One site in Overlee, Clarkston, that was identified for the construction of a new early years centre, possessed a semi-derelict sports pavilion building next to the development site that had previously housed a playgroup as well as providing sports changing facilities. Construction of the new education facility was contingent on the demolition of the pavilion, however the building was also known to support a significant maternity roost of soprano pipistrelle Pipistrellus pygmaeus bats that at its peak supported over 600 bats.

Working closely with the Council and project architects, Applied Ecology reviewed options for best accommodating the bats and recommended that part of the pavilion should be retained as a stand-alone “bat house” as the most pragmatic bat mitigation solution. This allowed the adjoining building sections to be demolished and avoided the expense and uncertainty associated with the construction an alternative compensatory bat roost structure.  The section of the pavilion building used by bats was retained in full, along with the known bat access points and roosting areas within the structure.

Applied Ecology was responsible for obtaining and overseeing a NatureScot bat mitigation licence that legally enabled the adjoining pavilion buildings to be demolished. Licenced work included the temporary exclusion of bats, timing demolition and refurbishment to ensure no loss of maternity roosting opportunity, and the installation of a camera to help monitor the roost. The project was successful as the soprano pipistrelle maternity colony soon returned to the bat house after completion of the work, and has been shown by follow-up bat roost emergence surveys completed by Applied Ecology to be using the structure in large numbers.