The Old Vicarage

Planning permission was being sought for the conversion of an outbuilding at a private residence in Derbyshire and bat surveys were required to support the application.

An initial Preliminary Roost Assessment (PRA) of the building was carried out. During the PRA bat droppings were identified in one of the rooms inside the building, confirming the presence of a bat roost. Samples were taken and eDNA analysis showed the species present within the building to be brown long eared (Plecotus auritus) bats.

Follow up bat activity surveys of the building were carried out to accurately assess the type of bat roost present in the building and to identify any other roosts that may also be present. The surveys identified the brown long eared bat roost to be a day roost with occasional light sampling and foraging activity. The surveys also identified the presence of a common pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) day roost in the wall of the building.

Following discussions with the architect regarding the design of mitigation required a mitigation strategy was prepared to support the planning application for the site.