Bats
Bats
Bats (Chiroptera)
Through the presence of both urban and rural areas, the West Midlands is sufficiently suitable to support roosting bats, potential roosting features, and trees, buildings, barns, sheds, hedgerows and other potential roosting sites.
From the 17 breeding bat species spotted all over the country, many appear in the West Midlands, including common pipistrelle bats, Bechstein’s bats and Daubenton’s bats.Â
Our team of professional ecologists are able to guide you through the planning process even if local bat populations impact your development plans, whether that involves preliminary roost assessments (PRAs), bat emergence and re-entry surveys (BERSs) or additional considerations such as ongoing site supervision or applications for mitigation licences from Natural England.
Bat Survey Requirements
Bat Survey for Planning Permission
Active Legislation Protecting Bats
Mitigation and Compensation for Bats
If a development site has any chance of housing UK bat species, the local planning authority will require a full bat survey and bat survey report before making any form of decision regarding planning applications.
Once an ecological consultant has completed bat scoping surveys and any further surveys as applicable such as bat activity surveys, determined an absence or presence of bats, and produced a bat report, planning consent should be attainable from the local authorities.
All bats situated across the UK are fully protected by law. Such local and European legislation prevents anyone from exercises and practices that would deliberately kill, injure or disturb bats or damage, destroy or obstruct bat roosts.
Certain laws were no longer applicable following Brexit, but European protected species in England such as bats remain within strict parameters through the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 and the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
During every stage of detailed guidance for a suspected bat roost, the survey data will contribute to the creation of mitigation and compensation measures, assisting the present species of bat, the developer, and the local authority.
Compensation and mitigation measures are worked into all ecological services, with such further information as bat droppings, dead bat carcasses, feeding remains, gable ends, hanging tiles, loft space, roof tiles, roof voids, slate roofs and urine stains dictating the suitable mitigation work.
Types of Bat Surveys
Bat Scoping Survey / Preliminary Roost Assessment (PRA)
Bat Activity Survey / Bat Emergence and Re-Entry Survey (BERS) / Presence and Absence Survey / Dusk and Dawn Survey
Bat Survey Methodology
Bat Survey Equipment
Bat Consultants
Bat Survey Techniques
From installing bat boxes as replacement resting places for crevice-dwelling species of bat and radio tagging technology as a method of tracking bats throughout natural and man-made structures, to DNA analysis for determining certain species and population numbers and bat detectors to find bats, our team own all of the necessary specialist equipment to guarantee that you won’t get a more detailed assessment elsewhere.
Our experienced ecologists work on a case-by-case basis in deciding the tools each development proposal needs, with a bat detector often appearing as the most common.
Following many years of conducting licensed bat surveys and other ecological survey services to support permitted development – including design, conversion, modification and demolition work – our ecological consultancy is effective at dealing with most cases brought to us, answering crucial common questions, catering to different requirements, and satisfying every legal obligation.
Each licensed ecologist in our ranks has the knowledge, experience and qualifications to provide advice on existing building projects and new development work, including adequate coverage, such as professional indemnity insurance.
Various techniques are used across the standard two types of internal and external inspection, helping the process of finding bats and retrieving physical evidence of individual bats or any number of bat roost types, likely roosting opportunities and additional information regarding bats present.
A scoping bat survey will involve efforts to determine whether bats may be present and address any crossover with the development proposals that could impact bats. Bat emergence surveys, however, involve a professional ecologist conducting two or three surveys over all entry and exit points outside of daylight hours.
Bat Survey Season
Bat Survey Licence
Bat Survey Cost
Although it would always be wise to arrange an initial assessment at the earliest opportunity, a secondary benefit to booking survey work as early as possible would be to ensure that your need for protected species surveys on your planning project isn’t affected by limitations of bat survey season.
In order to support bats effectively, recover trustworthy evidence of bats and operate within best practice guidelines, it is crucial that bat surveys are conducted at different time frames and within certain circumstances, as detailed in our ecology survey calendar.
Due to how bats roost and hibernate – as well as the otherwise reasonable likelihood of adverse weather conditions such as high winds and heavy rain – bat survey season commonly spans in the primary summer months between May and September.
Not only does our ecology team posses extensive experience of working with the bat survey guidelines and the further advice of relevant organisations such as the Bat Conservation Trust (BCT) and the Chartered Institute for Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM), but also the ability to help with applying for a bat mitigation class licence.
Each listed animal requires a European protected species licence prior to any form of intervention. If bats are present, you may need a bat survey and a bat licence from Natural England / Natural Resources Wales. Our team hold a vast knowledge of the science and conservation licence process for bats and can assist with obtaining a low impact bat licence.
With a bat mitigation licence, you can take the necessary steps for your proposed development.
By focusing primarily on the West Midlands, any added cost for travel and accommodation are subsidised, making it cheaper for you to receive the expert advice you need to avoid disturbing bats and other legally protected natural habitats.
That said, a physical inspection of the natural environment can differ depending on the development projects, site and bat survey required. For example, at the first instance, a preliminary ecological appraisal (PEA) may have been conducted, and from there, bat surveys must be undertaken, starting with a PRA to gather other evidence to protect bats before moving on to a bat emergence survey to record bats, evaluate the roost type and monitor important areas, such as access points and buildings close to woodland. If dusk entry and dawn re-entry surveys may be required, several ecologists will be needed over multiple visits, adding to the overall cost.
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Book Bat Surveys in Birmingham and the West Midlands County
As bats are protected under relevant legislation from acts that could intentionally kill, deliberately capture or affect bats in any way or destroy or obstruct access to old or new roosts, maternity roosts or breeding sites, it is the legal requirement of the developer staging the planning project to take steps to avoid harming bats, with demonstration of compliance to statutory nature conservation organisations, habitats regulations and the local planning authorities.
If there’s a bat found on the site or high potential for crevice-dwelling bats due to being located near to rural communities, agricultural buildings, livestock buildings or a large network of species of bat native to the UK, bat reports will be needed or a full planning application will be difficult to obtain. The first step may be to arrange a PEA survey, or if potential habitat loss has already been predicted through the development works involving tree removal, re-roofing, barn conversions, suspected foraging areas or weather-boarding, a bat surveyor could suggest moving straight to a PRA.
Rather than potentially harm bats protected and incur a net loss of biodiversity value, it would be advisable to book the necessary bat surveys as early as possible. By contacting our team, you can guarantee that it works within your schedule and the shelf life lasts for a period that suits your development plans. Bat scoping surveys are available all year round whereas the bat emergence/re-entry surveys are held solely in the summer, so filling out a booking form on our website will ensure that you operate within the bat protection rules of England and Wales. Through calling Midland Ecology, emailing us or completing a quote form, we can supply you with a free quote for bat surveys in your area, with a price for our services and steps if you wish to move forward.