A large part of the work the Environment Systems ecology team carries out involves bat surveys of buildings requiring renovation, demolition, restoration or conversion. This usually involves daytime inspections and bat activity surveys at dusk or dawn to identify and characterise any bat roosts present, as well as the species and the number involved. Environment Systems has successfully obtained over 100 European protected species (EPS) licences to enable work around bat roosts to take place. This involves the design and implementation of bat mitigation measures, including providing replacement bat roosts and subsequent population monitoring.

Recently we undertook dusk and dawn activity surveys around a dilapidated Grade II farmhouse that was scheduled for restoration. The surveys recorded activity from nine species, which included foraging, commuting, and social behaviour. Soprano pipistrelle bats were confirmed as present in the building as they were seen emerging from and entering access points in six locations, along ridge tiles and under a loose slate tile. A lesser horseshoe bat was seen roosting within the building during the day time inspection. An EPS license was granted by Natural Resources Wales which enabled mitigation work to be carried out. The design of mitigation was considered as the long-term for the site as a whole including the outbuildings that are present on site that will be renovated in the future.

A dilapidated former store that had no bat interest was identified and proposed as a purpose-built two storey bat house, including a cooling tower with baffles that will provide a range of different conditions for horseshoe and long-eared species to roost all year round. Our lead bat surveyor was on site during the works to provide toolbox talks to contractors and advice throughout construction. The bat house was completed in December 2019. Population monitoring will continue for the next couple of years as part of the license condition.

2022 update 

Following completion of works, our ecologist Laura Cottrell MCIEEM inspected the building and implication of replacement roosts. The bat house is already being used by lesser horseshoe bats, with a significant number of droppings being found on the first floor and within the cooling tower. Population monitoring in the form of emergence surveys are planned for this coming summer to determine the number of bats using the house.