Bat Habitat Surveys and Licensing

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Bat Habitat Surveys refer to a method of ecological assessment outlined in the Bat Conservation Trust publication ‘Bat Surveys: Good Practice Guidelines’ (2007). These guidelines state that the aim of the scoping bat survey is to observe and catalogue “the potential value of the habitat for bats” and moreover, to make recommendations for further survey work as appropriate, usually in the knowledge of the proposed development layout.

Licensing for Bat Surveys and Mitigation

If surveyors undertake to search a site and in so doing disturb a bat roost, howsoever temporary or unintentional, this may constitute an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended).

A license is therefore required for survey to permit such activities by appropriately qualified, experienced and insured professionals. Such a license is granted in England by Natural England (http://www.naturalengland.org) and in Wales by the Countryside Council for Wales (http://www.ccw.gov.uk). These organizations and other with similar remits and objectives are collectively referred to as Statutory Nature Conservation Organizations.

An individual in possession of a license infers that the awarding Statutory Nature Conservation Organization’s minimum standard of training and peer review has been met by the surveyor.

So-called ‘roost visitor’ and ‘mitigation’ licenses differ, as surveyors in possession of either license can enter a known bat roost; however only those surveyors in possession of the latter can design and implement mitigation and compensation schemes.

Planning Policy

In addition to the statutes described above, various planning policy imposes duties upon would-be planning applicants to take account of a site’s ecological receptors and in particular, protected species. The objective of this policy is to prevent a net loss of species and habitats diversity identified as priorities for the U.K. as a consequence of development activity.

In England and Wales, the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 imposes a duty on all public bodies e.g. local planning authorities and similar statutory bodies to conserve biodiversity – including restoring and enhancing a population or habitat.

Planning Policy Statement No.9 and Office of the Deputy Prime Minister Circular 06/2005 para.99 states that protected species are a ‘material consideration’ in the determination of planning applications. In the context of bat surveys, this infers that where there is a reasonable likelihood of protected species being present and materially impacted upon by a development, surveys must be carried out before a planning application is determined.

In order to fully assess the potential value of bat habitats at this site, widely accepted national standards outlined in the Bat Conservation Trust publication Bat Surveys: Good Practice Guidelines (2007) have been observed. The guidelines recommend that a bat habitat assessment is undertaken as a requisite minimum.

The bat habitat surveyors can undertake their survey at any time of the year and provides an opportunity to check for signs of occupancy e.g. droppings, scratch marks, animals in residence; and makes recommendations for further survey work where this is consistent with the guidelines and considered appropriate by the surveyor (in the knowledge of the proposed development).

Further survey work may include bat emergence surveys, which enables population numbers and species to be ascertained, or will confirm that bat presence is indeterminate or absent.

Buildings

Roosting places vary depending on the species of bat. Typical roosting places include e.g. soffit spaces, gaps behind fascia boards and end rafters, crevices around the ends of projecting purlins, under warped or lifted roof and ridge tiles, gaps in stone and brickwork where mortar has dropped out, and roof voids of buildings.

Trees

Trees on and immediately adjacent to the site were assessed from ground level for suitable access holes and roost sites. Mature trees which include suitable roosting features e.g. dead and standing trees, trees with fissures and cracks, trees with peeling bark, and trees with broken branches are those most likely to harbor bat habitat potential.

Other signs of bat activity are sought in and around trees included e.g. droppings, urine staining, oil staining from fur and scratch marks around roost entrances. Any trees with bat habitat potential and their immediate environment are assessed for foraging/commuting potential.

To discuss your site and bat or habitat survey needs, please call one of our experts via 08450 176950 or write to email@arbtech.co.uk.