Bat Survey: Help and Guidance
Bat surveys are undertaken for development sites to inform a planning permission application and determine presence of bats within a structure or tree. The local planning authority will usually let you know if a bat survey is required.
A bat survey will detect the presence or absence of bats in a particular area so that plans can be made to proceed with a development. If bats are found to be present on a site, mitigation and compensation measures must be undertaken before any development work can begin.
There are many species of bat which are likely to be found in the UK. These include, common pipistrelle bat, Noctule bat, soprano pipistrelle bat, Daubentons’ bat, Whiskered bat, Brandt’s’ bat and Nathusius’ pipistrelle bat.
In the UK, bat activity is highest during the summer months. Therefore, surveys should be carried out during this time to determine the presence of roosting bats. If bat activity is found during a bat survey in the summer months, a bat hibernation survey may be required during the winter to establish whether the area is also used by hibernating bats.
Types of bat surveys
The main types of bat surveys in the UK include:
Preliminary Roost Assessment (PRA) – The first type of survey is the Preliminary Roost Assessment (PRA), also known as a scoping survey. This involves a desk study, reviewing local bat records and databases, combined with a site visit to inspect buildings, trees, or other structures for signs of bats, such as droppings, feeding remains, and potential access points. The purpose of this survey is to determine whether further, more detailed assessments are necessary.
Emergence and Re-entry surveys – If evidence suggests that bats may be present, an Emergence and Re-entry Survey is carried out. These surveys are conducted at dusk and dawn, using bat detectors to record echolocation calls. They confirm the presence of bats, identify species, and locate roosting sites. These surveys take place between May and September, with peak activity occurring from June to August.
Nocturnal bat surveys:A nocturnal bat survey is a type of ecological survey conducted during the night to observe and record the behaviour patterns of bat species. As bat activity increases during this time, nighttime surveys are efficient for monitoring bat populations, identifying species, and assessing their habitats. A nocturnal bat survey is highly beneficial to the conservation of habitats, ecological assessments, and the determination of the nature of the impact on the surrounding environment of development projects.
Hibernation surveys – During the winter months, Hibernation Surveys are conducted to locate bats in hibernation sites such as caves, mines, tunnels, and tree cavities. Surveyors inspect these locations for torpid bats, with the surveys taking place between November and March.
For Good Practice Guidance for Bats, visit the Chartered Institute of Ecology website.
How can Collington Winter assist?
Collington Winter Environmental are a team of experienced ecologists with extensive experience in undertaking bat surveys. Our ecologists hold Natural England bat licences and European Protected Species licences and have worked with protected species across the UK alongside licensed bat surveyors and bat conservation trusts.
Please contact our Managing Director Olivia Collington (info@collingtonwinter.co.uk) for more information on our ecological services and protected habitats and species survey work. We also provide preliminary ecological appraisal (PEA) and assessment services.
We provide bat services in a range of locations including:
North England – Birkenhead, Altrincham, Bishop Auckland, Clitherhoe, Chester
Midlands – Birmingham
South England – Devon, Pulborough, Bedford, Barnstaple, Brighton, Cambridge, Canterbury, Chichester, Cheltenham, Chelmsford
Wales – Monmouthshire, Anglesey, Blaenau Gwent, South Wales, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Ceredigion
Scotland – Aberdeen
Other Locations we have Completed Works – Banbridge (Northern Ireland)
Contact Us
Registered Address
23 Bark Street East, 1st Floor, Bolton, BL1 2BQ
Cambridge Office
Future Business Centre, Cambridge Campus, Kings Hedges Road, Cambridge, CB4 2HY
Telephone
Head Office: 01204 939 608
Dumfries Office: 01387 378208
