Archive for category: Bats

Natural England has “standing advice” for bats, which is a material planning consideration for local planning authorities (LPAs) in the UK. This advice should be taken into account when making planning decisions and forms part of a collection of standing advice for protected species.

Following this advice can help LPAs avoid the need to consult on the negative effects of planning applications on bats in most cases. It can also assist in making decisions on development proposals. In some cases, it may be necessary to consult a qualified ecologist for advice on the planning application and supporting evidence.

All bat species in the UK are designated and protected as European protected species (EPS), and it is an offence to deliberately kill, injure, disturb, capture, damage, or destroy their breeding sites and resting places. It is also an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to intentionally or recklessly disturb bats or obstruct their access to places of shelter or protection.

Several species of bats are also listed as rare and most threatened species under Section 41 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act (2006), and LPAs must have regard for their conservation as part of the planning decision.

The developer is required to comply with the legal protection of bats, and LPAs should consider whether the developer has taken appropriate measures to avoid, mitigate, and compensate for any negative effects on bats in their development proposal. In some cases, the developer may need a wildlife licence to carry out their proposal.

LPAs should ask for a survey if a development proposal is likely to negatively affect bats or their roost, foraging, or commuting habitats. This is necessary if the distribution and historical records suggest that bats may be present, if the development site includes structures that provide roosting opportunities for bats, if the proposals include flood lighting or are close to water bodies, quarries, or natural cliff faces, or if the proposals are for a wind farm close to a site designated for bats or close to habitats that bats use for commuting and foraging.

When it comes to bats in buildings, construction, demolition, extension, or conversion proposals could affect a bat roost. In these cases, LPAs should ask for a survey if the building or barn has little or no disturbance from artificial lighting, is close to woodland or water, has uneven roof tiles and large roof timbers, has cracks, crevices, and small openings, or has a history of bat roosting.

Because the advice is to ask for a survey for bats where there are cracks, crevices, or small openings in a building, most buildings in the UK will need a bat survey.

LPAs should also be aware that some bat species are protected under the Habitats Regulations 2010, which means that development proposals that are likely to have a significant effect on a European site (including a special area of conservation or special protection area) must be assessed in accordance with the regulations.

Overall, Natural England’s standing advice for bats provides important guidance for LPAs when it comes to making planning decisions that take into account the needs of these protected species. By following this advice, LPAs can help to ensure that bat habitats are protected and that development proposals are sustainable and considerate of the natural environment.