Plans for homes next to The Sparrowhawk return after bat hurdle

While the proposal may seem new, the site has actually been the subject of planning applications for more than six years.

Planning permission for the same seven-home development was originally granted by Sefton Council in March 2020, but the scheme was never built before the site changed ownership.

A fresh application was submitted in 2025 but withdrawn later that year after Merseyside Environmental Advisory Service (MEAS) requested additional bat surveys. Those surveys could not be completed because the bat survey season had already ended, forcing the application to be withdrawn.

Why are bat surveys needed?

Although they are small and often unseen, bats receive some of the strongest legal protection of any wild animal in the UK.

All 18 species of bat found in Britain are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017. It is a criminal offence to deliberately disturb bats or damage or destroy a bat roost, even if bats are not present at the time.

When planning applications involve demolishing older buildings or removing mature trees, councils will often require ecological surveys to establish whether bats are using the site. If a roost is discovered, developers may need to redesign their plans, alter the timing of works or obtain a protected species licence before construction can begin.

The surveys themselves can only be carried out when bats are active, typically between May and September, with the best survey period falling during the summer months. If that window is missed, applicants may have to wait until the following year to gather the evidence needed to support their planning application.

Planning consultants acting for the developer say the new application is identical to the previous submission and now includes the bat survey information requested by ecological advisers. They add that all other issues raised during the previous consultation had already been resolved before the application was withdrawn.

What is proposed?

The development would consist of seven detached family homes arranged around a new private access road.

Five of the properties would have five bedrooms spread across three floors, while the remaining two would offer four bedrooms. The plans include 23 parking spaces, including three visitor spaces, along with private gardens, new landscaping and retained boundary walls.

Floor plans show the larger homes would include open-plan kitchen and dining areas, separate lounges, studies, dressing rooms and multiple en-suite bathrooms.

The site sits immediately alongside the Sparrowhawk pub on Southport Old Road.

The application is now awaiting a decision from Sefton Council.