Marlow Bridge: new lighting plan gets go-ahead despite fears over protected bats

Protected bats would suffer ‘no significant harm’ if new lights are rigged up on parts of the Grade II-listed Marlow Bridge, a planning inspector has said.

Marlow Town Council had submitted an application to illuminate the historic River Thames bridge’s suspension chains and support columns with LED lighting.

But Buckinghamshire Council and the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead – who share responsibility for the bridge – denied permission over worries the changes could pose problems for bats in the area.

A Government planning inspector has now overturned the refusal and said ‘there would be no significant harm to the long-term conservation status of the bat species that are present’.

Marlow Town Council’s bid, entered under its previous Conservative leadership, was to erect LED lights across parts of the bridges chains and tops of its two support arches.

It would match the colour of existing lights used on the nearby All Saints Church, and would be switched on an hour before dusk and switched off one hour after dawn.

Marlow Bridge features lantern lights at either end and the town council’s application said new lighting had been designed to complement these existing features.

“The new proposal is intended to highlight the architectural features of the structure in a different and tamper-proof way,” the plans added.

No objections were received by English Heritage or council heritage officers for the changes to the bridge, which was built between 1829 and 1832.

Instead concern focused on four protected bat species found to be in the area.

An ecology statement prepared for RBWM said: “Many bat species and other wildlife can be adversely affected by artificial lighting.

“Daubenton’s bats, in particular, are strongly associated with river corridors and these are a light-sensitive species whose behaviour can be changed by the installation of artificial lighting.”

A bat survey, however, said: “[The] current lighting scheme demonstrates an improvement in light spill and will not adversely affect bats commuting and foraging on the site.

“Therefore, the project will have zero impact on bats, and no further surveys are necessary.”

However, council advice on the impacts of the lighting said otherwise.

“The survey confirmed that common pipistrelle, soprano pipistrelle, daubenton and noctule bats use the area,” an ecological analysis said.

“The survey has failed to ascertain if there are any features on, or near to the bridge which could be being used by roosting bats.”

The Royal Borough refused permission and said the plan ‘fails to demonstrate that the proposal would not have an adverse ecological impact on protected species and local biodiversity’.

The council suggested that ‘night-time bat walkovers’ should be undertaken to understand more about the nocturnal creatures’ potential use of the bridge. 

The town council lodged an appeal in early 2025, and an inspector has now given the lighting plan a green light, subject to a condition that some existing lighting be disconnected. The inspector did not consider 'bat walkovers' to be a necessary condition.

Marlow Town Council is now governed by a new administration. A spokesperson said a decision on whether it would put up the now-approved lighting had not yet been made.