Achiltibuie Smokehouse Bat Surveys
Photo: Endoscoping at the smokehouse
Location: Achiltibuie, Ullapool – Northwest Highlands
Client: Summer Isles Enterprises Ltd
The Project: The Achiltibuie Smokehouse was once an integral part of the local community, providing employment. SIE are in the process of acquiring the Achiltibuie Smokehouse from the Coigach Community Development Company on the condition that they restore or rebuild the property, as it has sat vacant in a dilapidated and unsafe condition for a number of years.
However, over the years, the building has become attractive to bats and now homes a large pipistrelle maternity roost through the summer months.
The aim for SIE is to repurpose the site and build a new multi-purpose building that will contain laundry, storage, office space, and accommodation to support their operations on Tanera Mòr, and provide several jobs for the local community.
Our Role: To carry out a Preliminary Roost Assessment and the subsequent Emergence surveys and reports to back up previous survey findings to support an application for a NatureScot ‘Work Affecting Bats’ licence. Due to the current deteriorated condition of the building, the building will need to be demolished and a new fit-for-purpose building erected in its place, including a compensatory, or replacement, maternity bat roost box. Atlantic58 are also supporting by providing ECoW supervision for the deconstruction of the original building.
Outcome: The intended outcome is a successful NatureScot ‘Work Affecting Bats’ licence application followed by ECoW supervised soft deconstruction of the building and successful design and installation of a compensatory maternity roost.
Contact us about Ecological Surveys: