All species of bat native to the UK are legally protected through their inclusion in Annex II of the EC Habitats Directive, which is transposed in England and Wales by the Habitats Regulations 2010.
It is a criminal offence to deliberately harm, capture, kill or disturb a bat or its resting place. When considering an application, a bat survey is needed to be attached in the planning application, before its validation. This requirement applies for all types of application (including planning, listed building, and conservation area consent applications). More than one survey may be required.
Bats can be affected by working on:
(1) Buildings
(2) Development affecting built structures – like tunnels, mines, bridge structures, aqueducts and viaducts (especially over water and wet ground).
(3) Floodlighting
(4) Felling, removal or lopping of ex. woodland
(5) Quarries, gravel pits, cliffs and caves
(6) Proposals involving the development of wind turbines
(7) All proposals where bats are known to be present
At Syntegra Consulting, suitable qualified ecologists can undertake such a survey based on BCT Bat Survey, Good Practice Guidelines (2007), as required by law.
The timing of bat surveys is very important. Therefore, do not hesitate to contact Syntegra Consulting Ltd either you require an emergence survey undertaken during active season (May-October), or an out-of-season survey, on tel: +44(0)845 0091625, e-mail : mail@syntegra-epc.co.uk
