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Considerations when planning a development
What is wildlife mitigation?
Due to the ever increasing amount of protection for British wildlife, mitigation is often required when a development is expected to impact upon a protected species. Mitigation measures are often required in order for developments to be given planning permission.
Who can provide advice on mitigating measures?
Acorn Ecology provides advice on mitigation that may need to be incorporated into your development plans following a wildlife survey. For developments where bats are present mitigation advice must be provided by a Natural England licensed bat worker and Acorn Ecology has licensed bat workers.
What sorts of mitigation may be required?
Mitigation can take many forms, and may include:
* Timing of works at a specific time of year to avoid disturbing breeding or hibernation
* Removing animals to other locations
* Providing alternative suitable habitat elsewhere on site for the benefit of wildlife
* Incorporating areas within the development for the benefit of wildlife
Examples of wildlife mitigation
Bats
There are 16 species of bat in Britain , and mitigation will vary depending on which species are present and the way they use the development site. Mitigation for sites with bat roosts will involve providing a suitable roosting area on site, and timing the development works to avoid disturbing any breeding bats. Provision of roosting space could include providing a large area such as a loft space or a barn for bats to use when converting old buildings. It is important to remember that bats are European Protected Species, and heavily protected by law. A European Protected Species Licence (EPSL) is required before any works take place, which will damage or destroy a roost or affect a local population. Acorn Ecology can however guide you through the steps of obtaining an EPSL.
Reptiles
If reptiles are present on your development site, it may be necessary to relocate them to an area of habitat that will be protected, either elsewhere or on site. This will often involve excluding reptiles using a reptile fence, to prevent animals entering the development area, and then removing them to a suitable receptor site. Black roofing felt tiles are positioned within the site to attract reptiles, from where they are then collected in the morning or the evening. Reptile removals and relocations can only occur in the summer months. It is not unusual for a removal to take up to 40 visits to a site, but obviously this depends on the size of the population present. After a strategic removal of reptiles a destructive search will also be necessary before developments can proceed. This involves scraping the surface of the site under the supervision of an ecologist, who can capture and remove any remaining reptiles.
Nesting birds
Birds are protected during nesting periods, and so works cannot be carried out at this time if it will disturb them. However techniques can be employed during winter to ensure they don't nest within the development area such as removing scrub or sealing entrances to old barns due for conversion. Your ecologist can provide advice on what can and cannot be done.
Contact us to discuss your development plans and obtain a wildlife survey. It is important to know that mitigating measures can often increase the length of time it takes to carry out a development, and forward planning is essential to keep any delays to a minimum.
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