2-Apr-2024

24-5496: Where is the
Bat report ?

The Leather Lane Conservation Group have been campaigning for improved mitigation at Leather Lane, since the bat surveys which the group carried out over the past two years indicate that the trees beside the lane are used by seven species of bat, including the rare barbastelle. At a meeting between EKFB & the LLCG in May 2022, the contractor (EKFB) proposed to commission a survey. There are indications that this was done, and the results circulated to interested parties on condition that they do not disclose them.

As LLCG have made their data available to the new contractor (ALIGN), it seems reasonable that the EKFB results should also be made public, and this has been requested -

      " We understand that your contractors have carried out a survey of bat activity on Leather Lane and the surrounding area (work 2/20, chainage 48+800) which supersedes the reports in the Environmental Statement. Would you please provide the data which was gathered, and a copy of any reports based on this new data. "

While the presence of bats at LL is no longer disputed, it will be helpful if all parties have access to the same data, when considering what additional mitigation is required.

Refused !

"HS2 Ltd is committed to making public data easily available under the Government’s
Transparency Agenda, and publishes data collected and produced for the development of the
High Speed Two rail network to data.gov.uk in an appropriate format.
The requested survey information is collected and held by HS2 Ltd as data and is not held in a
report format as requested...
Data currently published is the survey data up to February 2023. HS2 Ltd intends to undertake a further release of ecology survey information shortly which will provide further information held beyond the data released in February 2023. This data is therefore being withheld under Regulation 12(4)(d) – Material in the course of completion – of the Environmental Information Regulations. Please see Annex A for the legal reasoning behind this decision."

Sounds more like 'withheld for our administrative convenience' ?

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