Bat Survey, Wakefield: 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 work by detecting the presence or absence of bats or bat roosts within the development area so that development and planning processes 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.
Bat Survey, Wakefield: Bat Activity
The active season for bats in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, 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 bats that are likely to be found in Wakefield are Common and Soprano Pipistrelles, Noctule bats, Daubenton’s bats, Natterer’s bats, Brandt’s bats, and Brown long-eared bats.
Types of Bat Survey
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 roost site (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.
Emergence and re-entry surveys can be carried out from May to September, following guidance from the Bat Conservation Trust. The costs of bat surveys are calculated based on the complexity of each project.
How Can Collington Winter Assist?
Collington Winter Environmental are an experienced team of ecological consultants with extensive knowledge in undertaking 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.
We understand the importance of ecosystem services, natural resources, and natural capital, and we provide practical, realistic solutions to developers in all fields.
Please contact our Ecology Director Olivia Collington via email (Olivia.collington@collingtonwinter.co.uk) to find out more about or Yorkshire bat surveys. We also provide ecological appraisal and assessment services.
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