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Bat Surveys
If you need a bat survey, you have come to the right place! ACE Consulting carry out a large number of bat surveys every year throughout the UK, so you'll benefit from our extensive experience and knowledge.
A bat survey and report from ACE Consulting will identify whether bats are using your site and will identify any consequences. We understand that delays can cost money, so the pragmatic advice within our reports will enable your proposed development to proceed as soon as possible in compliance with law and policy. As part of our usual service, you will receive;
Free initial advice and quotation within 24hrs Bat survey undertaken within the week* Bat survey report provided promptly Always available on the phone
*Please note that bat surveys are most effectively undertaken at certain times of the year. Please contact us to discuss your requirements.
Survey method and timings
Broadly speaking, bat survey are split into two methods; inspection and activity surveys. Inspection surveys generally come first and can be undertaken at any time of the year. Inspection surveys rely on looking for evidence of bats within buildings, trees or other structures. Activity surveys are undertaken when bats are most active, generally between April and September.
Legislation
All British species of bat are protected under the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) and the Conservation (Natural Habitats &c.) (Amendment) Regulations 2007. As a signatory of the Bonn Convention, the UK is obliged to protect sites that are important for bats and to identify and protect important feeding areas for bats from damage or disturbance. This makes it an offence to;
- Capture of kill a bat
- Disturb a bat whilst in a place of shelter or rest
- Damage or destroy a bat's breeding site of resting place
The breeding sites and resting places of bats are known as roosts.
How may bats affect you?
Converting a barn, felling a tree or demolishing a building containing a bat roost may constitute an offence. In order to avoid committing an offence, it may be possible to change the timings of the works or to alter the building designs. If it not possible to avoid an offence in this way, a European Protected Species (EPS) licence can be acquired to permit work that would otherwise be illegal. Applying for an EPS licence would require a written application to Natural England that would include a full site assessment and plans for mitigation and enhancement.