Bats (Chiroptera) and their roosts are protected by law.

If bats or suspected roosts are found on your site, in most cases, you should be able to avoid harming the bats or damaging their roosts by adjusting your planned work. If you can’t avoid disturbing them or damaging their habitats, you will require a licence from Natural England. If you need to apply for planning permission, your planning authority should check you’re taking the right steps to avoid harming them, which usually starts with a survey.