Bat Survey Sevenoaks: Protected Species Surveys

A bat survey, Sevenoaks, plays a vital role in the planning process by identifying and addressing any potential bat-related issues that may arise during development. These surveys help determine the presence of bats in buildings, trees or other structures on the proposed site.

Important legislation, such as The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, provides strong legal protection for all bat species and wild birds, including their roosting and breeding sites – regardless of location. If a local planning authority finds that these protections have been ignored or that essential assessments are missing, they may take action or even refuse planning permission.

Across England and Wales, it is illegal to deliberately harm, kill, or injure bats, or to obstruct access to their habitats. Therefore, the implementation of effective bat mitigation and enhancement measures is essential. These not only help conserve bat populations but also ensure developers remain compliant with environmental legislation, reducing the risk of costly delays or refusals during the planning process.

Preliminary Roost Assessment: A Preliminary Roost Assessment (PRA), sometimes known as a bat scoping survey, is typically the first assessment to undertake to determine whether bats are likely to be present on a development site. This step can also provide an understanding of the scale of impact a project development may have on the bat species residing on-site and in the surrounding area.

Bat emergence and re-entry surveys: If a PRA determines that roosting bats could be present on a site, a bat emergence survey or a re-entry survey will typically be performed to monitor further bat activity in and around the bat roosts. This includes monitoring entry and exit points to provide a more thorough insight on behaviour, as well as collecting evidence of bats, such as bat droppings.

Our experienced bat ecology and arboriculture consultants use specialist bat detectors to monitor bat activity in a non-intrusive manner over multiple site visits, minimising any disturbance to the bats.

Nocturnal bat surveys: This type of ecology survey observes and records bat species’ activity and behaviour during the night, as bat activity is predominantly nocturnal. In summary, these bat activity surveys are beneficial for monitoring bat populations and identifying habitats and species.

At Collington Winter Environmental, we provide expert bat surveys in Kent designed to support the needs of both local authorities and clients. Our experienced consultants are fully licenced by Natural England and hold European Protected Species licenses. We collaborate closely with developers nationwide, prioritising the protection of endangered species while facilitating a seamless and efficient planning process.

Our Managing Director, Olivia Collington (info@collingtonwinter.co.uk), is happy to provide more information on our wide range of protected species survey work in South East England, including bat surveys, water vole surveys and great crested newt surveys. We also provide preliminary ecological appraisal (PEA) and Biodiversity Net Gain services.