Spinney
Bimbleur extraordinaire
- Location
- Back up north
I think there is legislation that requires them to be...
Bats ( winged creatures, not cricket ones.) v cyclists.
- Thread starter i hate hills
- Start date
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fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
Shsssss
Archie_tect
De Skieven Architek... aka Penfold + Horace
- Location
- Northumberland
How did bats survive in the intervening period between evolving to fly and legislation preventing surveys of buildings or demolition during bat roosting season... It truly is a miracle... thank goodness for red tape and ecology reports.
Spinney
Bimbleur extraordinaire
- Location
- Back up north
I take your point - but there is more and more development going on, more new roads cutting across bat flying routes etc, that I think legislation to ensure mitigation is a good idea - even if some developers may have done this anyway, there will always be some who are just looking at getting the highest possible profit no matter what the damage to the environment.
And if you are implying that red tape has gone too far - well I'm not arguing against that either! It's a fine line, and there'll never be agreement between everyone about what/how much legislation/red tape is needed.
I'm guessing they didn't survive quite as well. This link shows pipistrelle population trends back to 1999 and how they're increasing.
Shut Up Legs
Down Under Member
[QUOTE 3042135, member: 45"]Jeff's little brother. Tried to break Hollywood but only manages the odd straight-to-dvd.[/QUOTE]
They're bloody everywhere, aren't they? Worse than the Baldwins!
They're bloody everywhere, aren't they? Worse than the Baldwins!
Archie_tect
De Skieven Architek... aka Penfold + Horace
- Location
- Northumberland
Natural England has taken the legislation too far in that planning applications routinely require detailed ecology reports for very simple planning applications which can cost the applicant £1500 to £3000. This is completely disproportionate and it's crippling the planning process and as a direct result the smaller firms in the construction industry. This isn't about big projects, corporate construction firms and multi-millionaire developers, they all know the rules and can afford to play the game, jumping through all the hoops and employing expensive consultants.
We need to submit an ecology report for bats and great crested newts costing £1400 + VAT for a house extension because neighbours objecting to the application told the planners they had seen bats flying into the existing house within a village in rural County Durham and that there is a pond within 500m of the site which has great crested newts in it.... the application was submitted in October and has been delayed until the ecology survey can investigate the site for bats and evidence of newts which can't be done until the bats have stopped roosting for the winter [ie about now]... if they do find bats anywhere on the house or within the roofspace then they have to apply for a licence to move them so that the bats can be relocated carefully, but at considerable cost as they are quite rightly protected. Depending on the species they may discover that the roofspace can't be used at all.
Now you may feel that that is entirely reasonable but if you wanted to convert the loft space of your small 2 bed terraced house into habitable rooms, say for teenage children to have a room each, or to knock down your old garage to put an extension, so your mum can live with you, on the back of your house that you've lived in for 20 odd years, would you see this as reasonable given that the house or garage or shed wasn't designed to accommodate bats which have found a gap in the structure to get in?
If I had my time again, I'd be an ecology and highways consultant.
Proportion is key, and the balance has swung too far.
We need to submit an ecology report for bats and great crested newts costing £1400 + VAT for a house extension because neighbours objecting to the application told the planners they had seen bats flying into the existing house within a village in rural County Durham and that there is a pond within 500m of the site which has great crested newts in it.... the application was submitted in October and has been delayed until the ecology survey can investigate the site for bats and evidence of newts which can't be done until the bats have stopped roosting for the winter [ie about now]... if they do find bats anywhere on the house or within the roofspace then they have to apply for a licence to move them so that the bats can be relocated carefully, but at considerable cost as they are quite rightly protected. Depending on the species they may discover that the roofspace can't be used at all.
Now you may feel that that is entirely reasonable but if you wanted to convert the loft space of your small 2 bed terraced house into habitable rooms, say for teenage children to have a room each, or to knock down your old garage to put an extension, so your mum can live with you, on the back of your house that you've lived in for 20 odd years, would you see this as reasonable given that the house or garage or shed wasn't designed to accommodate bats which have found a gap in the structure to get in?
If I had my time again, I'd be an ecology and highways consultant.
Proportion is key, and the balance has swung too far.
Spinney
Bimbleur extraordinaire
- Location
- Back up north
The example you give is not reasonable - I agree. There needs to be a balance, as you say. Not sure how we get from where we are to sensible regulations, though.
Archie_tect
De Skieven Architek... aka Penfold + Horace
- Location
- Northumberland
Exactly, I rarely get angry about things, but the unforeseen consequences of hastily conceived legislation make doing things properly a very expensive and drawn-out process... there are already too many people out there who cheat, lie and work in the black economy, getting round legislation by ignoring it.
It makes our lives doubly difficult when we tell someone that they can't do something or they have to pay for yet another survey or report when they see similar work going ahead which somehow 'gets around' the delay and the cost... we are losing work to 'architectural consultants' who don't play by the same rules. Bitter, cynical? You bet I am.
It makes our lives doubly difficult when we tell someone that they can't do something or they have to pay for yet another survey or report when they see similar work going ahead which somehow 'gets around' the delay and the cost... we are losing work to 'architectural consultants' who don't play by the same rules. Bitter, cynical? You bet I am.
summerdays
Cycling in the sun
- Location
- Bristol
Someone I know, their husband carries out bat surveys, but I've no idea if it's well paid, if you are still considering a change of career @Archie_tect. Just paid our architect his fees for getting us through building control application.
welsh dragon
Thanks but no thanks. I think I'll pass.
Has anyone noticed whether or not the numbers of bats are increasing or decreasing? Last year I saw very few bats hunting in my field. I used to enjoy watching the bats at night in the summer flying up and down the field catching bugs and flies on the wing, but last year, there were very few bats. I probably only saw 6 bats all summer.
SatNavSaysStraightOn
Changed hemispheres!
- Location
- ɐᴉlɐɹʇsn∀ 'ɐɹɹǝquɐƆ
no shortage of them here... get plenty of them flying in low in the evenings.
welsh dragon
Thanks but no thanks. I think I'll pass.
Thanks. Must be just here then. Maybe it was because of the weather last year.
annedonnelly
Girl from the North Country
- Location
- Blyth, Northumberland
I did some surveying last year - as a sort of assistant to the lead surveyor. For a vantage point survey they tend to need a few assistants depending on the size of the site. You need to be able to see all around the building.
I was paid £20 per survey for about 1.5 hours work. The lead surveyor was a salaried employee of the ecology company. No doubt some of them are better paid than others, depending on the size and success of the company.
Archie_tect
De Skieven Architek... aka Penfold + Horace
- Location
- Northumberland
No, I wasn't serious about changing my career! Just get fed up with the red tape from time to time... we use Dr Veronica Howard to do bat surveys for us- she's really good,
What are you having built? ...an extension under PD rights?
[Edit SD, to use the title architect your architect has to be registered with ARB... just curious because I come across many people who draw up plans for people who call themselves architects who aren't.]
