Planning applicants face many hurdles in their job with certain reports needed for this and a number of different surveys for that, with a bat survey being just one of the important surveys that needs to be completed.
In the UK there are known to be 18 different species of bats, and bats are actually a protected species which means should any be found, or there is any evidence of bats like droppings for example, a licence will be required to move them. This is why any building project has to undergo a full and thorough bat survey, as it is actually a criminal offence to move or disturb bats.
The Pipistrelle Pipistrellus Pipistrellus is the most common species of bat in the UK, and is the only species of the 18 different species of bat that is known to be in an abundant state. The loss of the other bats is put down to all of the developments that have taken place in the past, hence why it became illegal to move or destroy bats some 30 years ago with the introduction of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
On arrival at a premises a bat expert will first look and see if there are any bats in residence. They will then look for evidence of any recent bat activity, looking for things like bat droppings, bat skeletons, bat carcasses and the remains of any prey that the bats may have caught. If there is any evidence of bats found during a bat survey, further surveys will be needed before any building work can commence surveys that are classed as emergence surveys. An emergence survey will determine the number of bats that are roosting, but also it will determine the species of bat as well.
A bat survey needn’t be a headache; in fact it won’t be if you employ the right people to perform it for you. It should be carried out by a licensed Bat Survey ecologist as they are experts when it comes to bats, meaning you and your building work will at most suffer only a minor disruption.
The internet is great place to get help and advice with how to go about carrying out a bat survey .
