Bats rule the roost when it comes to expansion plans for Sir Andy’s hotel
Sir Andy Murray’s plans to expand his luxury five-star hotel could be held up by a large colony of bats.
Plans were unveiled last month to build 27 additional rooms at Cromlix House and a new function suite and tearoom to cope with soaring demand. Two-time Wimbledon champion Murray, 30, bought the property near his hometown of Dunblane for £1.8 million in 2013 and it has won a string of awards since reopening the following year.
However, surveys of the buildings earmarked for the extra rooms have revealed more than 130 bats roosting in the area.
Bats are a protected species under UK law and it is illegal to kill, possess or handle them without a licence or to disturb their habitat.
An ecological report submitted to Stirling Council said: “Soprano pipistrelle bats were recorded roosting in the buildings on site during the nocturnal surveys. Common pipistrelle, Daubenton’s and Natterer’s bats were also recorded foraging on site, but no roost sites for these species were confirmed.”
The report states the hotel will need to obtain a licence from Scottish Natural Heritage and implement mitigation measures to protect the bats before work can be carried out.