Planning for reptiles

Brownfield sites are ideal for reptiles, of which all species are legally protected.

Some species like viviparous lizards are in decline.

Planning for reptiles in developments is important to ensure the sustainability of local populations.

Our specialist knowledge can help you gather the information you need and plan for wildlife in your design.

When might a reptile survey be needed ?

The potential for reptiles can often be identified based on suitable habitat being present.

Abandoned brownfield sites, such as quarries and railway sidings, are ideal habitat for species such as viviparous lizards and slow worms. Here they may reach high local densities.

The potential for reptiles will often be identified by a Preliminary Ecological Assessment. Additional surveys will confirm whether reptiles are present and if so which species and potentially how large or extensive the population is at the site.

The data allows an assessment on how reptile populations might be affected and whether these impacts can be avoided. It also assists in a sustainable design to allow for reptiles.

Where are reptiles found ?

The four commonest species : viviparous lizard, slow worm, grass snake and adder are widespread throughout England and Wales, but only locally common on suitable sites.

The rarer species, smooth snake and sand lizard, have a much more restricted distribution e.g. Dorset, Hampshire and Surrey.

Viviparous lizards and slow worms are the species most often found on development sites and close to urban areas. Viviparous lizards prefer habitat mosaics of tall grassland and scrub mixed with places for basking in the sun such as short grass and sandy areas on banks. Slow worms are found on similar sites, but also seem common in areas with deep leaf or bracken litter.

Adders are especially dependent on small mammals as prey and favour habitats with high densities of rodents such as heathlands, young forestry plantations and woodland rides and edges.

Grass snakes are the only semi-aquatic species of reptile and are found in landscapes such as river valleys with pasture and woodland. They are also though wide ranging within their territories and may occur in otehr places with suitable hunting.

What does a reptile survey involve ?

Reptile surveys generally use the same methods for all species, although for adders specific methods are often better [#1].

A generalised method is for an ecologist to place artifical refuges to attract reptiles and make them easier to detect. They then make seven visits in suitable weather checking with binoculars for basking animals and lifting the mats to see if animals are warming themselves underneath. This is sufficient to determine presence or absence.

What time of year can reptile surveys be carried out ?

An initial site appraisal can be carried out at any time of year to see if a site is suitable to support reptiles. Presence/absence surveys generally take place during the spring and summer months between March and September, possibly into October.

When follow-on surveys can be carried out is dependent on having suitable weather. During periods of low temperatures reptiles may decide to hibernate. In cases of high temperatures reptiles may “aestivate”. For this reason accurate surves are not possible during hot summer months.

What happens if reptiles are found ?

The guidance on reptiles is less clear than that for bats and great crested newts. All of the species are legally protected against harm and protecting their populations is something that should be a material consideration within a planning application.

Avoiding development on important sites for reptiles is the best option. Sometimes removing small areas of suboptimal habitat will not affect the populations signficantly. Assessing whether there are effects and how they can be avoided requires careful consideration and specialist advice.

Where the population cannot be retained at all or the remnant population is unlikely to be viable, there may be no option but to consider “translocation” moving the reptiles to a new site. This requires careful planning and a programme of intensive capture of the animals using reptile fencing.

Reptile licencing with Natural England

Only the rarest species ( sand lizard and smooth snake ) require a licence from Natural England for development purposes.