Bat Survey Concerns or Questions?
Please call us on 0800 888 6846 (Office)
07736 458609 (Managing Director)
A request for a Bat Scoping Survey is ordinarily triggered when there is to be:
Conversion, modification, demolition or removal of buildings (including hotels, schools, hospitals, churches, commercial and derelict buildings) which are:
- Agricultural buildings (e.g. farmhouses, barns and outbuildings) of traditional brick or stone construction and/or with exposed wooden beams
- Buildings with weather boarding and/or hanging tiles that are within 200m of woodland and/or water
- Pre-1960 detached buildings and structures within 200m of woodland and/or water
- Pre 1914 buildings within 400m of woodland and/or water
- Pre 1914 buildings with gable ends or slate roofs, regardless of location
- Located within, or immediately adjacent to woodland and/or immediately adjacent to water
- Dutch barns or livestock buildings with a single skin roof and board-and-gap or Yorkshire boarding if, following a preliminary roost assessment, the site appears to be particularly suited to bats.
- At the behest of the LPA / County Ecologist.
Scoping Surveys
Ordinarily, the form of initial survey required is a ‘scoping survey’ designed to investigate the presence of bats and / or the potential presence of bats. This is often in association with a survey for nesting birds. This is sometimes referred to a Phase 1 Bat Survey. Often times, no evidence or potential for bats to be present, but hidden from view is the outcome. However, sometimes no evidence is recorded, but ‘potential’ is recorded and the outcome of the scoping survey dictates the next course of action:
- No / Negligible Potential – Usually indicates the end of the matter, (although, the LPA ecologist could still insist on further survey work).
- Low Potential – A minimum of one emergence survey
- Moderate Potential – A minimum of two emergence surveys
- High Potential / Confirmed Roost – Usually three emergence surveys are required.
Classifying a surveys as negligible, low, moderate and high potential is to some extent subjective, but is based on the perceived level of potential. All our surveyors are well trained and most are licenced by Natural England. All results are subject to a second opinion.
Emergence Surveys
Emergence surveys are intended to prove that the building is, or is not a bat roost. If bats are recorded, the survey records the access / exit point used by the bats, the numbers and species present. A decision is then taken on how to proceed. This could mean a Mitigation – Method Statement, or an Natural England European Protected species Licence (EPSL). The exact requirements are dealt with on a case by case basis.
We hold Mitigation Licences inhouse, meaning we can apply to Natural England for European Protected Species Licences (EPSL) on your behalf.
Activity Surveys
Activity surveys are often required where development is to take place in a previously undeveloped area such as agricultural fields, or brown field site which has reverted back to a more natural state.
Each site is individually rated as either:
- Low Habitat Value
- Moderate Habitat Value
- High Habitat Value
The objective of the survey is to ascertain what if any bat species frequent the area and devise an appropriate mitigation scheme to ensure that bats using the site are not prevented from doing so in the future.
Survey effort is conducted in accordance with Bat Conservation Trust (BCT) guidelines.
Bat Surveys for Professional Ecologists: Good Practice Guidelines 3rd edition (2016) can be downloaded from here –
As with most aspects of planning, it is best not to wait until you are told to provide a report at validation stage as an otherwise avoidable delay will be incurred.
If in doubt, speak to us without delay.
Please contact us for a site specific quotation –
help@ecological-surveys-ltd.co.uk
Please call us on 0800 888 6846 / 07736 458609
