Need a bat survey in Durham?

Bat Surveys In Durham

County Durham’s wealth of listed buildings and heritage sites provide many suitable habitats for bats. If you are planning a development project, the local planning authority may require a bat survey in Durham.

Discovering bats on a development site does not mean a scheme cannot proceed; taking the correct steps following professional advice may well enable plans to achieve consent.

Bats – a protected species

As a European protected species, bats are safeguarded by a raft of legislation. The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 protects bats and Schedule 2 of the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017, protects all 17 European species of bat breeding in the UK. It is illegal to harm, disturb or destroy bat roosts or roost sites and there are severe penalties for breaching the law.

However, bat conservation does not prevent applications for planning permission being granted for schemes that involve bats. Local planning authorities in County Durham in north east England will grant planning applications providing that bat legislation is complied with. Evidence must prove that appropriate mitigation measures and management plans will ensure a project will not harm bats.

Bat habitat in County Durham

County Durham is home to over 90 conservation areas and more than 3,000 listed buildings which offer many suitable habitats for roosting bats. Bats roost in slate roofs, behind weatherboards and hanging tiles, in agricultural buildings and loft conversions. In rural areas, roosting bats can be found in trees and hedgerows near water where they forage for insects.

Durham Council and development

The County Durham Plan places high importance on retaining important assets including Durham Dales, the heritage coast, Durham City, Durham Castle and Cathedral World Heritage Site. However, development is encouraged, not least because County Durham is experiencing a weak economy – this north east area has the poorest performing economy in England.

High-quality housing is a key objective along with sustainable communities, supporting infrastructure, and vibrant town centres. Appropriate development will be permitted in rural areas to support the rural economy providing that it will protect the historic and natural environment.

New housing sites must be close to jobs and services to ensure sustainable development. Brownfield land will be prioritised for development, followed by sustainable greenfield sites with green belt release only considered as a last resort. The Plan promotes reusing previously developed areas to reduce contribution to climate change.

The Durham Bat Group

Durham Bat Group, a partner to the Bat Conservation Trust, protects bats and bat roosts across the county. Bat conservation group activities include working with Durham Cathedral on the welfare of its resident bats: the cloisters are inhabited by common pipistrelle bats. While Durham Bat Group organises group activities to monitor bats locally, the Bat Conservation Trust provides detailed information about this protected species, along with Natural England and the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM).

The following bat species have been recorded by Durham Bat Group: whiskered bats (Myotis alcathoe) and Brandt’s bats (Myotis brandtii) are found in the central coalfields district, while the Hamsterley Forest provides habitat for the noctule bat (Nyctalus noctula), brown long-eared bat (Plecotus auritus) and Natterer’s bat (Myotis nattereri). Other species include Daubenton’s bat (Myotis daubentonii), soprano pipistrelle bat (Pipistrellus pygmaeus) and the common pipistrelle bat (Pipistrellus pipistrellus).

Obtaining a bat survey Durham

Bat surveys will be needed if bats are sighted, or if a Preliminary Ecological Appraisal or an Ecological Impact Assessment identifies the presence of bats, suitable bat habitat or bat roost features on or close to a development site.

Preliminary Roost Assessment

This is the first stage in the bat survey process. An ecological surveyor will make a site visit to look for evidence of bats. They will search for signs of bat activity, feeding remains, bat droppings, bat roosts, hibernating bats, dead bat carcasses, and roosting bats. If the conclusion is a likely absence of bats, further surveys will not be required, and the bat survey report can be used to support an application for planning permission. If the ecological consultant cannot rule out the possibility of bats on the site, further bat surveys called Bat Emergence and Re-entry surveys will be required.

The discovery of bats or bat roosts will mean that a mitigation management plan must be drawn up to ensure that bats are managed according to the law: this will enable the preliminary roost assessment to be used in support of a planning application. Unlike many protected species surveys, a preliminary roost assessment can be carried out year round.

Bat Emergence and Re-entry Surveys

Stage two bat surveys are also known as bat activity surveys or dusk entry and dawn re-entry surveys. Emergence surveys involve a site visit by ecological consultants on numerous occasions at dawn and dusk to monitor potential entry and exit points on buildings for bats. Specialist equipment will be used including bat detectors to record bat species and bat populations.  

If bats are identified, the bat emergence survey report will include mitigation measures to enable the proposed scheme to proceed without disturbing bats. Measures may include altering site management plans or installing bat boxes. The bat survey will provide all the details required by the local planning authority to demonstrate adherence to the law surrounding this protected species, allowing it to grant planning permission. If bats are not detected during the bat survey, the report will clarify this.

Bat emergence and re-entry bat surveys can only be conducted from mid-May to September.

Further bat surveys and protected species surveys

Sometimes the preliminary roost assessment or bat emergence survey will identify other protected species or habitats on a development site. Further surveys will then be needed, such as barn owl surveys, tree surveys or surveys for great crested newts. On some sites, aerial inspections of man-made structures will be required, or tree climbing surveys to check for bat roosts. A hibernation bat survey may also be required.

Preliminary roost assessments and emergence surveys can enable the granting of planning permission, but a European Protected Species Licence will be required if it is necessary to disturb bats or destroy a bat roost. Bat mitigation class licences are issued by the nature conservation organisation Natural England.

Do you need bat surveys in County Durham?

The first step is to identify a suitable ecological consultancy. It should employ fully licensed bat surveyors with experience in completing bat surveys and other protected species surveys for the local planning authority. A bat survey Durham can provide expert advice on management plans for bats, allowing a scheme to continue through the planning process and achieve planning consent.

Remember that Preliminary Roost Assessments can be conducted year round, but Emergence Surveys must be carried out between May and September.