A bat risk assessment is a type of bat survey where a qualified bat consultant visits a site and looks for any sign of bats. This is done to check if your development could have any harmful effects on bats or their habitats.
Why have I been asked for this?
The UK has 18 species of bats and they are all legally protected and enforced by the Habitats Regulations 2010. If you have a development that could impact on buildings, trees and other potential bat roosting areas then a survey will be required.
Disturbing bat roosts, or the bats themselves is a criminal offence so it is important to follow established guidelines by employing a qualified and experienced ecological consultant. Bats are protected by law because they have experienced a steady decline due to development.
Who can carry out bat risk assessments?
To carry out a bat risk assessment a consultant must have a range of skills and qualifications. A bat surveyor will have a licence issued to them by Natural England – an organisation in the UK responsible for maintaining and improving the natural environment in the UK.
Our team includes 6 fully licenced consultants and we are able to carry out bat assessments all over the UK. Our team has never failed to obtain planning for our clients so please contact us today to receive a free quote from a member of the team.
When can the survey be carried out?
These kinds of surveys can be done at any time of year. However, if evidence of bat activity is found on the site, a further survey may be needed which is restricted between the months of May and September. This time constraint is in place because the survey needs to be done when bats are out of their hibernation period.
Even if a second survey is required and bats are found on your site, your development is still able to go ahead in the vast majority of cases but additional steps are required in form of mitigation. This simply means that you must demonstrate that your development will not harm bats or cause them to lose their habitat. An example of a mitigation technique would be the installation of bat boxes which provide a place for bats on your site to roost.
How do I get started?
Simply get in touch with us so that we can get some general information about your project from you. Once we have some information and we’ve answered any questions you may have, we’ll email you a free quote. You can then take a look at the quote and let us know if you would like to go ahead with your survey.