Natural England new bat licensing process

Natural England will start implementing a new bat licensing process as of 31^st of March 2014. BCT welcomes these changes to the European Protected Species (EPS) licensing system that will bring time and cost savings to responsible developers and consultants whilst still ensuring that bats and their habitats are effectively protected and maintained for the long term. We understand that projects are often time critical due to the need to fit in development work outside the sensitive bat hibernation and maternity seasons. The new system allows small changes to be made to an EPS licence without the need to submit a whole new Method Statement, thus streamlining the process.

Natural England Press release: http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/about_us/news/2014/260314.aspx