During the project, one common pipistrelle [see image below] and one whiskered bat [see first image] were carefully relocated to bat boxes whilst works were carried out. Once complete, suitable roosting locations and bat access points were reinstated within the new roof, ensuring the bats could safely return.
Listed buildings often require this type of sensitive ecological mitigation, but it’s not always historic buildings that provide valuable bat habitat. Modern buildings, trees and other structures can also support roosting bats, making surveys an important consideration for many development projects. For instance, recently we found a pipistrelle maternity roost (where female bats birth and raise their pups) in a 1960s bungalow, rather than in the old farmhouse and barns next door. You can explore more of our bat work, including the use of endoscopes, thermal imaging and specialist tree-climbing techniques, in our other bat case studies here.
Baker Consultants has also now been accepted onto Natural England’s Bat Earned Recognition accreditation scheme. This will allow us to process more eligible bat licences quickly and efficiently by registering suitable sites, helping to reduce the delays often associated with the traditional licensing process.
The scheme covers works impacting the less sensitive roosts for most UK bat species (excluding maternity or hibernation roosts), which make up the bulk of bat licences that are required by developers. Compared with the previous bat ‘Low Impact’ licence, the Earned Recognition Class Licence also extends to tree roosts and a greater number of smaller roosts on individual sites, meaning we can extend this service to more sites requiring a licence.
When planning development or refurbishment works, it’s important to consider bats as early as possible. Incorporating replacement roosting features or bat access points into the design from the outset can streamline the planning process, reduce the need for design changes later on and deliver better outcomes for both wildlife and the project.
It’s important to make sure surveys are booked in for the main survey window during the summer. Bat survey season typically runs from May to September, when bats are most active. As most sites require multiple survey visits these need to be spread out with survey visits in June and or early July during the main maternity period important. Too often we hear of projects where this is considered too late with bat ecologists throughout the country booked up, leading to planning and other delays until the next ‘summer’ survey season.
While this main survey season applies to activity, emergence and re-entry surveys initial inspections of habitats, buildings and trees can be undertaken at any time of year. Undertaking these Preliminary Roost Assessments (PRAs) early in the project phase can ensure any additional surveys can be programmed into the next available main survey window to avoid costly and unnecessary delays later on.
With an ever-increasing demand in the peak survey season, we recommend booking as early as possible, particularly where planning applications or project programmes depend on survey results. The proactive approach to planning ahead leads to fewer delays and keeps projects on track.
To discuss bat survey requirements for major works ahead of the 2027 survey season, please contact our specialist team on info@bakerconsultants.co.uk.