS2 previously said it has not found any bat roosts on the land, and that it would obtain any necessary licences before beginning work.

An HS2 spokesman said: “We are disappointed the Woodland Trust is circulating these false claims. HS2 takes its legal obligations seriously, and all our ecology work is carried out in accordance with the law. If bat roosts are identified, and it is assessed that they would be affected by works, licences from Natural England will be sought.”