Bat Surveys Manchester
UES have been undertaking bat surveys in Manchester for over 15 years, successfully gaining planning permission for hundreds of clients, ranging from individual homeowners to large house builders and government projects.
An initial bat scoping survey, also known as a preliminary roost assessment or phase 1 bat survey can be undertaken in Greater Manchester and other parts of the UK at all times of the year. A bat scoping survey involves a detailed internal and external building inspection by a licensed bat surveyor, it is usual for the surveyor to require access to the loft spaces and cellars within buildings to search for field signs of bats or potential roosting features. If bats, fields signs of bats or potential roosting features are identified during the bat scoping survey, additional bat presence / absence surveys are required to determine if bats are using the building.
When selecting a consultancy to undertake a bat survey, check to see if the surveyor has the correct qualifications. It is important to confirm that the surveyor has been issued the relevant license by Natural England, Natural Resources Wales or NatureScot. UES has 6 licensed surveyors in the Greater Manchester area and can attend site at short notice. UES is also a CIEEM registered practice. CIEEM (The Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management) is the professional body which represents and supports ecologists and environmental managers in the UK. Being a CIEEM registered practice verifies our high professional standards within the industry.
To learn more about CIEEM registered practices click here
Bat presence / absence surveys can only be undertaken when bats are most active, during the spring and summer months. May – August inclusive. Bat presence / absence surveys involve the potential roosting features identified from the bat scoping survey being monitored at dawn and / or dusk for bats emerging from roosts to feed or returning back to roosts in the morning. The potential roosts are monitored using a combination of bat surveyors, sophisticated bat detectors and infra-red video cameras. The bat detectors include bat boxes which can detect the echolocation calls of bats and the Anabat system which detects bat echolocation calls and displays them visually on a PDA screen which makes recording of the bat calls and identification of the bat species much more accurate.
If bats are identified using a building, it is likely that a bat licence will be required before work can start on site. The most common licence type for most projects is a bat mitigation class licence. This licence type is applicable for situations when low numbers of common species of bats are identified using a building.
In Greater Manchester, many bat surveys are carried out on barns and farm buildings but it is also not uncommon for local planning authorities to request surveys of buildings in built up areas and town centres for planning permission. Barn conversions are one of the most common causes of loss of bat habitat which is why local planning authorities insist on bat surveys prior to planning permission being granted. There are several species of bat which are resident in Greater Manchester. These include Noctule bat, common pipistrelle bat, soprano pipistrelle bat, Nathusius’ pipistrelle bat, Daubentons’ bat, Whiskered bat, Brandt’s’ bat.
United Environmental Services carry out surveys across Greater Manchester. The surveys which are carried out in Greater Manchester include great crested newt surveys, bat surveys, Phase 1 habitat surveys, breeding bird surveys, water vole surveys and a full range of environmental surveys. United Environmental Services also offer landscape design and garden design services in Greater Manchester and can provide the materials and implementation work if required. We have a team of experienced surveyors, landscape architects and ground workers who work to a high standard across Greater Manchester.