The cave has been created to mitigate the loss of bat roosts following the removal of the derelict farm buildings at Southleaze Farm. Those buildings, which had suffered repeated vandalism and fire damage, were previously home to common pipistrelle and brown long-eared bats. Before its removal, ecologists ensured all bats had safely moved on, while additional bat boxes were installed in surrounding trees to provide temporary roosts.
Now, the bats have a brand new, purpose-built replacement designed to recreate their lost habitat. The underground structure includes cavity walls, free flight space, and hanging areas that mimic natural features used by these species. Planted surroundings and fencing ensure the area remains undisturbed, while a secure entrance allows licensed ecologists to carry out monitoring.
Early results are already positive, with monitoring showing the intended species are investigating the new site – a promising sign so soon after completion.
The project is part of a wider programme of bat conservation at Wichelstowe. Working with ecologists at Keystone, a range of measures have been put in place to create and enhance bat habitats across the development, including:
- Designing and planting foraging corridors
- Bat hops and eco-passages installed over and under roads
- Rich foraging areas created such as ponds, orchards, grasslands, and wetlands
- Installing around 100 bat boxes on new buildings and established trees
- Retaining and adapting veteran trees to provide natural roosts
So far, 11 bat species have been recorded at Wichelstowe, including lesser and greater horseshoes, pipistrelles, noctules, and barbastelles.
Councillor Strinkovsky, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Placemaking and Planning, said: “I’m so pleased we’re able to offer a safe habitat for these wonderful animals. They’re a really important part of England’s biodiversity and I hope they thrive in their splendid new digs.”
Dan Pavely, Wichelstowe’s project director, added: “We’re proud to support bat conservation through projects like this. The new bat cave not only replaces the roosts lost at Southleaze Farm but also forms part of a long-term strategy to help bats thrive at Wichelstowe. It’s fantastic to see bats already exploring their new home!”
The images below are taken from a recent bat survey at the site.
The first shows bats in close proximity to the thermal survey camera and maps their flight paths over a 30 second window. The second illustrates the call of a soprano pipsitrelle bat recorded at the canal. The canal along with other watercourses and treelines provide form identified bat corridors at Wichelstowe.
