Advice for planners and developers

Are bats likely to be present?

There is no simple answer to this, but the guidelines Are bats like to be present?  may help to identify those buildings or structures in Scotland that are either particularly attractive or unattractive to bats. Of course, as with any generalisation, there are are exceptions, so these broad criteria should be regarded as indicative.

More information on the roosting requirements of bats (and the various factors that influence the probability of bats being present at a site) can be found in the Natural England Bat Mitigation Guidelines  .

Bat surveys

Detail on recommended survey methodologies, equipment and timing etc can be found in the BCT bat survey guidelines  (revised edition pending). The aims of a survey are to:

• determine if, and to what extent bats are using a proposed development site
• identify the species present
• locate any roosts, foraging areas and commuting routes, as appropriate

The survey data are then used to assess how the proposed development may impact on the bats - see the IEEM Guidelines for Ecological Impact Assessment   and the Bat Mitigation Guidelines  .

For small-scale developments, i.e those affecting individual houses or small groups of associated buildings, a minimum of three activity (emergency/re-entry) surveys and a thorough inspection of building(s) both inside and out is required. The activity surveys should be undertaken at dusk and dawn and comprise at least one dawn visit. They should be spread over several weeks during the bats' main period of activity, ideally with visits in June, July and August. The objective of these surveys is to: identify the species of bat present; locate their access point(s); provide an estimate of numbers; and determine the status of the roost (e.g. maternity, transition, male roost etc).

If a survey has been conducted during the winter and has reported suitable habitat for/evidence of bats a summer survey will be necessary before planning approval can be granted. Note that a bat survey cannot be included as a condition of Planning Approval but must be completed prior to granting planning permission. This is a requirement of the EPS legislation.

The level of survey required for larger developments, including infrastructure projects, needs to be considered on a case by case basis, with reference to the BCT guidelines.

Bat surveys and wind turbines

The current position of Scottish Natural Heritage regarding the existing guidance on bat surveys at proposed wind turbine developments is set out in the document Bats and Wind Turbines  . This has been produced jointly by the Countryside Council for Wales, Natural England and Scottish Natural Heritage and acknowledges the need for further systematic data from UK wind farms on bat mortality at these sites and refers to current studies that are underway to improve our understanding.