THE go-ahead has been given for the demolition of Burnley's Thompson Centre after council bosses proved they had taken care of a roost of bats.

The site is now to be cleared and used as a temporary short-stay car park with approximately 200 spaces until long-term development of the land is agreed.

It was initially hoped that the site would be cleared and parking made available in time for Christmas.

However, the presence of the bats, and the fact that asbestos is also in the building, means that demolition is not expected to start until the New Year.

Car parking is expected to be available early summer.

Work on removing the asbestos is set to start on November 20 and will take around three months.

Removing asbestos is a specialist job and has to be carried out under strict conditions.

And as part of the plans council staff will collect bat droppings to use as a "homing beacon" so the animals which used to live there can trace their scent when they try to find their new home.

Bat experts have told the Burnley Council the creatures will get lost when the centre is knocked down unless they can home in on a replacement roost being built nearby.

Burnley Council had to delay the start of work on pulling down the former sports centre because the bats, which are a protected species, were roosting in the building.

The bats have now left the centre but are expected to return to raise young bats, known as pups, in the spring.

The executive agreed to set aside £387,500 to cover the cost of demolition.

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