Services

Protected species & habitat surveys

Some species and habitats are protected by law. Their presence on a development or proposed woodland site is a material consideration in planning application decisions. However, this rarely means no development can take place. Early assessment is vital, so your plans can progress without undue delay. Surveys for protected species and habitats may be highly seasonal. Consult our survey calendar to see what we can survey, and when. Or contact us for a free consultation.
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Ecological consultancy

We offer comprehensive and bespoke ecological advice and consultancy services to ensure your project is compliant with all regulations at every stage.
Services include Biodiversity Net Gain Assessment, Preliminary Ecological Appraisal, Ecological Impact Assessment, European Protected Species Mitigation Licence applications, Ecological Clerk of Works, Habitat Regulations Assessment, and GIS mapping. Contact us to find out how we can help you.

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Research & project management

Cheviot Ecology can undertake management of biodiversity projects on behalf of the public sector, such as Local Biodiversity Action Plans, Strategic Environmental Assessment of proposed policies, plans or programmes. Other research interests and experience include Biodiversity Net Gain, nature valuation approaches, notions of wildness and woodland regeneration. We can support research design and field work, technical assistance, report writing and end to end project management. Contact us for further details.

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F.A.Q.

Answers to some frequently asked questions are provided below. If you cannot find an answer here, please contact us to discuss your specific project.

For development projects, Planning Authorities must assess potential impacts prior to determination. Biodiversity Net Gain of 10% is now mandatory for development projects, unless an exemption applies. Cheviot Ecology can advise you on the process and undertake feasibility and design stage assessments, habitat mapping and metric completion, as well as preparing management plans. Ecology surveys  provide baseline data for a site and enable an impact assessment to take place. Mitigation strategies can then be designed. Ecology surveys are seasonally constrained, so consultation with an ecologist at an early stage in your project is paramount.

Some ecology surveys can be undertaken at any time, such as a Preliminary Ecological Appraisal. However, most animals have particular periods when they are most active and surveys need to take place at the optimum time for establishing likely presence or absence of a species. For habitat and botanical surveys, this means undertaking assessment during flowering periods. See our survey calendar for more details of when protected species and habitats can be surveyed.
As soon as possible, ideally before a planning application is submitted. By seeking ecological advice at the design stage, informed decisions can be made about relevant surveys, project design, schedule and budget can be made. This allows for ecological works to take place in the most timely and cost-effective way.
In short, no – however, if you unexpectedly encounter a protected species (e.g. a nesting bird, or a bat) on site, then works must immediately stop and you should contact an ecologist who will provide advice on what needs to happen for works to restart.
If a protected species is found to be connected with the proposed site before a planning application is approved, then mitigation will be required so that development can take place without offences being committed. Offences include deliberately or recklessly harming or disturbing a protected species, or their place of shelter, and can result in unlimited fines or prosecution. By undertaking appropriate ecology surveys, suitable mitigation plans can be put into place. Offences can then be avoided – as well as delays to your project.

As above, there are seasonal constraints to surveys for particular species, therefore we advise you on the projected timings for surveys at an early stage.
Whilst every project is different, and therefore a flat rate cost cannot be provided, Cheviot Ecology aims to offer a fair and reasonable price for all ecological work, taking into consideration the scale of the project, the site location and context and the types of surveys likely to be required. We are a small, local company which minimises our management, travel and accommodation costs.