THE discovery of bats living in historic farm buildings could hold up plans to demolish and rebuild a farmhouse.

Sir Josslyn Gore-Booth has applied to Richmondshire District Council for permission to carry out the work at Home Farm, in Hartforth village, near Richmond.

Under the proposals, the farmhouse, which dates back to the 1830s, would be knocked down and replaced with a larger, gothic-style house.

It would be used as a home for Sir Josslyn, and to house the furniture and pictures he retained when he sold the Gore-Booth family's historic seat, Lissadell House, in County Sligo, Ireland, in 2003.

The new house will also incorporate the Hartforth Estate office. The Grade II listed cart-shed, granary, wheel house and barn would be repaired.

But a survey by ecological consultant John Drewett found brown long-eared bats using the farm buildings.

Mr Drewett said a licence from Defra would be required and measures to maintain the bat population put in place before development work could be carried out, but there is not enough information at present for a licence application to be submitted.

Planning officers have recommended that conditional planning permission and listed building permission should be granted. However full permission will not be given until further bat surveys have been carried out in the farmhouse this summer.

Councillors will meet next Tuesday to discuss the plans.