A DECISION will be made by the planning panel on an application to convert barns to three homes.

The application has been submitted to Copeland Borough Council for barns at Town Head Farm in Nethertown.

Stone buildings set for redevelopment are centred around a cobbled yard, with the farmhouse at the south-eastern end.

A structural assessment report carried out in support of the application said: “We would recommend that if the extensions to the gable of barn one are to be retained, that they have the roofs and any broken or missing stone, removed and replaced.”

John Temple Licensed Bat Surveyor has carried out a report on the site to support the planning application.

It reads: “No signs of bats were seen in or around the site and no bats were seen leaving the site during the emergence survey or returning to the site during the dawn survey. Although late in the season, bats were active at the time of surveying and were identified entering a roost in a residential property to the north of the site.”

The surveyor has advised the applicant on how to avoid impacting the bat population if developments take place.

They said: “Although no signs of bats were found at the site, great care must be taken when work commences. If bats are seen or suspected then work must stop and further advice be sought from the acting consultant. If work does not commence before April 1 2020 an additional survey should be conducted in case bats move in to the property.”

The public can view and comment on all applications submitted to Copeland Borough Council for approval.

The planning panel will take all comments into account when deciding whether or not to approve an application.

To view applications submitted for your area, visit: https://www.copeland.gov.uk/planning