Bats in a barn conversion

Adam installs a receptor bat box on a tree as part of the mitigation for a bat EPS licence

As part of the works under a bat EPS licence, WFE provided an ECoW service for the conversion of a barn complex in Hindolveston, Norfolk in 2018.  Survey work over the summer of 2017 identified the presence of common pipistrelle, soprano pipistrelle and brown long-eared bat roosts within the barns.

The ECoW service included a “Toolbox Talk” to contractors prior to commencement of works on the site to ensure awareness of protected species issues and their responsibilities while working on the site, direct supervision of sensitive works, and consultation to ensure the correct installation of mitigation and compensation measures on site.

During the course of the supervised hand-stripping of roof tiles from the barns, two roosting bats were encountered; one common pipistrelle and one brown long-eared bat.  On each of these occasions the Natural England bat licensed ECoW was on hand to

A common pipistrelle was safely translocated during an Ecological Clerk of Works supervised roof strip

carefully remove the bat from the works site, give it a health check and relocate it to a receptor bat box in a suitable location elsewhere on site. 

Due to the effective ECoW service provided this project ran smoothly in accordance with the terms and conditions of the EPS licence, resulting in the prevention of harm to roosting bats and effective mitigation and compensation measures being implemented.