Liz Truss fights to save £274m road project blocked over rare bats

Liz Truss has become embroiled in a row with Natural England over its decision to effectively block a £274 million road project in Norfolk because of a rare bat species.

The former prime minister is among eight Norfolk MPs to write to Steve Barclay, the Environment Secretary, urging him to review Natural England’s “arbitrary decision”, which could halt the Norwich Western Link.

The body has ordered the local council to prove that the work will not have an impact on the population of barbastelle bats after imposing new protections on the rare species. According to the Woodland Trust, there are as few as 5,000 barbastelle bats in the country.

In the letter to Mr Barclay, the MPs urged him to “bring sanity to the stance taken by Natural England” and criticise the body for relying on modelling to impose a new conservation status on the bat.

“We are writing collectively, as the Conservative MPs representing Norfolk, to express our deep concern over this seemingly arbitrary decision and to seek its immediate review,” they said.

“Locally, this arbitrary decision will have the immediate effect of stopping the much-needed completion of the orbital route around Norwich – the Western Link road.

“This is in excess of £231 million investment in our region brought to a stop by the opinion of an unelected individual within Natural England, despite it having the overwhelming support of the people of Norfolk.”

The Norwich Western Link road would connect the A1067 with the A47 at Easton and has been backed by the Department for Transport and the Conservative-run county council, which says it will reduce congestion.

But the council now says a decision by Natural England last month to grant barbastelle bats “favourable conservation status” could scupper the project.

The bats are found in woodland around central and southern England and Wales, and the location of the proposed road has been described as a “unique hotspot” for them.

Natural England has said there is “no known mitigation or compensation” for the loss of barbastelle roosting habitat in the short to medium term.

The new conservation status will make it “almost impossible” to secure the bat mitigation licence required to carry out the work, according to Kay Mason Billig, the leader of Norfolk County Council.

She criticised the “unelected quango” for what she said was an attempt to “subvert the will of the people”.

James Marshall, the Natural England area manager, told the Eastern Daily Press: “As the developer of the proposed Norwich Western Link, the council will need to demonstrate there is no satisfactory alternative to the scheme and that the conservation status of the bats would not be negatively affected by the road.”

The row is the latest controversy around the proposed new road, which has been the subject of protests backed by environmental campaigner Chris Packham. The TV presenter has criticised the road project as “catastrophic for wildlife” and “utter madness”.