Bat Survey East Midlands: Protected Species

A Bat Survey, East Midlands, is often required when embarking on a new project development to minimise risk factors to residing bats. Should a local planning authority find that provisions for bat conservation have not been put in place when bat activity is identified, they have the legal authority to intervene with the development. Authorities may delay or even prevent the project from progressing.

If a survey finds evidence of bats, project developers have a duty of care to see to it that any proposed works do not damage, destroy or obstruct access to bat roosts. As bats are now considered at risk of extinction, they have protection under UK and European legislation, such as The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017.

With the aim of mitigating further damage to bat population, bat surveys and assessments are often crucial for new developments to assess the mitigation measures needed to support roosting bats.

The main types of bat activity surveys in the UK include:

Preliminary Roost Assessment (PRA): The first type of survey is the Preliminary Roost Assessment (PRA), also known as a bat 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. Evidence can include droppings, feeding remains, and potential access points. The purpose of this survey is to determine whether further, more detailed assessments are necessary.

Bat Emergence and Dawn 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 static bat detectors to record echolocation calls. They confirm the presence of bats, identify species, and locate roosting sites.

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 efficiently monitor local bat populations and assess their habitats. 

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 during the winter months, taking extra precautions not to disturb bat hibernation.

For Good Practice Guidance for Bats, visit the Chartered Institute of Ecology website.

Collington Winter Environmental is an ecological consultancy offering protected species assessment services to all kinds of projects. We have extensive experience in providing bat ecologist services, including preliminary root assessments, dusk emergence and dawn re-entry surveys and nocturnal bat surveys. Our consultants hold Natural England and European Protected Species licences and perform informative and reliable assessments.

Get in touch with our Managing Director, Olivia Collington (info@collingtonwinter.co.uk), for more information on other habitat services we offer, such as species surveys for Great Crested Newts and Badgers. We also provide Preliminary ecological appraisal (PEA) services and landscape architecture services to support your project. Alternatively, contact one of the team on 01204 939608.