Bat Surveys

Bat surveys for the planning process

You will need a bat survey for any planning application that may affect bats or bat roosts. You may be applying to alter an existing building, carry out a steading conversion, or erect a new building. Even if it’s a new development, a bay survey may also be required, as bats may be roosting in trees affected by the development.
You may not even be aware that you have bats on your property, as they are present and active only at certain times of the year. For example, during the winter months they hibernate. A bat roost is protected even if no bats are present, since they return to the same roosts every year. Because of these factors, we may need to carry out bat surveys over a period of some months.

How we carry out bat surveys

We’ll survey the site in two ways, in accordance with the guidelines set out in the Bat Conservation Trust – Bat Surveys for Professional Ecologists – Good Practice Guidelines, and English Nature, Bat Mitigation Guidelines.
Firstly, we carry out an internal and external visual inspection of any buildings and trees on the site to see if there is any bat roost potential and to look for any signs of bat usage. These will include bat corpses, faecal pellets, scratch marks, urine stains or rub marks on entry and exit points. We’ll also consider the suitability of the building for bat hibernation.

If we find evidence of bats using the building or trees, then, during the months when bats are active (generally May to October in the north of Scotland), we will conduct dusk and dawn surveys at the site.
Our bat surveyors record visual sightings and use infrared photography to make video recordings. The high frequency sounds emitted by bats are captured using Echometer bat detector and recording equipment, and the species present are identified. There are at least nine bat species found in Scotland, and the most common species are the soprano pipistrelle and common pipistrelle.
We’ll provide you with a suitable report to support your planning application. If bats have been found, then we will include advice on mitigation measures to protect them.
You may need to install bat boxes to provide new roosts. We can supply and install these bat boxes in suitable locations. In this way, the bats will then have alternative roosts to use if their roosts are disturbed.

Bat licences

You must obtain a licence for planned development works that might affect bats or their roosts. We can obtain this licence on your behalf, by applying to NatureScot (formerly Scottish Natural Heritage).
Homeowners must be licensed to carry out minor home repairs or alterations that might affect bats in a property. You’ll also need a licence to exclude bats that are causing significant problems.
You don’t need a licence to remove bats from the living area of a house.

Bats and land management

Most land management practices are unlikely to affect bats or their roosts.
As part of a tree or woodland survey, we’ll assess trees for evidence of bats or their bat roost potential. We will advise on mitigation measures to protect them if bats are found to be present.
You must apply to NatureScot for a licence if your work could result in an offence in relation to bats. You can also apply for a licence to permit tree works where a bat roost is present and no alternative to tree surgery is possible.

If you have any questions about bats and their protected status, please do not hesitate to give us a call on
01224 734372. You can also get more information by visiting the Bat Conservation Trust.