Peter Rhodes on bats, badgers - and the end of the road for juries?
A reader who wants to demolish his old garage tells me the local council is first demanding a bat survey – which will cost a cool £500.
Meanwhile, by coincidence, a friend hoping to build a modest extension has been advised by his council that the foundation trenches must be fitted with that essential aid to animal welfare – a badger ladder.
What's this? A letter from the energy firm E.ON Next headed: “We're switching you to paper-free communications.” Oh, no you're not, pal.
