You will be assigned a personal Lead Ecologist, who will contact you to arrange a suitable survey date. They will then survey your property (or structure) both internally and externally for evidence of bats as well as possible bat access points.

As well as viewing the outside of the structure, the surveyor will need to access the interior of the property to survey loft areas and any basements/cellars. We will bring our own telescopic ladders (4m) for access to lofts.

If we find evidence of bats or the property (or structure) is suitable for roosting bats then we will need to provide sufficient information to the Local Planning Authority for them to assess the likely impact of your proposals. This would normally require additional survey effort (e.g. dusk and dawn presence/absence surveys).

Dusk and dawn surveys for active bats can be reliably undertaken between May and September. Local Planning Authorities will not normally process a planning application until all relevant survey information for bats has been obtained. We work closely with our clients to ensure that they plan ahead for surveys and don’t miss the crucial window of survey opportunity.

Dusk and dawn bat surveys are priced per project. The costs reflect the location of the site, the number of surveyors and the number of surveys required to satisfy the Local Planning Authority. We would be happy to provide a quote for these surveys should they be required.

If your proposals will affect either bats or their roost sites then the works will need to be carried out under the terms of a European Protected Species (EPS) licence. These are issued by Natural England and an application can normally only be made once full planning permission has been granted. The licence application will specify the precise measures (mitigation and compensation) that will be completed to ensure that there is no long-term detriment to the bats at your site. Focus Environmental Consultants are proud to boast a 100% record of obtaining bat licenses to facilitate permitted developments on behalf of our clients.

In our experience, almost certainly not. However, you may need to make some compromises in order to be sure of obtaining planning permission and any relevant licenses to complete the work.

All bats in the UK are protected by law and many are suffering long-term declines in range and population. This is primarily due to roost and habitat loss as well as intensification of agricultural practices. If you would like to make a difference and provide new habitats or roosting places for bats we would encourage you to visit the website of the Bat Conservation Trust (www.bats.org.uk) for further information.