Bat Survey, Leicestershire: Protected Species Surveys
What is a Bat Survey?
Bat activity surveys may be required for some developments to assist with planning applications during the planning permission process to find out whether the development could impact bats in the area. Typically, the local authorities will let you know whether or not a bat survey is required. The need to undertake bat surveys could also be identified during a PEA survey.
Bat surveys detect when bats are present or the likely absence of bats within the development area (such as barn conversions) so that the planning and development process can proceed. If the survey finds that there is evidence of bats in close proximity to a site, compensation and bat mitigation measures must be undertaken before any development work is permitted to proceed.
These measures are required as bats, and bat roosts, are protected species under the Wildlife and countryside Act, and they are also a European protected species under UK and European Legislation. Therefore, it is illegal to kill, harm or disturb bats in any way.
Bat Survey, Leicestershire: Bat Activity
The active season for bats in Leicestershire is at its peak during the summer months. Therefore, this is the best time of year to carry out survey work to determine the presence of roosting bats.
The many species of bat that are likely to be found in Leicestershire are Common and Soprano Pipistrelles, Nathusius’s bats, Daubenton’s bats, Natterer’s bats, Whiskered, and Brandt’s bats.
Types of Bat Survey, Leicestershire
There are two types of bat surveys which can help you to discover whether signs of bats are present. The first is a preliminary roost assessment which involves an Ecology Consultant carrying out a site visit. They will carry out both an internal and external inspection of the building, looking for evidence of roosting bats, including insect feeding remains as well as bat droppings.
The second type are nocturnal bat emergence surveys. Emergence and re entry surveys involve surveyors using bat detectors to record and analyse bat calls. These surveyors will operate either when bats are leaving their roosts to forage (dusk emergence surveys) or when the bats return to their roosts (dawn re-entry surveys) to determine the number of bats. It is an important line of work to detect these bats in order to ensure that the roosts are protected.
The costs of bat surveys are calculated based on the complexity of each project.
How Can Collington Winter Assist?
Collington Winter Environmental, we are an experienced team of ecological consultants with extensive knowledge in undertaking bat and hibernating bat surveys using good practice guidelines. Our Ecology Director, Olivia Collington, holds a Natural England bat survey class licence and has worked with protected species throughout the UK.
Please get in touch with our Ecology Director Olivia Collington via email (Olivia.collington@collingtonwinter.co.uk) for information on protected species surveys, such as bats and great crested newts. We also provide ecological appraisal and assessment services.
Collington Winter Environmental is an ecology company registered in England.
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