File 14 Ecological Bat Survey

7/27/2019 File 14 Ecological Bat Survey

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William Davis: Shelford Road Farm,

Radcliffe-on-Trent

Bat Report

November 2013


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Document Control

Project: Shelford Road Farm, Radcliffe-on-Trent

Client: William Davis

Job Number: A079137-3

File Origin: \\Leicester12\3504Data\Ecology\Projects A079000 on\A079137-3 Shelford

Road Farm \Working\Bats

Document Checking:

Prepared by: Richard Penson, MCIEEM, Senior Ecologist Signed:

Checked by:Victoria Thomas, MCIEEM, PrincipalEcologist

Signed:

Verified by: Victoria Thomas on behalf of:

Claire Wilmer CEnv, MCIEEM, Director ofEcology

Signed:

Issue Date Status

111thNovember

2013ISSUE


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WYG Environment Planning Transport Ltd. accept no responsibility or liability for the use which is made of thisdocument other than by the Client for the purpose for which it was originally commissioned and prepared.


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Contents Page

Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................ 5

1.0 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 6

1.1 Background ..................................................................................................................................... 6

1.2 Site Description ................................................................................................................................ 6

1.3 Legislation Applicable to Bats ............................................................................................................ 8

2.0 Methods .................................................................................................................................... 8

2.1 Desk Study ...................................................................................................................................... 8

2.2 Preliminary Bat Roost Assessment ..................................................................................................... 9

2.3 Nocturnal Bat Surveys ...................................................................................................................... 9

2.4 Limitations ..................................................................................................................................... 10

3.0 Results .................................................................................................................................... 10

3.1 Desk Study .................................................................................................................................... 10

3.2 Nocturnal Bat Surveys .................................................................................................................... 11

3.2.1 Survey Timings .............................................................................................................................. 11

3.2.2 Weather Conditions ........................................................................................................................ 11

3.2.3 Survey Results ............................................................................................................................... 12

3.3 Summary of Results ....................................................................................................................... 14

3.4 Licensing and Further Works........................................................................................................... 15

4.0 References.............................................................................................................................. 16

Appendices


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Shelford Road Farm: Bat Report

Executive Summary

Site Location: Shelford Road Farm, Shelford Road, Radcliffe-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire (OSgrid reference SK 655 400).

Methods and Results: All bat surveys were conducted in accordance with the BCTBat Surveys:Good Practice Guidelines, 2ndEdition (Hundt, L., 2012).

A preliminary bat roost assessment was conducted at all of the buildings.The house was categorised with moderate potential to support roosting batsand the six farm buildings were categorised with low bat roost potential; Twoother buildings, comprising an open barn and wooden shed were assessed as

having negligible bat roost potential.Consequently a series of dusk emergence and / or pre-dawn re-entry (andautomated) surveys were undertaken at buildings with moderate to low batroost potential during the optimum period for bat activity in August and earlySeptember 2013.

Bat roosts of both common pipistrelle and brown long-eared bat wereidentified. Pipistrelle bat roosts were recorded in Buildings B1, B6 and B7 with

a maximum of three individual bats at any one time. Brown long-eared batroosts were identified in Buildings B6 and B7 involving single individuals inboth cases.

Recommendations: Bat roosts are protected under UK and EU wildlife legislation (whetheroccupied at the time or not) and as such cannot be damaged, destroyed orobstructed unless a European Protected Species (EPS) development /

mitigation licence is first obtained from Natural England.Due to the presence of roosting bats in Buildings B1, B6 and B7, an EPSlicence will be required to legally facilitate any roofing works affecting thesethree buildings; refer to Sections 1.2 and 3.3 for further detail.

An EPS licence application will need to include an appropriate mitigationstrategy for both species and all three buildings (under the same licence) toi l d id d t d t il d d


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1.0 Introduction1.1 BackgroundWilliam Davis Ltd propose to demolish the existing farm buildings at Shelford Road Farm, Radcliffe-on-

Trent, Nottinghamshire (OS grid reference SK 655 400), herein referred to as the site.

WYG was commissioned by William Davis Ltd in July 2013 to undertake an extended phase one survey of

the site which recommended a suite of bat surveys of these farm buildings ahead of the proposed

demolition. The surveys initially comprised a preliminary (daytime) bat roost assessment of each building;

with an appropriate series of nocturnal bat surveys subsequently recommended.

This survey report details the methods employed and the results of all bat surveys of the buildings

undertaken in the summer of 2013, with subsequent appropriate recommendations. These buildings were

referred to as B3 to B9 inclusive on Plan 2 of the Extended Phase One Report (WYG 2013). Buildings B1

and B2 had been assessed as of negligible bat roost potential during the extended phase one report and

further bat emergence surveys on these buildings was not considered necessary.

1.2 Site DescriptionShelford Road Farm comprises a complex of nine buildings on the south side of Shelford Road on the north

eastern outskirts of the village of Radcliffe-on-Trent in the Rushcliffe District of Nottinghamshire. The site is

bordered by agricultural land on all except the northern boundary where there is residential housing.

The River Trent is located approximately 0.5km to the north-west of the site where there is extensive

mature broad-leaved woodland; large mature gardens are also present in the wider landscape to the north

and west of the site.


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B2Wooden sheds with either corrugated ironor fibreboard roof

None Negligible

B3House, brick built with tile roof, windowsblocked up. Generally in good conditionstill. Roof void probably present butinterior not accessible to confirm

Small gaps betweentiles and brick work at

gable ends

Moderate

B4Brick built with fibre board roof, no roofvoid

Air bricks with grilles,gaps between bricks atgable ends

Low

B5

Brick barn with fibre board roof, no roofvoid, dark interior but some heavilystained sky lights. Interior not accessible,partly visible through air bricks

Air bricks, gaps at topof bricked-up doorway

Low

B6

Cow sheds with breeze block and somebrick walls, slate roof but no under-felting, slates attached directly to rafters.Interior accessible, open to north andpartly to south (quadrangle), light interior

Gaps between slates,some cracks in brickwork at gable ends

Low

B7

Animal sheds with brick walls and fibreboard roof, no under felting, slatesattached directly to rafters. Individualcompartments divided by wooden

panelling. Light interior, open to north

Gaps between slates,air bricks with opengrilles, gaps between

wooden panelling

Low

B8 Garage with brick walls and slate roof No access points Low

B9Garage with fibre-board walls and roofand glass / Perspex windows. Woodendoors, light interior

Doors open, no interiorfeatures suitable

Low

Roosting Bats: Trees

There are eight mature trees within the site, comprising six ash trees in the southern boundary hedgerow,

a walnut tree (Juglans regia) to the south-east of the main block of buildings and a cultivated form of crack

willow (var. Tortuosa) planted in the yard to the west of the main block of buildings. Each tree was

d d h d l ( d ) d h l k l h d f b


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1.3 Legislation Applicable to BatsAll British bat species are listed in Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981(as amended) and in

Schedule 2 of the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2012 (as amended) as European

Protected Species (EPS).

Under the legislation, it is an offence to deliberately, recklessly or intentionally kill, injure or take a bat; to

deliberately, intentionally or recklessly damage, destroy or obstruct access to any structure or place used

for shelter or protection by a bat or to deliberately disturb an animal while it is occupying a structure or

place which it uses for that purpose. It is also an offence to attempt any of the above acts. Where

development will result in causing an offence under the legislation described above, a European Protected

Species (EPS) Licence is required from Natural England, the regulatory body responsible for protected

species in England, to allow the development to proceed.

The legal interpretation of "development" in the context of EPS is not restricted to works requiring planning

permission from Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) but includes permitted development and can encompass

works that do not require any formal permission.

Bats are also afforded more general protection in England (and Wales) within the Natural Environment and

Rural Communities Act (NERC), 2006. This imposes a duty on all public bodies, including local authorities

and statutory bodies, in exercising their functions, to have due regard, so far as is consistent with the

proper exercise of those functions, to the purpose of conserving biodiversity [Section 40 (1)]. It notes that

conserving biodiversity includes restoring or enhancing a population or habitat [Section 40 (3)].

Consequently, attention should be given to dealing with the modification or development of an area if

aspects of it are deemed important to bats, such as roosts, flight corridors and foraging areas.

2.0 Methods


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2.2 Preliminary Bat Roost AssessmentA preliminary (daytime) bat roost assessment (sometimes referred to as a scoping survey) of the buildings

was conducted on 18thJune 2013 by Richard Penson from WYG. A preliminary bat roost assessment is used

to determine the actual or likely presence of bats by means of an internal and external building inspection.

The accessible buildings were searched internally and externally in order to locate evidence of current or

past bat roosts, hibernacula, or activity; typically evident by way of bats, droppings, urine or fur staining,

feeding remains, marking and scratching, odour, and / or remains of bats.

Such evidence in buildings is usually associated with gaps, crevices and cavities in walls; below roof, hip,

and ridge tiles; behind and below bargeboards, fascias, soffit boxes and eaves; beneath lead flashing;

behind window and door surrounds; within roof voids; associated with internal ridgeboards and roof

timbers such as purlins and crossbeams; on windows; and on the ground below such construction features.

During this survey visit an assessment of the overall potential of the building(s) to support roosting and / or

hibernating bats was also made. An appropriate level of further nocturnal survey effort is then prescribed;

refer to Section 2.3 below.

2.3 Nocturnal Bat SurveysA single preliminary roost assessment visit, in which no bats are found, is not normally considered sufficient

survey effort of a building to establish presence or likely absence. Further survey work in the form of dusk

emergence and / or pre-dawn re-entry surveys are typically undertaken to provide additional information on

any identified bat roost, or to provide a reasonable level of confidence that bats are not present. Nocturnal

bat surveys were carried out by Jeremy Truscott (NE Licence No. 20123096), Emma Hankinson (CLSO

1276), John Richardson and Dr. Bradley Cain in August and early September 2013.

The Bat Conservation Trusts (BCT)Bat Surveys: Good Practice Guidelines, 2ndEdition (Hundt, L., 2012),


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Low Roost Potential: One dusk emergence together with a pre-dawn re-entry survey (one

survey visit) during May to September (optimum period May to August).

If a preliminary roost assessment and / or presence / absence surveys reveal a bat roost at a proposed

development site, and an EPS mitigation licence is likely to be required, then roost characterisation surveys

are usually necessary.

Three of the dusk emergence and pre-dawn re-entry surveys were conducted during the optimal period for

such nocturnal surveys in August and a further two were conducted in early September, in accordance with

the BCTBat Surveys: Good Practice Guidelines, 2ndEdition (Hundt, L., 2012). Also in accordance with these

guidelines, each survey was conducted in favourable weather conditions for bat activity, using appropriate

acoustic bat detecting equipment.

Each survey was led by a licensed bat ecologist (Jeremy Truscott) assisted by 2-3 other bat surveyors to

provide adequate coverage for the buildings.

2.4 LimitationsBuildings B3, B4 and B5 were not accessible for the preliminary bat roost assessment as the doors had

been blocked up with breeze blocks. This did not affect the emergence and dawn re-entry surveys however.

It should be noted that bats are highly mobile wild animals and may colonise or change how they utilise a

suitable structure at any time. The results of this survey are therefore considered valid for a maximum of

two years in keeping with standard guidance from Natural England.

3.0 Results3.1 Desk Study


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There is a 2011 record of a brown long-eared bat (Plecotus auritus) roost from Shelford Lodge Farm

Buildings, approximately 250m away from the site. There is also a roost of this species, plus common

pipistrelle at Stoke Bardolph Farm from 2001, approximately 1.5km to the north-west of the site.

There are several records of foraging bats within the 2km data search area, comprising common and

soprano pipistrelles, noctule (Nyctalus noctula) and unidentified bats between 2001 and 2010. Netherfield

Lagoons stands out as likely to be an important bat foraging area.

3.2 Nocturnal Bat SurveysOne dusk / pre-dawn re-entry survey and two dusk emergence surveys were conducted during the

optimum period (late August) and the other two dusk surveys were conducted within the recommended

survey period (early September).

3.2.1 Survey TimingsTable 3.1 below provides details of the dates and timings of each nocturnal survey including sunset and

sunrise times.

Table 3.1: Timing of 2013 nocturnal surveys

/

3 2 2 Weather Conditions


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Table 3.2: Weather conditions for 2013 nocturnal surveys

. ( )

3.2.3 Survey ResultsThree species of bats were recorded during the surveys although there was only a single record of noctule

(Nyctalus noctula) recorded foraging over the site on the 26 thAugust between 21:21 and 21:25. As this

recording was made approximately an hour after sunset it is considered likely that this individual had

commuted from a roost some distance from the site.

Small numbers of common pipistrelles (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) and brown long-eared bats (Plecotus

auritus) were recorded during the surveys. Further details are provided in the individual building accountsbelow.

Building B1

A single common pipistrelle was foraging for approximately 15 minutes inside this building at 20:30 on 26th

August and resumed foraging around this location until 21:00.

A single common pipistrelle (presumably the above individual) emerged from B1 at 20:37 on the 27th

August and continued to forage in and around the building for approximately one hour.

No further bat activity was recorded from building B1 during the remainder of the surveys.


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recorded foraging around these buildings on all of the surveys up to and including the last survey on 12 th

September.

Building B6

A single brown long-eared bat emerged from B6 at 20:22 on the 9th September although it was not

recorded during the dusk emergence of 12thSeptember.

Three common pipistrelles emerged from B6 between 19:48 and 19:55 on the dusk survey of 12th

September, all flying west; two of which were subsequently recorded flying over building B5.

Building B7

A single common pipistrelle emerged from the south-west corner of B7 at 20:39 on the 26thAugust with a

second individual (which may also have emerged from the building) foraging around this building on this

date. No bats were recorded returning to this building at dawn on 27 th August but a single common

pipistrelle emerged at 20:50 on 27thAugust.

Two common pipistrelles were foraging inside the building from approximately 20 minutes after sunset

(19:50) on 9th September. A common pipistrelle emerged from B7 at 20:10, another common pipistrelle

emerged from B7 at 20:18 on this date and commuted to the south west, foraging as it went.

A single brown long-eared bat was suspected of having emerged from B7 at 20:20 on the 9thSeptember,

20 minutes later this individual was recorded foraging inside the building.

Buildings B8 and B9

No bats were recorded emerging from these buildings during any of the surveys.


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Table 3.6: Number of common pipistrelles (in bold) and brown long-eared bats (in red) recordedemerging from or returning to each of the above locations during the series of nocturnal surveys. The totalnumber recorded for each count is shown in the Totalcolumn. The peak count was 3 common pipistrellesat dusk on 12thSeptember.

Location (See Above)

0

,

3.3 Summary of ResultsAll surveys were conducted in accordance with the BCTBat Surveys: Good Practice Guidelines, 2ndEdition

(Hundt, L., 2012);all nocturnal surveys were conducted during the recommended period for such activity

surveys within these guidelines.

Brown long-eared bats

Buildings B6 and B7 support a roost of 1 brown long-eared bat each although they were not consistently

present throughout the survey period and these buildings are considered to represent a transitory roost.

Internal inspections of these buildings revealed only limited areas suitable for roost sites for this species,

comprising gaps between the wooden interior fittings (B7) and between brickwork at the gable ends (both

b ildi ) Th b ildi l d f f i


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Despite the house (Building B3) being assessed as of moderate bat roost potential, no bats were recorded

emerging from it during the survey period. Personnel were deployed in such a manner as to provide more

than adequate coverage of this building and it is considered unlikely that any emerging bats would have

been missed. It was not possible to enter this building to confirm the presence of a roof void to assess itssuitability as a maternity roost as the doors had been blocked up.

3.4 Licensing and Further WorksBat roosts are protected under UK and EU wildlife legislation (whether occupied at the time or not) and as

such cannot be damaged, destroyed or have access obstructed unless a European Protected Species (EPS)

development / mitigation licence is first obtained from Natural England.

Due to the presence of roosting bats in Buildings B1, B6 and B7, an EPS licence will be required to legally

facilitate works affecting these three buildings.

In order to obtain an EPS licence it will be necessary for William Davis to demonstrate that:

The work is required for the purpose of preserving public health or public safety or other

imperative reasons of overriding public interest including those of social or economic nature

and beneficial consequences of primary importance for the environment;

There is no satisfactory alternative; and,

The work will not be detrimental to the maintenance of the population of the species at a

favourable conservation status.

An EPS licence application will need to include an appropriate mitigation strategy for both species and for

all three buildings (under the same licence) to include avoidance and compensatory measures, a detailed

programme and methods of working, and an outline of the post-works monitoring.

Pl t th t N t l E l d t k i t l i k t d t i EPS li li ti


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It is recommended that some provision for bats should be considered in new buildings constructed on the

site; this may include

bat bricks on those exterior walls facing open landscape to increase the potential for roosting bats

across the site; and

bat boxes are installed on trees around the site to increase the potential opportunities for roosting

bats across the site.

vegetation which is removed (i.e. sections of hedgerow or trees) should be replanted wherever possible;

vegetation planted throughout or around the site should aim to provide additional green corridors to

allow bats to traverse the site readily;

Recommendations are made in line with the National Planning Policy Framework and the Natural

Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006, which both place a duty on Local Planning Authorities to

maintain and enhance biodiversity levels through the planning process.

4.0 References Bat Conservation Trusts (BCT) Bat Surveys: Good Practice Guidelines, 2nd Edition (Hundt, L.,

2012).

English Nature (2004) Bat Mitigation Guidelines.

Joint Nature Conservation Committee (2004) Bat Workers Manual.


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Appendix 1

Bat Survey Plan


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!H

!H

!H

!H

!HB1

B2

B3

B4

B7

B5B6

B8

B9

Pipistrelle Roost

Brown long-eared and

Pipistrelle Roost

Pipistrelle Roost

Brown long-eared Roost

Pipistrelle Roost

RJP 11/11/13

A079137-1

.

Project No:

Scale at A3: Drawn by: Date: Date: Date:Checked By: Approved By:

Drawing No.Office Type Revision

Project

Drawing Title:

Executive ParkAvalon Way

AnsteyLeicester

LE7 7GR

Tel: 0116 2348100Fax: 0116 2348002

email:[email protected]

WYG Environment

45 94

DG 11/11/13 VT 11/11/13

creative mindssafe hands

............

Shelford Road

Radcliffe on Trent

Plan 1: Bat Emergence Survey Results

1:495

. 01

30 0 3015 Meters

Legend

Buildings

Hard standing

B1 Building Number

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