Residential extension - Lancashire

Plans were being drawn up for extensions to a residential property in an elevated location in Lancashire. Switch Ecology were commissioned to carry out bat surveys of the building to support the planning application.

A Preliminary Roost Assessment (PRA) of the building identified the building to provide a moderate potential to support roosting bats, due to voids in the walls, eaves and roof. The survey also identified bat droppings in the roof void, which were confirmed to be due to the presence of brandt's bats (Myotis brandtii) through eDNA analysis.

Switch Ecology subsequently carried out activity surveys of the building, which also identified a day roost of common pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) in the eaves. Following the surveys a mitigation strategy was prepared to support the planning application for the site and a Bat Mitigation Class Licence (BMCL) site registration was submitted to cover the proposed extension of the building.