Chestnut Cottage Chandlers Green Mattingley Hampshire RG27 8LH Bat Emergence and Re-entry Survey Ref: R2362/b October 2020 1 Diesel House, Honey Hill, Wokingham, Berkshire RG40 3BL Telephone: 0118 3271810 Mobile: 07979 403099 E-mail: [email protected] www.wenman-ecology.co.uk John Wenman Ecological Consultancy LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in England and Wales with registered number OC339057. Registered office: 100 New Wokingham Road, Crowthorne, RG45 6JP where you may look at a list of members’ names. 1 SUMMARY ....................................................................................................................... 3 2 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 5 2.1 Background .................................................................................................................................. 5 2.2 Legislative Background ................................................................................................................ 5 2.3 Site Location and Context ............................................................................................................ 7 2.4 Report Format .............................................................................................................................. 7 3 SURVEY METHOD ........................................................................................................... 8 3.1 Evening Emergence and Dawn Re-entry Surveys ....................................................................... 8 3.2 Survey Constraints....................................................................................................................... 8 4 SURVEY FINDINGS ......................................................................................................... 9 4.1 Evening Emergence Survey – 17th August 2020 ......................................................................... 9 4.2 Dawn Re-entry Survey – 4th September 2020 ............................................................................. 9 4.3 Evening Emergence Survey – 21st September 2020 ................................................................... 9 5 DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS .................................................................. 11 5.1 Assessment of Bat Roost Status................................................................................................ 11 5.2 Impact of Proposals and Recommendations ............................................................................. 11 6 MITIGATION AND COMPENSATION PROPOSALS .................................................... 13 7 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................... 14 APPENDIX 1 – RAW BAT EMERGENCE AND RE-ENTRY SURVEY DATA....................... 15 APPENDIX 2 – BAT EMERGENCE AND RE-ENTRY SURVEY FINDINGS ......................... 21 APPENDIX 3 – PROPOSED BAT ROOST PROVISION ....................................................... 24 1 SUMMARY 1.1.1 John Wenman Ecological Consultancy LLP was commissioned by Mr Terry Radford to undertake a survey for the presence of bats within the house at Chestnut Cottage in Mattingley, Hampshire. The survey was commissioned in connection with a planning application to be lodged with Hart District Council seeking consent for the substantial extension of the existing house or for the construction a new house and detached garage on the plot after the demolition of the existing. 1.1.2 A survey of the interior and exterior of the house was undertaken by John Wenman Ecological Consultancy on the 17th August 2020 (reference: John Wenman Ecology, September 2020, R2631a). The survey found no evidence of roosting bats inside the roof void or externally, however, there were features with moderate bat roost potential e.g. lifted tiles and gaps between soffits and the wall, that were suitable for crevice-dwelling bat species, evidence of which would not be visible from the preliminary survey. Therefore, further emergence and re-entry surveys of the house were recommended to confirm the presence or absence of any bat roosts within the property. 1.1.3 Evening emergence surveys were undertaken on the 17th August 2020 and 21st September 2020, and a dawn re-entry survey was undertaken on the 4th September 2020. A soprano pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pygmaeus) was observed to re-enter a roost behind the soffit on the southern side of the house during the dawn re-entry survey and a long-eared bat (Plecotus sp. (considered likely to be a brown long eared bat (Plecotus auritus)) was observed to be roosting behind the chimney on the eastern elevation; re-entering the roost on the dawn re-entry survey and emerging during the second emergence survey. 1.1.4 The survey findings are consistent with the house being used as an occasional day roost for soprano pipistrelle bats (Pipistrellus pygmaeus) and brown long- eared bats (Plecotus auritus) i.e. roosts of low conservation importance. 1.1.5 The proposed demolition or substantial extension of the house will result in the loss of a soprano pipistrelle and brown long-eared day roost, and additionally could harm and/or disturb any bats present at the time of the works. Therefore, a European Protected Species licence (EPSL) is required to allow the planned building work to go ahead lawfully. John Wenman Ecological Consultancy Chestnut Cottage, Chandlers Green - Emergence and Re-entry Survey (R2632b).doc - 3 - 1.1.6 Compensatory roosting sites will be provided in the form of two tree mounted bat boxes and integral bat boxes on the southern and eastern sides of the house. John Wenman Ecological Consultancy Chestnut Cottage, Chandlers Green - Emergence and Re-entry Survey (R2632b).doc - 4 - 2 INTRODUCTION 2.1 Background 2.1.1 John Wenman Ecological Consultancy LLP was commissioned by Mr Terry Radford to undertake a survey for the presence of bats within the detached house Chestnut Cottage in Mattingley, Hampshire. The survey was commissioned in connection with a planning application to be lodged with Council seeking consent for the substantial extension of the house or the erection of a new dwelling and detached garage after the demolition of the existing house (refer to proposed plans and elevations in Appendix 3). 2.1.2 The preliminary bat roost assessment of the house was undertaken by John Wenman Ecological Consultancy on August 17th 2020 and is reported separately (reference: John Wenman Ecology, September 2020, R2631a). The assessment found no evidence of bats, either internally in the roof void or externally on the house. However, there were features e.g. lifted tiles and gaps between soffits and the wall, that were suitable for crevice-dwelling bat species, evidence of which would not be visible from the preliminary survey. Therefore, further emergence and re-entry surveys of the house were recommended to confirm the presence or absence of any bat roosts within the property and this report presents the findings of that survey work and recommendations. 2.2 Legislative Background 2.2.1 All British bat species are protected fully by the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) and by the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 (‘Habitat Regulations’). In summary, the legislation combined makes it an offence to: • Damage or destroy a breeding site or resting place or intentionally or recklessly obstruct access to a structure or place used for shelter by a bat; • Deliberately, intentionally or recklessly disturb bats; in particular any disturbance which is likely to impair the ability of bats to survive, breed or reproduce or nurture their young; or in the case of hibernating or migrating bats, to hibernate or migrate; or to affect significantly the local distribution or abundance of the species; John Wenman Ecological Consultancy Chestnut Cottage, Chandlers Green - Emergence and Re-entry Survey (R2632b).doc - 5 - • Deliberately kill, injure or take any bat. 2.2.2 The government’s statutory conservation advisory organisation, Natural England, is responsible for issuing European Protected Species licences that would permit activities that would otherwise lead to an infringement of the Habitat Regulations. A licence can be issued if the following three tests have been met: • Regulation 55(9)(a) - there is “no satisfactory alternative” to the derogation, and; • Regulation 55(9)(b) - the derogation “will not be detrimental to the maintenance of the population of the species concerned at a favourable conservation status in their natural range” and; • Regulation 55(2)(e) - the derogation is for the purposes of “preserving public health or public safety or other imperative reasons of overriding public interest, including those of a social or economic nature and beneficial consequences of primary importance for the environment”. 2.2.3 Local authorities have a statutory duty under Regulation 7(3) of the Habitat Regulations to have regard to requirements of the Habitats Directive in the exercise of their functions. The Council must therefore consider and determine whether these three tests are likely to be satisfied by applications where survey findings show that European Protected Species licensing is necessary, before granting any necessary planning permission. 2.2.4 European Protected Species licence applications can be submitted once all necessary planning consents have been granted and Natural England aim to issue a licence decision