What is a conditioned bat survey?

If you’ve been asked for a conditioned bat survey, this blog will give you a quick legal and practical overview.

In 2006, the Scottish Executive issued a directive to local planning authorities, outlining the illegality of granting planning consent at sites requiring bat surveys before those surveys were completed. This led to a widespread halt in issuing such consents.

However, in recent years, there has been a noticeable shift, with local authorities increasingly issuing planning consents conditioned on the completion of bat surveys.

Why is This an Issue?

From an ecological standpoint, both approaches work. As long as surveys are conducted before any work begins, and any discovered bat roosts are appropriately licensed and mitigated, there are no practical differences in how you need to manage bats and bat roosts.

The issue is purely legal: Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) must consider protected species in their planning decisions. Without a completed survey report, they cannot fulfil this obligation.

Impact on Development

Generally, the impacts of conditioning bat surveys are positive, provided LPAs ensure the conditions are fully met. Stage 2 (activity) bat surveys are seasonal, typically conducted between May 1 and September 30, with at least one visit before the 31st of August. This seasonality can cause delays, especially if LPAs request a bat survey late in the planning process. By conditioning the survey, the planning process can proceed in the interim, potentially reducing delays.

Consistency Concerns

The main challenge regarding conditioned bat surveys is consistency and predictability. Currently, no LPA has adopted conditioning bat surveys as a formal policy. Instead, individual planning officers seem to be making these decisions independently, possibly due to increasing pressures on local authority funding.

While conditioned bat surveys can streamline the planning process and mitigate delays, the lack of a consistent policy across LPAs creates uncertainty for everyone applying for planning consents. Regardless of your LPA’s approach, ensuring that all conditions are met before work begins is crucial to keeping your project in line with the law.

Your Project & Conditioned bat surveys

It is never too early to get in touch with us regarding your construction, renovation, or demolition project, and you do not need to wait for your local authority to request a bat survey to get started. We can advise you on the best timings for your surveys to minimise delays and costs, and will support you every step of the way - including licencing and mitigation if bats are present.

You can get in touch with our specialist ecologists anytime, but the sooner the better!