Bats will be coming home to roost when a development of affordable homes in Great Shelford is completed next year.
Affordable housing provider bpha is developing five shared ownership apartments at a site in Woollards Lane in the Cambridgeshire village.
The land was previously home to the old library building and adjoining house, which have now been demolished to allow work to begin.
The development will provide a new village library together with apartments above – and when residents move in next December, the local bats will too.
A number of brown, long eared bats – or Plecotusauritus – and Common Pipistrelle bats, were discovered in the roof of the old house during an environmental assessment of the site.
They have now been removed by a specialist team and taken to a site nearby while building work takes place.
bpha will be creating openings in the new roof structure to allow the bats to make their home at the site, and will also be installing bat boxes to the rear of the building.
Sarah Ireland, Assistant Development Director at bpha, said: “This is an exciting new development for Great Shelford. By working in partnership with Cambridgeshire County Council we will provide a brand-new library offering the latest facilities as well as providing much-needed new homes for shared ownership.
“We are committed to developing schemes which are sensitive to the needs of local areas, and that means protecting local wildlife and carrying out conservation work.
“The design of the new building will accommodate the bats which had been living at the site and we look forward to work being completed towards the end of next year so that all the new residents can move in.”
Building work has now started at the £1m development, which is supported by the HCA and Cambridgeshire County Council.
A temporary library has been provided in the village until work on the new development is complete.
Cambridgeshire County Council Cabinet Member for Communities, Councillor Fred Yeulett, said: “I am delighted that work has started on this new library for Great Shelford which should meet the needs of all the local community – including the bats who will be accommodated in the roof of the new building!
“This is also the first time that the County Council has worked alongside the bpha in a partnership which will provide much-needed affordable housing in the area.”
The one-bedroom flats at Great Shelford will be offered for shared ownership to help those who want to get on the property ladder but cannot afford to buy a home outright. As the HomeBuy Agent for Cambridgeshire, bpha’s sales and marketing team, Keyhomes East, will be offering help and advice to those interested in the properties.
To find out more, contact the team on 0845 456 6757 or visit www.keyhomes-east.org.uk