PLANS for a new all weather sports facility at St John’s school in Marlborough have been rejected for fear that nesting bats might be disturbed.

But the Granham Hill academy says it will go back to the drawing board as it says it needs to expand the sporting facilities on offer.

It had submitted a planning application for a floodlit pitch on the site of the old Marlborough railway cutting.

But it was refused by Wiltshire Council primarily on conservation grounds as the lighting was considered to be potentially detrimental to roosting bat populations in nearby Savernake Forest.

The academy had adjusted the application with a suggested timetable to switch the lights on and off to accommodate the bats during the bat active months, with normal floodlight use during November to February;

They had hoped this would to allow feeding and migrating patterns around the site to remain undisturbed.

Martin Cook, Logistics Director, St John’s Marlborough said,

“St John’s has always intended to maximise the sporting facilities offered to its students.

"When first built, it was intended that an all weather pitch would be included, principally with hockey in mind, but also suitable for other sports.

"Unfortunately, available funds at the time did not stretch that far.

"10 years later, nearly 1700 students is pushing the limit of the school being able to provide the first class sport and play areas needed and deserved by the student population.

He said that in the light of increasing demand due to new housing developments. "It is essential that St John’s explores other ways of expanding it’s ability to provide suitable sport and play areas for all," he said.

The school has recently commissioned an architect firm it is likely that an alternative application will be made at some point in the future.