Client: HM & PJ Gibson
Site Name: The Elms Farm, Church Lane, Swaby, Alford, Lincolnshire, LN13 0BQ
Site Type: Housing
Services Provided: Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) Report, Protected Species Survey Report
Due to the rural location of the site and the site containing a barn, the Local Planning Authority required a Protected Species Survey, leading to the engagement of Elton Ecology’s ecological services.
With multiple buildings and a tree within the site having the suitability to support roosting bats, further Stage 2 Nocturnal bat surveys were required to establish the presence/likely absence of roosting bats. These surveys showed that two buildings were identified as occasionally used bat roosts requiring the registration of a Natural England Bat Mitigation Class Licence (BMCL), which would be achieved prior to the works. It was also recommended that compensatory roosting provisions were provided, including one bat box on the retained tree, and one integrated bat roosting feature on the building post-development.
Barn owl were recorded on site. A barn owl mitigation strategy was presented to be followed pre and during the works. The strategy included pre-work checks for nesting barn owls and the installation of two compensatory barn owl nest boxes.
Based on the above mitigation recommendations planning permission was granted for the scheme with a condition of the development to follow the recommendations of a Protected Species Survey Report, which was provided by Elton Ecology.
The key mitigation and enhancement measures included species protection methods, bird and bat box installation, barn owl mitigation strategy, tree retention, hedgehog-friendly fencing and vegetation clearance. These enhancement measures enabled the planning process to proceed while knowing the next actions needed to meet the ecological requirements.
A BNG Report showing a 10% biodiversity gain was required by the Local Planning Authority. Our Biodiversity Net Gain assessment demonstrated that an on-site biodiversity net gain of 10.62% for habitats and 23.65% for hedgerows could be achieved through habitat creation and native species-rich hedgerow planting on-site through the recommendations from Elton Ecology, avoiding the need for the client to purchase off-site biodiversity units, subject to a detailed Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan (HMMP). The development met the criteria of the Environment Act 2021 for mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain.
Planning consent was secured on first submission as the Local Planning Authority granted planning permission with conditions for the site.
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