Bat surveys in Bristol
If your planning application in Bristol changes a roof, a loft, an older building or a mature tree, Bristol City Council may ask for a bat survey before it decides. We can introduce you to one vetted, licensed bat ecologist who covers your site in Bristol.
Beatrice Vasey is not a bat ecologist. We introduce you to one vetted, licensed ecologist and are paid a referral fee by that business.
Planning and licensing in Bristol
- Planning decisions
- Planning applications in Bristol are decided by Bristol City Council.
- Bat licences
- Licences for work affecting a roost are issued by Natural England.
- The law
- Bats and their roosts in England are protected under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 and the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, even when no bats are present.
- Local bat records
- Ecologists check which bats have been recorded near your site with a data search from Bristol Regional Environmental Records Centre (BRERC), the local environmental records centre.
- Local bat group
- Avon Bat Group is the local volunteer group that records bats in the area.
Where bats feed and travel around Bristol
Bats follow dark, sheltered routes such as rivers, canals, hedgerows and tree lines to feed and move between roosts. In Bristol, the River Avon, the Floating Harbour and the River Frome are the kind of places bats feed and travel through, so older buildings and mature trees nearby are more likely to need follow-up surveys after a preliminary roost assessment.
Survey types, seasons and costs
Most projects in Bristol start with a preliminary roost assessment. On larger or greenfield sites, bats are usually covered first by a preliminary ecological appraisal, which checks for other protected species too. Emergence surveys only run from May to September, so book the assessment early in the year to keep any follow-up surveys inside one season.
| Survey | When it can be done | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|
| Preliminary roost assessment (PRA) | Any time of year | £400 to £600 |
| Emergence surveys | May to September | £800 to £1,000 per survey |
| Bat activity surveys | April to October | Quoted per site |
| Hibernation surveys | November to March | Quoted per site |
Typical UK prices from Checkatrade's bat survey cost guide, last updated November 2024. Your ecologist quotes for your site.
Your bat ecologist in Bristol
We pass each Bristol enquiry to one vetted ecologist who covers your site, holds the licences Natural England requires and carries professional indemnity insurance. You get an email naming them before your details are shared, and they quote you directly. We are paid a referral fee by that business.
We also arrange bat surveys in Bath, Cardiff and Oxford.
Bat survey questions in Bristol
Do I need a bat survey for a loft conversion in Bristol?
Often, yes. If the work changes the roof or roof space, Bristol City Council may ask for at least a preliminary roost assessment before it validates the application. The council's validation checklist sets out what it needs.
Who issues bat licences in Bristol?
Natural England. If a survey finds a roost your work would affect, your ecologist applies to Natural England for a licence once you have planning permission.
Who can help with bats in my home in Bristol?
Avon Bat Group is the local volunteer group, and the Bat Conservation Trust runs a national bat helpline. For a survey linked to building work or planning, use the form on this page.
Get a bat survey quote in Bristol
Tell us where the site is and what's planned. Beatrice reads every enquiry.