Owner risks losing Wayne Manor without bat surveys

The owner of a stately home used as Wayne Manor in the film Batman Begins could lose the property if they do not conduct bat surveys.

Buckinghamshire Council has served a formal listed-building repairs notice on the company behind Grade I-listed Mentmore Towers in Buckinghamshire.

The property could face compulsory purchase if the owner does not provide evidence within one month that a licensed bat ecologist has been appointed to conduct surveys.

The council's notice, dated 4 August, said the work is "reasonably necessary for the proper preservation" of the building.

Once home to the Rothschild family, the mansion now has deteriorating roofs, chimneys, rooflights, roof lanterns and leadwork.

Historic England describes Mentmore Towers' condition as "very bad", its vulnerability as "high", and its trend as "declining".

Owners must also demonstrate that it is taking steps to appoint a contractor with appropriate experience of repairing listed buildings and roofs of a similar scale and historic importance.

If the notice is not dealt with, the council could seek government approval to acquire the mansion, subject to further legal action.

Three bat-emergence surveys must be completed by August 2027, alongside any necessary Natural England licence and recommendations.

Once work begins, council and Historic England officers must be allowed to inspect it weekly.

Mentmore Towers doubled as Wayne Manor in the 2005 superhero film directed by Sir Christopher Nolan, but was not used in sequels such as The Dark Knight.

Planning permission covering proposals that included repairs to the roof was approved in 2016, but SAVE Britain's Heritage said the work was not completed.

The conservation group welcomed the council's intervention and urged the owner to act immediately.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service has approached the owner for comment.

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