Kit Harington and Rose Leslie are seeking permission from their local council for the conversion of a barn at their £1.75 million home in Brettenham, Suffolk.
The couple, who met on the set of Game of Thrones and married in 2018, made plans to refurbish their barn in November 2023. However, are still waiting for approval from Babergh District Council due to concerns over bats.
Ecologists Place Services opposed the plans on Tuesday because of a lack of information being provided about the protected species.
They said: “We are still not satisfied that sufficient ecological information is currently available for determination of this application.”
In the UK, Bat species and their roosts are protected under Regulation 43 of the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017.
Therefore, it is considered a criminal offence to disturb a bat or destroy a breeding site deliberately.
A number of bat roosts, including Pipistrelle, were found in the barn, as revealed in a survey submitted as part of the application.
The survey report reads: “In absence of mitigation measures, the proposed refurbishment and conversion of the barn will result in the loss and damage to a number of bat roosts, and bats may be harmed during the works.”
Several surveys indicated that 39 pipistrelle bats were observed emerging from the well-known couple’s barn. In September 2024, it was recommended that the main building of the application undergo a nocturnal emergence survey and that an automated bat detector be installed.
According to the report, the process would take place over 10 nights to be completed between May and August.
The couple are currently carrying out work on the barn as part of a plan of repairs.
It is believed that the Grade II listed house dates to around the 15th century. The 8.2-acre estate also has a tennis court and swimming pool.
