New guidance on bats and building works
Historic England has published new guidance on ‘Building Works and Bats’, which is available to access online. The guidance has been developed in collaboration with the Bat Conservation Trust, National Trust, Natural England and English Heritage.
All UK bats are protected by law. This new guidance is intended to help property owners and all involved in managing, maintaining or making changes to buildings, or using the buildings, avoid infringing the law.
The two key things to remember are:
- Always start with the assumption that bats are present in a building or the surrounding site, unless a bat survey within the last two years shows that no bats or signs of bats are present.
- Plan all works well in advance so that a bat survey can be carried out and the works progressed when least disturbance will be caused to the bats.
The guidance covers:
- Why Bats Use Buildings
- British Bats and Their Life Cycles
- What To Do if You Find a Bat
- Buildings, Bats and the Law
- Bat Mitigation Licences
- Bat Surveys
- Planning Changes to Buildings with Bats
- Timber Treatments and Pest Control
- Works to Roofs, Walls and Building Services
- Managing Properties for Bats and People
To read the new guidance, click here.
