Game of Thrones stars locked in planning battle in UK town - over bats

By Holly Kintuka, Reporter

The mates program to refurbish their barn astatine their location successful Suffolk (Image: SWNS)

Kit Harington and Rose Leslie are seeking support from their section assembly for the conversion of a barn astatine their £1.75 cardinal location successful Brettenham, Suffolk.

The couple, who met connected the acceptable of Game of Thrones and joined successful 2018, made plans to refurbish their barn successful November 2023. However, are inactive waiting for support from Babergh District Council owed to concerns implicit bats. 

Ecologists Place Services opposed the plans connected Tuesday due to the fact that of a deficiency of accusation being provided astir the protected species.

They said: “We are inactive not satisfied that capable ecological accusation is presently disposable for determination of this application.”

In the UK, Bat taxon and their roosts are protected nether Regulation 43 of the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017.

The mates joined successful 2018 (Image: Getty)

Therefore, it is considered a transgression offence to disturb a bat oregon destruct a breeding tract deliberately.

A fig of bat roosts, including Pipistrelle, were recovered successful the barn, arsenic revealed successful a survey submitted arsenic portion of the application. 

The survey study reads: “In lack of mitigation measures, the projected refurbishment and conversion of the barn volition effect successful the nonaccomplishment and harm to a fig of bat roosts, and bats whitethorn beryllium harmed during the works."

Survery person recovered pipstrelle bats successful the couple's barn (Image: SWNS)

Several surveys indicated that 39 pipistrelle bats were observed emerging from the well-known couple's barn. In September 2024, it was recommended that the main gathering of the exertion acquisition a nocturnal emergence survey and that an automated bat detector beryllium installed.

According to the report, the process would instrumentality spot implicit 10 nights to beryllium completed betwixt May and August.

The mates are presently carrying retired enactment connected the barn arsenic portion of a program of repairs.

It is believed that the Grade II listed location dates to astir the 15^th century. The 8.2-acre property besides has a tennis tribunal and swimming pool.