Jamie Durie's planned six-storey home is put in peril by 'endangered micro ...

Jamie Durie's planned six-storey home is put in peril by 'endangered micro ...
Jamie Durie's planned six-storey home is put in peril by 'endangered micro ...

Jamie Durie's dream of building a $3m waterfront mansion for his family has experienced yet another setback, this time because of a colony of tiny bats.

The celebrity garden guru and former Backyard Blitz host's plans to knock down a 1960s cottage and replace it with a sprawling mansion for his family had already met local opposition over a proposal to remove 17 native trees.

Northern Beaches Council has now questioned a report by an ecologist employed by Durie that caves near the proposed development where micro-bats could roost will be not be impacted, the Daily Telegraph reported.  

The ecologist's environmental assessment report claims colonies of large-eared pie bats and the little bentwing bats are located 1.3km east of Durie's Riverview Road waterfront property at Careel Bay.

It also claimed the caves are 'degraded to the point that the species is unlikely to use' them.

The council described the report as 'inaccurate' and insisted the bat habitat be retained.

Jamie Durie (pictured with fiancee Ameka) has denied his proposed home development at Avalon on Sydney's northern beaches will impact colonies of micro-bats, the latest setback to befall the project

Jamie Durie (pictured with fiancee Ameka) has denied his proposed home development at Avalon on Sydney's northern beaches will impact colonies of micro-bats, the latest setback to befall the project 

A large-eared pie bat, one of the species of 'micro-bats' an environmental assessment said won't be impacted by Jamie Durie's proposed home development. Northern Beaches Council said the report was 'inaccurate'

A large-eared pie bat, one of the species of 'micro-bats' an environmental assessment said won't be impacted by Jamie Durie's proposed home development. Northern Beaches Council said the report was 'inaccurate'

'I have never seen them there but they are welcome,' Durie said of the micro-bats, claiming his development would not impact the species. 

The TV star had earlier copped backlash over plans to transform the waterfront lot at Avalon Beach on Sydney's northern beaches into a six storey 'family home'.

Durie's development application included a proposal to remove 17 native trees, sparking a series of community objections to the local council.

He subsequently changed the plan to include the removal of only one tree and was in the process of resubmitting the plan to council. 

Durie had earlier defended his plans in several television interviews, claiming an arborist's report missing from the submission to council sparked a misunderstanding. 

The council had issued a 'landscape referral response' ordering Durie submit an alternative layout and building design.

The council report recommended 13 of the 26 trees stay, including six which have 'moderate value'. 

The DA will be referred to the Local Planning Panel.

'Council considers issues raised in public submissions regarding development applications in the assessment of each matter and advice from specialist officers is sought as part of the assessment process,' council chief executive Ray Brownlee told Daily Mail Australia in a statement.

'This DA will be referred to the LPP for determination when the assessment of the application has been completed.

'At this stage we do not have a time frame in which it will go to the LPP.'

Durie's six storey proposal consists of six bedrooms, swimming pool, two-car garage, music studio and media room, a lift down to the kids' play area and yoga gym.

BEFORE: Jamie Durie hopes to knock down the original 1960s cottage (pictured) to build a six storey dream family home

BEFORE: Jamie Durie hopes to knock down the original 1960s cottage (pictured) to build a six storey dream family home

...AFTER: Jamie Durie's plans to redevelop his the beach property into this multi-level, sprawling facility attracted more than 30 objections from the community

...AFTER: Jamie Durie's plans to redevelop his the beach property into this multi-level, sprawling facility attracted more than 30 objections from the community

Durie claimed those who opposed the proposal haven't read the arborist's report which had been missing from the council submission, which stated the number of trees that would be removed had been reduced from 17 to nine. 

Despite revising the redevelopment plans, he said some of the unhealthy trees on the property had to be knocked down due to termite infestation. 

'There's been a group of new environmentalists standing in front of the house and protecting noxious weeds,' Durie told the A Current Affair.

'I was mortified when I read some of the submissions.'  

'I think if some of the new environmentalists that were standing out on the street knew that they were actually standing here preventing environmental weeds from being taken down that had now turned into trees, they'd be a little embarrassed.'

The former Manpower stripper, who has lived in the area for more than 20 years, said he wants the community to be just as proud of the redeveloped home as he will be. 

The council received at least 32 objections to the proposal, with residents expressing concerns the

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