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Bat Surveys
UK’s #1 bat surveyors with hundreds of five-star reviews. Every single year, over 5,000 people choose Arbtech for bat surveys to support planning, from a phase 1 preliminary roost assessment (PRA) to phase 2 bat emergence surveys. Get in touch today for a free quote.
A preliminary roost assessment (PRA) or bat scoping survey is stage 1 in the bat survey process, and it can be undertaken during daylight hours and at any time of year. Speak to Arbtech for a quick and effective service.
If bats are on your development site, a bat emergence survey will be needed for you to apply for planning permission. Solely conducted at dusk and dawn over the summer, Arbtech provides bat surveys for developers and planners all over the UK, Get in touch for a free quote.
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.
Bat Surveys Quick Summary
To help you secure planning permission, we provide expert bat surveys across the UK. Our team of local ecologists delivers fast, reliable assessments to identify bat roosts and ensure your project stays on track.
Whether you need a preliminary roost assessment or follow-up nocturnal surveys, we simplify the process with clear advice and fixed-fee pricing. We help you navigate legal requirements and work with your local planning authority to prevent costly delays.
Why you need a bat survey
All bat species and their roosts are legally protected. If your development affects structures or trees where bats might live, you must prove that your work won’t harm them.
Our process
Preliminary Roost Assessment (PRA): A daytime inspection to look for evidence of bats.
Bat Emergence and Re-entry Surveys (BERS): If the PRA finds potential, we monitor the site at dusk or dawn.
Mitigation & Licensing: If bats are present, we design a plan to protect them while moving your project forward.
Why choose us?
Speed: We offer the fastest turnaround times in the industry.
Expertise: Our ecologists are fully licensed and local to your area.
Fixed Prices: You get a clear, upfront quote with no hidden extras.
Bat Survey for Planning Permission
When it comes to getting planning approval for a development project you’re working on, the local planning authority flagging that individual bats may be present on your site can come as a fairly common reason to delay the process.
Bats are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and the Conservation of Habitat and Species Regulations 2017. With that, developers have a legal obligation to ensure that the proposed works don’t negatively affect bats protected by law.
A professional bat survey is a necessary step to secure planning permission in a way that meets UK law. The team at Arbtech offers bat surveys to support developers and planners, as well as a wide range of other assessments and reports.
What is a Bat Survey?
A bat survey is an assessment of a development site undertaken by a professional ecologist to confirm if bats and their roosts are present. Physical evidence of bats on a site includes bat droppings, dead bat carcasses, feeding remains and urine stains.
Since bats are a species protected by law, any development proposal that could potentially disturb them in any way requires an initial assessment to provide the local council’s planning department with as much information as possible.
When is a Bat Survey Required?
You will require a survey if there is a reasonable likelihood that the development work you’ve planned could impact bats or bat roosts somewhere on the site.
It could be that your local authority insists that bat surveys are conducted based on certain circumstances of the permitted development, records pointing towards a UK bat species present, or a bat found on the site in the past.
More often than not, the need for a bat survey will usually apply to barn conversions, re-roofing, tree removal, building, conversion modification or renovation projects, the construction of wind turbines, or the demolition of agricultural buildings or livestock buildings.
That said, a typical house or even a bungalow can support bats if it has the potential roosting features like missing roof tiles, hanging tiles or weather-boarding.
Types of Bat Surveys
Although one survey may be enough to rule out the presence of bats on a site, some sites require other surveys to identify the use of the wider landscape.
Our team provides two types of different surveys to support planning applications:
Preliminary Roost Assessment (PRA)
Often referred to as a bat scoping survey or phase 1 bat survey, the preliminary roost assessment (PRA) is the first instance of investigation.
During a site visit, a licensed ecologist will perform an internal and external inspection of the existing building, trees and other structures, depending on the nature of the site.
Internal features will include loft space, gaps in cavity walls and any roof voids, while external features will include ridge tiles, gable ends and slate roofs.
Based on findings from the site, the report for a PRA will either encourage the local planning authority to grant a planning application or insist on more information through a stage 2 bat survey.
Bat Emergence Survey
If the PRA report from the stage 1 bat survey identified high suitability for bats, further surveys will be needed.
Also sometimes known as a bat activity survey, phase 2 bat survey, dusk entry and dawn re-entry surveys, nocturnal bat surveys, bat presence/absence surveys or bat emergence and re-entry surveys (BERS), a bat emergence survey is a more detailed assessment.
Over multiple visits during dusk and dawn, several professional ecologists will record bats arriving and departing the site via entry and exit points.
Data taken from a number of survey visits will help to identify the bat species, population numbers and type of roost, such as hibernation roosts or maternity roosts.
With all the further information now collected, the report for a BERS will explain what needs to be done for the development to move forward without disrupting any present bats.
Bat Survey Report
Once all on-site work is complete, a detailed report will be produced to support the planning project.
Whether it’s a preliminary roost assessment report or a full nocturnal summary, it gives the local planning authority all of the necessary information on bat activity and the existing bat species identified on the site.
Within the report, it will confirm if there is a likely absence of bats or if the site has negligible suitability for roosting. If the ecological consultants were successful in finding bats, the report will instead outline the proposed mitigation scheme and necessary mitigation measures, as well as the potential for further surveys required to satisfy planning decisions.
Bat Survey Guidelines
All regulations and requirements surrounding surveys for bats are designed to make sure that your development project complies with UK and European legislation.
Our work is solely conducted based on the Bat Conservation Trust (BCT) best practice guidelines. We also guarantee that every bat survey report we put together integrates the detailed guidance necessary to meet the standards of local authorities and statutory nature conservation organisations.
Bat Survey Methods
The approach we take ensures that every possible factor has been considered and the local authorities have all the information they may need to make the right decision when it comes to granting planning consent.
Across phase 1 and phase 2 assessments, various techniques are important in an effective bat survey process.
Our bat survey methodology involves:
Physical Inspection
Thoroughly examining a site for evidence of bats.
In any inspection, we pay particular attention to other evidence from the external and internal inspection, such as potential access points and roosting areas with sufficient habitat suitability.
Desktop Study and Habitat Analysis
Conducting a desk study to understand the area based on existing records at local record centres.
Beyond an evaluation of buildings, trees or other potential roosting sites, we can determine suitable foraging areas, such as spaces of woodland or water, and important areas used as commuting routes or for foraging habitat.
Based on the building’s suitability, we can categorise it from low to high potential for bats to roost.
Emergence and Activity Monitoring
Undertaking dusk emergence and dawn re-entry monitoring of the site.
Over the space of two to three surveys at dusk, dawn or a mix of the two, experienced ecologists will work together to retrieve key data about present bats.
In larger development proposals, we may also carry out:
Activity Transects: Walking a set route to monitor the activity of bats across the site.
Back Tracking: Retracing the movement of bats from known locations to possibly find new roosts.
DNA Analysis: Testing evidence to identify the species of bats present on the site, from the common pipistrelle to the rarer Bechstein’s bat.
Bat Survey Equipment
Assisting with expert ecological advice, each of our ecological consultants is helped by the use of specialist equipment, including:
Bat Detectors to Record Behaviour Patterns
Endoscopes for a Closer Look at Crevices
High-Powered Torches for Use During Daylight Hours
Radio Tagging (only in rare circumstances)
Thermal Imaging Cameras for Night Time Monitoring
Bat Survey Season
Arranging the assessments you need to fit around the bat survey calendar is massively important, especially as it avoids long delays.
While a PRA survey can be done all year round, a BERS survey can only be done at a specific time of year. The phase 2 bat survey is restricted to the summer months, with an optimal time between May and September, a suboptimal time between April and October, and assessments completely out of season between November and March.
Along with performing surveys in a way that doesn’t affect hibernating bats, weather conditions can disrupt phase 1 and phase 2 surveys at any point, with heavy rain and high winds making survey data inaccurate.
Bat Survey Licence
If a bat roost is found, it is likely that you will need a bat mitigation licence. Or for low-impact projects, a bat mitigation class licence (low-impact bat licence) may be required as a faster alternative.
A European Protected Species Licence (EPSL) allows for existing roosts to be moved or destroyed safely and with approval from the local authorities. After that, any missing habitats can be compensated for by installing bat boxes or creating a roof feature designed for roosting bats.
Our bat consultants can assist with the bat licence application submitted to Natural England or Natural Resources Wales.
Planning Support Through Arbtech Bat Surveys
We understand that navigating the planning process can be complicated. With that in mind, our ecological consultancy is here to ensure that your development plans move forward without coming up against expensive delays.
In any new development that would benefit from bat surveys, we can conduct the assessment, produce the report, and provide the expert advice needed to protect bats and comply with every legal requirement.
Using a large network of ecological consultants in specific locations across the UK, we can instruct a licensed, trained and qualified ecologist to visit your site for a bat survey and strategically plan it to happen outside of sensitive times of the year.
For even more reasons to choose Arbtech, check out the hundreds of genuine 5-star reviews on our website, reviews.co.uk and Trustpilot.
Cost of Bat Survey Solutions
With every client we speak to, we always aim to create a bespoke quote in the best way possible, formulated on the basis of speed, precision and transparency.
The bat survey cost starts at a universal base fee, only going on to vary based on the size of the site, the complexity of the project, and the amount of time and number of consultants needed to complete the survey process.
Unlike other ecological consultancy service providers, we don’t charge mileage for our consultants to travel to other areas. Instead, we’ve already positioned our team in every part of the country, making our offering quicker and fairer to all clients.
In terms of our pricing, the preliminary roost assessment cost starts at £399+VAT, and the bat emergence survey cost starts at £799+VAT.
If you need a bat survey for your proposed development, reach out to our team with your details, and we will give you a free quote for you to consider.
Bat Survey Near Me
Between built-up urban areas and rural communities close to woodland, our bat survey services extend all over England and Wales.
If you require a bat survey, reach out to Arbtech. Our ecological consultants can provide advice on any bat species or roost type on your site, and we’re supported by memberships with the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM) and the safety net of professional indemnity insurance.
From conducting a scoping bat survey as a precaution to an activity bat survey as further survey work, we can provide information and create next steps with mitigation and compensation measures to get your planning project moving in the right direction.
To request a quote from our administration team or simply just for further advice on what you need to push your development forward, contact us over the phone, via email or by filling out a contact form on our website. We can then send you a quote for a preliminary roost assessment, bat emergence survey, or another service to support your plans.
Watch Videos and Learn More About Bats, Surveys and Licensing:
Yes, bat surveys are mandatory if there is a reasonable likelihood that bats are present on the site. Because they are a material planning consideration, failing to provide a report can prevent building works from starting.
Yes, all species of bat are legally protected. To avoid disturbing bats, developers must ensure adequate mitigation is provided to prevent habitat loss, especially for a priority species facing a steady decline.
Yes. Under the Habitats Regulations, local planning authorities must consider the natural environment and ensure that planning projects do not result in a net loss of bat populations.
While a single PRA survey might be enough for a site with no potential, a licensed bat specialist must often return for multiple visits if certain species of crevice dwelling bats are found.
A trained ecologist is required for any work that might potentially disturb the animals. While anyone can look for evidence from the ground, only a professional bat surveyor can disrupt a known roost.
In specific circumstances, a local council may grant planning consent with a condition. In most cases, however, the planning officer will demand a preliminary roost assessment survey to be completed first. Along with the full bat survey, all mitigation work will also need to be agreed with the ecologist.
Yes, any building or roof feature that could support roosting bats may trigger the need for protected species surveys before submitting a planning application.
Yes, re-roofing is a high-risk activity. Even without a full planning application, you must ensure you aren't intentionally harming a protected species.
Yes. A typical house or bungalow can still contain crevice dwelling species. Buildings close to suitable habitats are especially likely to support bats.
The site visit usually takes a few hours. Emergence surveys, however, require multiple visits (usually two or three surveys) at different time frames during the summer.
A PRA starts at £399+VAT and a BERS starts at £799+VAT. That said, fees are based on the base fee plus variables. For instance, bat activity survey and bat scoping survey cost can fluctuate based on building complexity and the number of professional ecologists needed.
Yes, it is a criminal offence to intentionally kill or contribute in any way to harming bats. All bats are fully protected in their natural habitats at every time of the year.
Relevant legislation makes it illegal to deliberately kill, injure or in any way disturb bats or obstruct access to their breeding sites and resting places.
While a preliminary bat check can happen any time, the best time to avoid delays is early in the project. Our team follows strict preliminary roost assessment guidelines to determine the suitability category, as well as the suitability for roosting bats during the new season.
If a detailed inspection of the site or surrounding area suggests the presence of bats, further bat surveys - namely bat emergence/re-entry surveys - will be necessary to record bat presence and ensure that the works won't affect bats on the site.
Initial checks for bats can happen all year. Activity surveys, however, must follow the specific survey period when bats are active between the months of May and September.
You need one before any work begins. Demolishing any man-made structures that shelter bats without a licence is a criminal offence.
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