Ecology reports for planning

• Well-written reports are key to good communication in planning for wildlife.
• Your reports need clear conclusions, presented succinctly, supported by sufficient data and delivered quickly and efficiently.
• We will work pro-actively and positively with you to ensure you have the report that you need.

For an overview on planning for wildlife and why it is important for sustainability, please check our Planning for wildlife page.

Read more on achieving sustainable development

What types of report are there?

If you already know what type of report you need please contact us. We are happy to advise you on what might be involved in preparing the report.

Reports for ecology may use different formats and names, such as :

• Initial reports to inform screening and scoping:
  • Desktop search
  • Phase 1 survey
  • Preliminary Ecological Appraisals/Assessment
  • Preliminary Roost Appraisal
• More detailed surveys to inform planning and design:
  • Protected species survey such as for bats, reptiles and great crested newts
  • Preliminary Roost Assessment
  • Preliminary Ecological Assessment
  • Habitat Regulations Assessment
  • Habitat Suitability Index assessment
  • National Vegetation Classification
  • Ecological Impact Assessment
  • Hedgerow survey
• Used to inform construction and management after planning:
  • Method statement
  • Mitigation plan
  • Construction Environmental Management Plan
  • Habitat management plan
  • Protected species mitigation plan

Some of these reports are about screening and scoping for ecology. Some are about gathering more data on species such as bats and newts to inform planning and design.

What type of report is needed ?

If you want an initial report for your project, we would generally recommend that you carry out a Preliminary Ecological Appraisal. This report gathers basic information on the site to allow screening and scoping for its wildlife.

We are happy to advise you on the type of report that might be required. The type of report needed might be specified by :

• Validation requirements : When applying for planning, you may need an ecology report for it to be validated.
• Information requests : Later in the process, planners might also request additional information on ecology before they are able to determine the application.
• Planning conditions : After planning, conditions on planning may require a report for their discharge.

We are aware that many projects don’t proceed in a linear way. We are more than happy to get involved at any stage of planning.