Preliminary Ecological Appraisal
Preliminary Ecological Appraisals provide essential information about the ecological value of a site, identify potential constraints to development and inform the requirement for further survey or mitigation to achieve planning permission and satisfy legal obligations.
Compiled from the most extensive and up-to-date records available. Ecological information relevant to the site will include:
- Statutory and non-statutory designated nature conservation sites
- Non-statutory designated nature conservation sites
- Biodiversity Action Plan priority habitats
- Legally protected species
- Biodiversity Action Plan priority species
- Red data book species
- County notable species
The site survey will document the ecological status of the site and include:
Classification of broad habitat types within the site with dominant species listed.
Identification and evaluation of habitats and features of wildlife value.
Identification of evidence of protected species.
- Identification of invasive non-native species.
Assessment of the potential impacts of the proposed development on site ecology in terms of extent, magnitude, duration, timing, frequency, reversibility and cumulative effects.
Recommendations, if required, for further survey or mitigation will include:
- Surveys of to determine the presence or likely absence of Biodiversity Action Plan priority habits.
- Surveys to determine the “importance” of protected habitat features.
- Surveys to establish the presence or likely absence of protected or notable plant species.
- Surveys to determine the presence or likely absence of protected animal species.
- Mitigation measures to avoid impacts on protected habitats and species.
- Enhancement measures to improve the ecological value of the site.
We can conduct scoping surveys all year round, and it is a prudent move to engage such works over winter prior to the period more detailed ecological surveys can be performed, in order to minimise delays and costs.