A PROPERTY developer who illegally destroyed a bat roost while converting a loft has appealed against his conviction.
Hargurdial Singh Rai and his company, ISAR Enterprises Limited, ruined the roost while rebuilding a loft at a commercial property in Dale Road, Matlock, in 2012.
He was convicted at Chesterfield Magistrates' Court of breaching the Conservation of Habits and Species Regulations 2010.
But yesterday, Derby Crown Court heard how he was appealing the conviction and a court date was set for September 4.
The original hearing was told that Rai, 55, of Birmingham, who is the managing director of the firm, bought the premises with the intention of converting it.
An ecological report identified brown long-eared bats in the loft space, which meant work could only go ahead with the permission of Natural England.
Developers still went ahead with the work and the bat roost was destroyed.
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