Dusk Emergence and Dawn
Re-Entry Surveys
Dusk emergence and dawn re-entry surveys for bats would be required if your development proposals are ‘reasonably likely’ to impact a structure or tree that has suitability to support roosting bats.
Dusk emergence and dawn re-entry surveys have the following purposes:
- Establish the presence or likely absence of bats and their roosts
- Characterise the types of bat roost present and the number of bats
Dusk emergence and dawn re-entry surveys should be undertaken prior to the submission of a planning application or prior to the commencement of a project, not subject to planning consent.
What you need to know about bat dusk emergence and dawn re-entry
Dusk emergence & dawn re-entry surveys
The surveys are comprised of a surveyor visually watching a structure or tree to see if bats emerge or re-enter a potential roosting feature that was recorded during a PRA of PGLTRA for bats.
Specialist equipment such as ultrasonic bat detectors and infra-red and/or thermal imaging cameras are used by surveyors to aid in the detection of roosting bats at the structure or tree during the survey.
How will you know if a survey is required?
The need for dusk emergence & dawn re-entry surveys and the number of surveys required is usually determined by a suitability category assigned in a Preliminary Roost Assessment (PRA) of a structure and a Preliminary Ground Level Tree Roost Assessment (PGLTRA) for trees.
Your Local Planning Authority may also request or advise that bat dusk emergence and dawn re-entry surveys are likely to be required for your project as part of a planning application or listed building consent.
Our approach
At Arun Ecology, our bat dusk emergence and dawn re-entry surveys are carried out in accordance with the Bat Conservation Trust’s good practice guidelines for surveying bats, where safe to do so. This is the standard methodology expected by Local Planning Authorities LPAs and regulators such as Natural England.
We have in-house specialist bat ecologists who are registered to use the Level 2 Class Licence to Survey Bats, the required credentials to survey hibernating bats.
Survey timings
Bat dusk emergence & and re-entry surveys are time restricted and BCT best practice guidelines state that surveys should be undertaken between May – September. The surveys must also be adequately spaced out, allowing at least 14 days between each survey. Furthermore, a certain number of the surveys are required to be undertaken before the end of August.
It is important to plan dusk emergence and dawn re-entry surveys into your project programme at the earliest stage. Dusk emergence and dawn re-entry surveys undertaken outside of the optimal surveying period are unlikely to be accepted by Local Planning Authorities and regulatory bodies
What next following a PRA?
Scenario 1 – If bats are recorded during the dusk emergence or dawn re-entry surveys, then a mitigation licence will need to be obtained from the regulatory body from Natural England for the project to proceed lawfully.
Scenario 2 – If no bats are recorded during dusk emergence and dawn re-entry surveys that meet industry best practice then the report provided by Arun Ecology can be used as evidence that bats were likely absent at the time of the surveys.
FAQs
The 3rd edition of the BCT good practice guidelines for surveying bats is a standardised approach used widely within the ecology sector for surveying bats. Most Local Planning Authorities will use the BCT Good Practice guidelines as their baseline for assessing bat survey reports submitted with a planning application. Our web page covers all of the key considerations to factor into your scheme when bat surveys are required.
Local Planning Authorities will normally accept dusk emergence and dawn re-entry surveys for a 12 month period.
The number of dusk emergence and dawn re-entry surveys required will be outlined in a Preliminary Roost Assessment report for buildings or a Preliminary Ground Level Tree Roost Assessment report for Trees. The number of surveys required ranges from 0-3 based upon the suitability classification (negligible, low, moderate, high, confirmed) assigned to a building or tree during these surveys.
At Arun Ecology we will provide you with a questionnaire prior to any survey with the information we require to complete the survey, predominantly focusing on land access and health and safety. As an insight we require the following:
- Clear access instructions to the land parcel
- That land tenants have been informed of the surveys and the survey timings
- We are best informed of any hazards on the site
May to September reflects the highest levels of bats activity and detectability and, furthermore, when important roost types form, such as maternity colonies, they can be detected (May-August). Data collected at this time of the year gives the best information for Local Planning Authorities to assess the impacts of a development proposal on bats.
All bat species are protected in the UK, which makes them a material planning consideration. Local Planning Authorities have a legal duty to assess the potential impacts of a proposal development on protected species, before giving consent for a planning application. As such, bat surveys should not be conditioned as part of granting planning consent, as outlined in biodiversity and geological conservation: circular 06/2005. If you do not complete the survey prior to submitting your planning application it could be rejected, other than in some exceptional circumstances.
At Arun Ecology a dusk emergence survey commences 30 minutes before sunset and is completed 2 hours after sunset. A dawn re-entry survey commences 2 hours before sunrise and is completed 30 minutes after sunset. These survey times are in line the BCT good practice guidelines for surveying bats (3rd Edition).
Helping to address the ecological
and climate crisis
At Arun Ecology it’s not all just about driving business. We want to contribute to addressing the challenges of our time to ensure a prosperous future for the next generation.
So, as part of our service, each time you commission us we are committed to planting one tree within the UK, through our partnership with Creating Tomorrow’s Forests.
Watch this space to find out more about how we are contributing to nature recovery and tackling climate change.
Contact us
Contact us today or request a call back at a more convenient time to discuss your project.
Whether you wish to request a quote or ask us a question, our friendly and experienced team will always be happy to advise and will endeavour to respond as quickly as possible.