Our experienced and friendly team of ecological consultants offer a range of ecology surveys to clients all over the UK, with the underlying intention of satisfying local planning authorities, providing adequate ecological mitigation, and supporting planning applications.
Our biodiversity net gain plans and reports help you to quickly understand the BNG implications on your site so you can reduce risk and save money. Hundreds of 5-Star Reviews can’t be wrong!
Find Out MoreWhenever priority plant species are on a development site or a planning project affects sensitive sites, national vegetation classification (NVC) is needed. Analyse the British plant communities in and around your planning project with an NVC survey.
Find Out MoreUnderstand all possible ecological constraints on your development site and check if any other ecological surveys are needed with a preliminary ecological appraisal (PEA) from our specialist team.
Find Out MoreOften used in a proposed development that could have significant effects on the environment, an ecological impact assessment (EcIA) will support protected species and help local planning authorities to determine planning applications.
Find Out MoreA simple, quick and relatively cheap ecological assessment, usually a prelude to sustainability credit reports. We do a field study at your site and provide you with a highly concise report.
Find Out MoreOur invasive species surveys apply to all problematic invasive non-native species of plant, such as Japanese knotweed, giant hogweed, Himalayan balsam and injurious weeds.
Find Out MoreAs experts in ecology, Arbtech boasts an impressive 100% success rate for assisting clients with European protected species licence applications.
Find Out MoreIf there are rare or protected plant species on your development site, you will need habitat and botanical surveys before the local authority will grant planning permission and allow you to move forward. Contact Arbtech today for a botanical survey quote.
Find Out MoreOur friendly quote team can answer your questions and provide your quote quickly. Get in touch for your free, no obligation quote.
We will take your details and email you a quote explaining everything you need to know. We will also send a booking form along with your quote.
Complete the booking form and email it back to us. We'll then arrange a date for your survey and get to work.
Once your survey is complete we will write your report quickly and send it over to you when payment is made.
Last updated: April 2026
Editor at Arbtech, Rob is a content specialist who manages our ecology and arboriculture services copy to ensure it is accurate, up to date, and insightful for current and future clients.
As a developer or planner, you need to balance the success of your property or land development with the impact on the natural environment and all of the important ecological features on your site.
Whenever you propose new developments or regeneration projects, you must account for the habitats and species present. Ecology surveys are the main tool for identifying all ecological assets and seeing the correlation between them and your planning project.
With the help of our team, you can understand how your proposed development project interacts with local wildlife, giving you everything you need to make sure that your application for planning permission meets all of the planning requirements set by your local council.
Also known as an ecology survey, an ecological survey is a professional assessment of a certain area to identify any present animal and plant species that are protected.
The assessment process involves a desk study to review baseline information on existing habitats and a field study to retrieve first-hand evidence from the site itself.
Ecology surveys are the first stage in determining if a proposed site contains notable species of valuable habitats that could impact or be impacted by development proposals.
Before you start any work on the site, you need to undertake surveys to continue the planning process without any issues.
An initial survey is almost always needed early in your project. The local planning authority will ask for this report if your site has a potential presence of protected habitats.
It isn’t just about fields, forests and other outdoor spaces either. If your development proposals involve a loft conversion, work on complex tree structures or are near cave-like spaces, for instance, a PRA could be needed to check for bats. Likewise, a wide range of protected species can appear on existing buildings and greenfield or brownfield sites.
By identifying ecological constraints as early as possible, you can plan with certainty and find the best way to move forward without unexpected hitches.
Most planning applications need relevant information about the ecological conditions of the site before a planning officer can give the go-ahead.
From a small private plot to a large commercial site, survey data helps to determine planning applications faster, such as in the following examples:
Ecological Surveys for Construction, Clearance and Demolition:
The assessments allow development to continue by establishing all potential ecological issues within the site boundary.
With insight into the site’s wildlife features, clearance of the site, construction on the site or demolition of a structure on the site can move forward without endangering any species.
Ecological Surveys for Developments:
Using the expert advice from our trained ecologists to your project team, we can help you to navigate nature conservation laws and the legislation protecting ecological assets.
By following our instructions, developers and planners can avoid the costly delays that come from late-stage discoveries on the site.
Ecological Surveys for Planning Applications:
A professional ecology report is a mandatory requirement when it comes to getting planning permission.
The report gives your local planning authority the confidence that the proposed project complies with the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UK BAP), National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRS), relevant legislation and all local requirements.
Surveys and reports on a site’s ecology act as a vital tool for understanding how a proposed development site fits into the wider landscape.
Through gathering key information from the site, we can gauge the ecological conditions that will influence the planning project’s design and the likelihood of success.
Professional assessments lead to pivotal decisions for your project, with the benefits including:
Working out the necessary ecological mitigation requirements early prevents investment in unviable land.
Ensuring you don’t breach any UK law, such as the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 or the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
Identifying the potential presence of protected features to avoid a stop-work order.
Meeting the legally binding environmental targets set to safeguard the environment.
Obtaining the ecological report necessary for the local planning authority to grant planning permission.
Avoiding potential effects from the late-stage discoveries that could otherwise end up causing massive project delays.
The primary goal of our work is to provide a clear and risk-free path to your goals, with the assessments aiming to:
Predicting the potential impacts that the proposed development could have on the location, especially if the site is on or near:
Defining species found on the site and gauging the potential constraints caused by the development plans.
Applying the mitigation hierarchy to formulate suitable mitigation strategies for your planning project.
Meeting the requirements to enable the local authority’s planning department to approve the proposed project, such as with the help of an ecological impact assessment (EcIA) report.
Mapping out sensitive areas, protected components and priority habitats to prevent top-level biodiversity losses.
Producing specific ways to deliver habitat creation and a net gain in biodiversity to help the natural environment.
Different types of ecological services are designed to meet specific needs.
Our team offers a comprehensive selection of assessments, surveys, plans and reports to ensure that your planning project remains compliant.
Known as the first step in the process, ecology surveys identify broad habitat types and evaluate the general potential for ecological assets on a site:
As required by the Environment Act 2021 (formerly the Environment Bill), supporting projects that need to adhere to biodiversity net gain (BNG).
A biodiversity net gain assessment will be needed, followed by the creation of a biodiversity net gain plan. Our team will visit the site to record a pre-development value of biodiversity based on present ecological features, predict the post-development value based on the plans of the project, and work out how to retain the value and build on it by at least 10%.
Ensuring that the development meets international sustainability standards for the environment and contributes to long-term nature conservation.
Led by a qualified ecologist, a BREEAM assessment will focus on protecting natural assets and implementing habitat creation to raise the project’s sustainability rating.
If a project could have significant effects on the area, an ecological impact assessment (EcIA) will be needed.
The EcIA mainly targets the development’s potential impact on the environment. Based on that, suitable mitigation or compensation measures can be chosen.
Appearing as an early-stage review of the site, an ecological walkover survey will spot the likely ecological constraints.
In simple terms, it will allow ecological surveyors to advise clients on whether additional surveys or other types of further action are needed before the development can continue.
In any situation where a development could impact sites with special protection, a habitat regulations assessment (HRA) is mandatory.
All the information taken from the assessment will then go on to ensure that the development’s impact on protected sites is addressed under the latest best practice guidelines.
Previously known as an extended phase 1 habitat survey, a preliminary ecological appraisal (PEA) is the most common form of ecology survey.
A PEA is a vital ecological assessment used to map habitat types and determine if surveys are needed for a particular species, such as protected species surveys or invasive species surveys.
When the initial checks show a presence of protected species, you will need the corresponding detailed surveys to satisfy the law.
By continuing with habitat surveys for the present protected species, it is possible to guarantee that they are managed safely, avoiding any further action from regulators.
Checking for signs of badgers, setts and foraging runs under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992 to prevent disturbance.
Searching for barn owls in certain sites that could have suitable roosting features, like rural outbuildings and hollow trees.
Conducting a preliminary roost assessment (PRA) to identify bats and roosting sites, before moving on to a bat emergence and re-entry survey (BERS) to gather more information if bats are suspected or found.
Ensuring that no avian animal species are disrupted during critical seasons by carrying out a number of bird survey services, including breeding bird surveys, nesting bird checks and wintering bird surveys.
Searching through hedgerows and wooded areas for dormice to protect any specific locations that are used as nesting and hibernation sites.
Using environmental DNA (eDNA) surveys to check for great crested newts in ponds and other suitable patches of water on or near the site.
Looking through local watercourses and other suitable habitats for various species of terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates, including insects and white-clawed crayfish.
Highlighting the presence of holts and resting places for otters in riparian zones on or near the site.
Investigating the area at length for any signs of red squirrels, with a particular focus on woodland and trees.
Putting out artificial refugia to check for snakes, lizards and other reptile species in grassland and scrub.
Scoping through suitable parts of the site for water voles and their burrows to prevent avoidable habitat destruction.
Following a similar set of steps to protected species surveys, ecology surveys can also lead to invasive non-native species surveys if certain types of plants are seen or suspected.
Providing crucial support in expert witness work or complex land use cases, our team offers advanced biosecurity planning and expert witness services.
Undertaking a full review of the potential rare plants across the site, a botanical survey looks at the relationship between various plants within local ecosystems.
Visiting the site to observe giant hogweed before going on to produce a suitable mitigation plan to deal with it correctly.
Controlling the spread of Himalayan balsam on the site to protect important habitats that could be damaged as a result of it.
Analysing the site at length for indications of injurious weeds that could pose a threat to protected plants.
Setting up effective measures for preventing the spread of Japanese knotweed and stopping the likelihood of structural issues.
Inspecting all plants across a site, a national vegetation classification survey consists of categorising the specific habitats and working out how to manage them.
Looking at the site, the present invasive plant species and the development plants, a problematic species audit will determine if further survey work is needed for site clearance.
As part of the process for satisfying a planning condition, problematic species management plans involve designing suitable mitigation and compensation measures for the present non-native invasive species of plant.
With the ecology report, all of the raw field data is translated into actionable advice for your planning project.
After any of the services above, the ecologist in charge of the assessment will write up an ecological report. It will generally provide information about the type of survey conducted and include a record of the site survey results and findings, as well as the steps needed to enable the plans to continue.
The report has the ability to demonstrate that all requirements were met. With it, you will be able to give your local authority the necessary insight to get planning consent over the line.
Every ecological survey we undertake follows a structured assessment process.
In the section below, we’ve explained more details of how our project team oversees the ecological survey process, helped by specific benchmarks, field approaches and high-tech tools.
For an ecology survey to be valid in the eyes of the planning officer, you must meet the specific criteria set out in the biodiversity checklist provided by your local council. We ensure that the report satisfies the primary factors, as set out below:
Our ecological consultants approach each and every site using a universal approach to ensure that the results are accurate, only changing the methodology based on the specific type of survey. The methods we utilise include:
While the methods above account for the strategy we follow, the techniques below cover the actions we take on the ground:
To undertake surveys to a professional standard, our ecological surveyors need to use a wide range of technical tools, including:
For your application for planning permission to be successful, the supporting data needs to be of a high professional standard.
Our team operates under the strict governance of the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM) to ensure that our work meets the rigorous code of conduct expected by regulators.
Depending on the location of your site, if a European Protected Species Licence (EPSL) is needed for relocating specific species or destroying habitats and creating new ones elsewhere, we will help you apply for a mitigation licence from Natural England or Natural Resources Wales.
In any type of environmental impact assessment, we align our work with the requirements of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).
Under the established standards, we can guarantee that your ecology report provides the same level of detail required by statutory bodies.
Timing is one of the most important factors when it comes to fitting the necessary ecological surveys into the development process.
Species are found at different times in the year, with their behaviour and hibernation periods affecting when an assessment is suitable.
The ecology survey calendar is an essential part of the process for arranging a protected species survey. As a developer or planner, you will need to cater to the species and plan ahead to avoid costly delays.
Securing the best time for a site visit is critical because wildlife activity changes with the weather.
It is a common misconception that all work stops in the cold. In fact, a preliminary roosting assessment (PRA) for roosting bats can be conducted at any time of year. Bat emergence surveys, however, are limited to between May and September as the optimal time and between April and October as the suboptimal time.
While certain field surveys for badger habitat mapping can occur or even be easier during the winter months, assessments for great crested newts are restricted to the optimal periods in the spring and the summer.
If you miss these certain times for habitat surveys, you may have to wait until the next year to complete the necessary surveys. For more information on the various seasons and windows for each species, check out our ecology survey calendar.
With years of experience and a proven record for success, we are a specialised ecological consultancy that understands the pressures that come with managing a planning project of any size.
The team at Arbtech has helped countless clients to meet numerous property and land management goals.
Based on our guidance, you can ensure that all present protected species and invasive species on your site are handled correctly according to the law.
In the space below, we’ve boxed off any other details that you might need to know before going ahead with us for ecological surveys and reports.
When it comes to calculating the cost of an ecological survey, we start with a baseline fee and only add to it what we need to based on the size of your site, the scale of your project, and the amount of time and number of ecological consultants needed.
That said, the cost is always based on the specific surveys you need. For the most common type of ecological survey, the baseline cost will start at £399, whereas it will vary for different protected species of animals and invasive species of plants.
In every ecology service we provide, we are as cost-effective as possible. Our pricing structure is fair for all clients, and we subsidise the cost of travel and accommodation by having our ecological surveyors scattered throughout all parts of the country.
Although our head office is in Chester, we’ve set up a system to ensure that an ecology surveyor is available to cover every county in every region.
All of our ecology consultants are sufficiently trained, licensed, educated and experienced to help you, regardless of the size or scale of your development plans.
Whether you need an assessment of invasive or valuable plants, a survey of threatened species of specific animals or another type of ecological assessment, our team can carry out the services you need wherever you are. And if from there you need further ecology surveys or any other services, we can undertake them as well or refer you to a trusted partner for anything we can’t do ourselves.
If there are species of animals or plants on your site, you need to meet the biodiversity net gain mandate or if you are experiencing an ecological issue affecting your development plans, one of our services may be required.
Our team can talk you through the several steps you need to take to get an ecological survey booked. If you need to create new habitats, enhance existing habitats, integrate mitigation measures or work in compensation measures as a last resort, we can help you through the process.
Get in touch with us via email, over the phone or by completing a quote form, and we will give you a free quote for an ecology survey on your site. Just make sure you give us as much information as possible, as that will ensure it’s completely accurate with what you’ll need and how much it’ll cost.
If you want any more reasons for choosing Arbtech, check out our feedback from past developers and planners we’ve worked with.
After years of conducting surveys for clients across the country, we have hundreds of positive reviews from happy customers, including the example below:
A well written, professional report delivered on time. I have no hesitation recommending your services based on this commission.
Arbtech are your best asset when it comes to getting planning permission for your project. We cover the whole of the UK and we are waiting to get started on your project...
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