Bat Scoping Survey and Bat Emergence Survey in West Sussex

Background

LHB Ecology was contacted by a homeowner who was looking to convert their bungalow into a two-storey dwelling along with demolition of a garage. The client was aware that bats could be present within the building and nearby developments had needed bat surveys at planning stage. Following a discussion with the homeowner, it was decided that a scoping bat survey should be carried out along with a single bat emergence survey on the same day. This was partly due to the fact that the survey season for bats was drawing to a close.

What we did

LHB Ecology undertook an initial scoping survey to check for bat presence and to assess the bungalow and garage for their suitability to support roosting bats. This involved an inspection of the loft space and internal spaces to check for bats and evidence of bat activity. No bats were observed and there was no sign of secondary evidence of bat activity. An external assessment of the buildings was carried out, paying particular attention to the condition of the roof structure, including raised roof tiles which bats can roost under. Sometimes there can be gaps around the eaves of the building between soffit boxes and masonry which provide suitable roosting sites for crevice dwelling bats on a building’s exterior. Overall, the dwelling was in very good condition but there were raised roof tiles which could support roosting bats. The suitability of the building was determined based on the noted features that bats could use as well as an extensive desk-based study which utilised historical bat roost records for the survey area. The garage was assessed to have negligible habitat value and no further bat surveys were required. An emergence survey was performed on the dwelling at dusk to determine a presence/absence of roosting bats. This consisted of two surveyors positioned at opposite corners of the dwelling to watch for bat emergences, paying particular attention to the roof tiles which were raised. The surveyors were equipped with specialised frequency division bat detectors which are used to determine the species of any passing bats during the survey. Although bats were recorded passing over the survey site during the dusk survey, no bats were seen emerging from the noted features.

What the outcome was

The client was informed on the same day as the survey that no bats were observed to emerge from the dwelling. Detailed reports were produced for both the preliminary survey and bat emergence survey which included photos from the surveys and provided justification for why the conclusions were reached. The presence of bat roosts was conclusively ruled out and the client was able to proceed with their development goals without any delays.