Bat Survey Staffordshire: Protected Species Surveys

If you’re in the process of planning a development project in Staffordshire, whether in the countryside or a more urban location, there’s a chance you may need to complete a bat survey to meet planning and environmental regulations. Bats are a European Protected Species, meaning both bat habitats and roosts are protected by English and Welsh law, including the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017.

Local planning authorities like Staffordshire County Council may request a bat survey if your project is likely to affect local bat populations. In these cases, an ecological assessment and appropriate mitigation steps are essential to support your planning application and help prevent unnecessary delays.

At Collington Winter Environmental, we strive to provide professional ecological consultancy services to help exceed these requirements. Our team of licensed ecologists brings extensive experience in carrying out bat and other protected species survey work. We hold Natural England Protected Species Licences, ensuring your project stays compliant while supporting sustainable development for bats in Staffordshire.

Bat surveys are typically carried out through the May to September summer months – this is when bats are most active, and their presence can be accurately assessed. If there’s a possibility of bats hibernating in a structure, a winter survey may also be required.

For more information on bat conservation and bat species in the Staffordshire area, we recommend visiting the Staffordshire Bat Group website.

The type of survey we carry out depends on the nature of the site and what our ecologists find during an initial assessment. Bat activity surveys we complete often include:

• Preliminary Roost Assessment (PRA): Otherwise referred to as a Phase 1 habitat survey, this initial step involves detailed visual inspection of buildings or trees to identify signs of roosting bats, such as droppings, access points, or staining.
• Dusk and Dawn Surveys: Observing bat emergence and return using thermal imaging cameras and acoustic detectors.
• Nocturnal Activity Surveys: Monitoring bats at night to study flight paths, bat calls, feeding habits, and species ID via echolocation.

To arrange a bat survey in Staffordshire or to discuss your project and any environmental disruptions to planning permission with an experienced ecologist, contact Olivia Collington at info@collingtonwinter.co.uk, or speak over the phone to a helpful member of our team, call 02014939608.

We also offer a range of other ecological services, including Preliminary Ecological Appraisals (PEAs), surveys for other protected species, and landscape architecture services throughout the Southend area and beyond.