ENV/Ecology/TBT-ENV-019

Bat Roost Awareness

Environmental › Ecology › Bat Roost Awareness

Presenter		Project
Location		Date

All bat species in the UK are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and the Habitats Regulations.
It is a criminal offence to deliberately kill, injure, or disturb bats or to damage or destroy their roosts.
Bat roosts can be found in buildings, bridges, tunnels, trees, and underground structures on construction sites.
A roost is protected whether or not bats are currently present — it is the structure that is protected.
Construction activities including demolition, renovation, tree felling, and lighting can affect bat roosts.
An ecological survey must be completed before work that could disturb bat roosting habitat.
If bats or evidence of roosting is found during work, all activities must stop immediately.
A European Protected Species (EPS) licence from Natural England is required before disturbing a known roost.
Common signs of bat roosts include droppings, urine staining, scratch marks, and dead insects.
Penalties for bat-related offences include unlimited fines and up to six months imprisonment per offence.

Legal protection	Bats and their roosts have the highest level of legal protection — offences carry unlimited fines and imprisonment.
Project delays	Discovering bats during work causes stop-work orders and licence delays that can halt projects for months.
Ecological importance	Bats are vital insect controllers and indicator species — their conservation is a legal and moral obligation.

Don't

Commission an ecological survey for bats before starting demolition or renovation work
Brief all site workers on what bat evidence looks like and what to do if found
Stop work immediately if bats, droppings, or roosting evidence are discovered
Report any bat findings to the site environmental manager or ecologist without delay
Obtain an EPS licence from Natural England before any work that disturbs a known roost
Follow the licence conditions exactly including seasonal timing and mitigation measures
Maintain existing lighting levels near confirmed roost sites to avoid light disturbance
Check trees for bat roosting potential before felling, especially mature specimens
Install bat boxes or alternative roost features as specified in the mitigation plan
Record all bat survey results and mitigation actions for the project environmental file

DON'T start demolition or renovation without completing a bat survey where required
DON'T handle, move, or disturb bats or their roosts without a valid licence
DON'T continue work if bats or evidence of roosting are discovered — stop immediately
DON'T fell mature trees without checking them for bat roosting potential
DON'T install bright lighting near confirmed or potential bat roost locations
DON'T block access points to known bat roosts during construction work
DON'T assume a roost is unoccupied — protection applies whether bats are present or not
DON'T ignore droppings, urine stains, or scratch marks — they indicate bat presence
DON'T carry out work outside the seasonal windows specified on the EPS licence
DON'T treat bat offences as minor — they carry criminal records and substantial penalties

See also: Protected Species Awareness | Tree and Hedgerow Protection

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