If you think a building has bats, then it’s important to take them into account from the earliest stages of planning work. Whether you end up getting personalised advice from an SNCO or ecological consultant, it’s a good idea to be prepared for some of the requirements you might need to follow.
This section introduces you to some of the most common requirements made when doing work to bat roosts. It’s important to emphasise that advice in any particular case will depend on the circumstances and what can be determined about the roost. But by familiarising yourself with some of the most common guidelines, you can be one step ahead of the game.
Timing
Be prepared for the possibility that you may have to schedule your work at particular times of the year, when the bats you have are least vulnerable to disturbance. The exact timing will vary according to the circumstances, but people are commonly advised to do their work either in April or between mid-September and the end of October when bats are least likely to be present. If you can’t follow the timings recommended by the SNCO, then the roost owner may need to engage a consultant for further advice and perhaps help acquiring a licence. This is something to bear in mind when deciding which type of advice to use.
Related content
