Groningen fined €100,000 over failing bat flight route near Europapark station |
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Municipality ignored conditions of nature permit for years
The municipality of Groningen must pay a penalty of €100,000 because it failed to properly implement a safe flight route for bats near Europapark station. This was ruled by the Council of State. The case has been ongoing since 2020 and was initiated by the Bat Working Group Groningen, together with the province of Groningen as the enforcing authority.
This article was previously published on March 19, 2026 on the website of Stad + Groen.
| Image for illustration, generated with AI |
The requirement for a safe flight route stems from a nature permit issued in 2009, which was needed for the construction of the station. It stipulated that the municipality had to ensure a 'functional' flight route for the existing bat colony. According to the Council of State, this has still not been achieved.
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Even though the bats are now using an alternative route and the population has not declined, the key issue is that the agreed measures have not been implemented
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Inadequate design and management
The ruling shows that both the design and management of the area are insufficient. There is no continuous row of tree canopies, meaning bats lack a sheltered route. Trees have been pruned incorrectly and do not connect. There are also dead trees present, and lighting in the area is not adapted to bats. In addition, a suitable foraging area is lacking. The municipality argued that the bats now use an alternative route and that the population has not declined. However, according to the Council of State, this does not change the fact that the agreed measures have not been implemented.
Enforcement after years of legal proceedings
The province had already imposed a penalty because the municipality failed to meet the conditions of the nature permit. Groningen challenged this decision but has now been overruled by the highest administrative court. The ruling underlines that agreements under nature legislation must be upheld in the long term, even after projects have been completed. The bat working group will also receive compensation of over €1,900 due to the six-year duration of the proceedings.
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The ruling underlines that agreements under nature legislation must be upheld in the long term, even after projects have been completed
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