Protected Species in Barn Conversions

Ecology and Barn Conversions

One thing you may not have considered when planning to convert an agricultural building is the need to consider the impact on protected species.

We share our buildings and spaces with many other animals and with plants, including some which may not spring immediately to mind. Any potential development sites can potentially be home to numerous protected species, and steel-framed sheet clad buildings and historic stone barns are certainly no exception. When considering any planning application, the Council needs to know what species could potentially be on site and the means of protection or mitigation.

What are Protected Species in the UK?

Protected species include bats, badgers, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and certain plants. In preparing a planning application, where protected species are likely to exist; protected species surveys have to be prepared by an ecologist or a recognised expert and submitted as part of a planning application.

These surveys are time sensitive and can only be conducted at the right time of year, depending on the species in question. Great Crested Newts became the poster boy for delay in the planning system because the window for undertaking a Great Crested Newt (GCN) survey is noticeably short. For example, for an eDNA GCN survey the window is mid-April to the middle of June.

This means that if an application is submitted in July but without the required eDNA survey, a decision on the application would be delayed for a year. For many councils, a planning application would not be validated unless accompanied by the survey.

On sites with multiple protected species, surveys have to be done at the right time of year. This needs forward planning and can extend the preparation period for a planning application. This is something our experts are well versed in and can assist you with as part of the planning process.