BATS are causing a delay in the completion of demolition work at the site of an old Borders mill.

Developers are planning to build houses as part of the regeneration of the Caerlee Mills site at Innerleithen.

But some of the buildings they need to knock down are so far untouched because of the presence of bats.

The flying mammals are a protected species and developers must obtain a licence before carrying out work where they are present.

“All our consents are through but we have had a bit of an issue with Scottish National Heritage to do with the bats’ licence,” Bruce Weir, of site owners CWP, told Innerleithen Community Council on Monday.

“It is a bit of a hiccup in our work and it means we are having to carry out the demolition work in two stages. “But I would hope that by the end of May we will have the majority of the buildings down.” Speaking later to the Peeblesshire News Mr Weir said: “We have had some bat surveys done and we don’t think there are many of them at all.

“But we need to re-survey over the summer months to see if there are any more of them and then arrange for a licence.” SNH did not to get back to us by the time we went to press but its website stated that if bats, their roosts or even signs of bats are found developers must identify what impact their work will have on the creatures.

The website added: “Wherever possible these impacts should be avoided or minimised. However, if they can’t be avoided and the development might otherwise result in an offence being committed, then a licence would be necessary to be able to proceed.” All 18 species of bat native to the UK - the most common is the pipistrelle - are legally protected and disturbing bats or their roosts is a criminal offence.

If an initial survey detects the presence of bats - as it has done at Caerlee - then a second emergence survey must be carried out.

Emergence surveys are usually done between May and September when the bats come out of hibernation. Investigators conduct the work at dusk or dawn when the creatures can be seen to emerge from or re-enter a roost. This gives a better idea of the number of bats present, which species are involved and what action needs to be taken.

Another problem at the Caerlee site appears to have been resolved with heavy goods vehicles now able to gain access from the front entrance, Mr Weir reported to community councillors.

Residents living in Maxwell Street at the back of the site had complained that the construction lorries were damaging the road surface.

“I’m hopeful that is the end of the issues now,” said Mr Weir.

He also revealed that Innerleithen Community Trust and another developer had put a forward an interest in buying the main building on the site. Earlier in the year the trust said it wanted to set up a heritage centre at the location.

“We are a little behind but we hope to start thinking about planning applications in late summer and appraise for residential development,” he said.