Why do I need a mitigation licence?
Where development or an activity would impact protected species or their habitat, a mitigation licence may be required. You need to obtain a mitigation licence if your work is going to impact bats that would otherwise be illegal.
Depending on the location of the site and the type of protected species, we can provide ‘class’ or ‘low impact’ mitigation licences for certain species.
For a standard European Protected Species Licence (EPSL) and class mitigation licence, full surveys and planning permission are requried before applying for these licences.
What advice and support Greenwillows Associated Ltd.
We are competent in providing the application for a range of species, including:
- Badgers
- Bats *
- Barn owl
- Dormouse *
- Great crested newt *
- Natterjack toad *
- Otter *
- Sand lizard and smooth snake *
- Water voles
* European Protected Species which receive strict protection under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 and which require a European Protected Species Licence (EPSL). Other species receive protection under general UK wildlife legislation and some species are protected by specific legislation.
Depending on the location of the site and the protected species, we can also provide simplified licensing options:
- District Level Licensing for great crested newt (DLL) – this licence requires your project to comply with your legal duty to protect great crested newts. You pay for off-site compensation ponds instead of carrying out detailed surveys and applying for a mitigation licence.
- Great Crested Newt Low Impact Licence (LICL) – LICL aims to reduce the number of licenses needed for projects that have a low impact on great crested newts. It can be a cheaper and faster alternative to applying for an EPSL.
- ‘Low impact’ bat mitigation class licence (BMCL) – permits the disturbance of bats, capture of bats, damage to roosts, destruction of roosts. This is limited to no more than three low conservation significance roosts, affecting no more than three of the more common species of bat present in small numbers.
- Bat earned recognition class licence (BER) – an accredited bat ecologist is allowed to carry out bat mitigation work. Use of BER licence depends on the bat species and accreditation level of the ecologist. This process requires submitting less information to Natural England and less time for them to make a decision. Therefore a BER licence is quicker than the standard EPSL.
For further information and advice click on the ‘Contact Us’ button below.
