Are the water voles moving to a burrow near you?

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Are the water voles moving to a burrow near you?

14 Mar 2018

Ecology

Environmental Planning

The water vole is fully protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and is a priority conservation species. The water vole survey season begins in April through to September.

Development sites likely to be inhabited by water voles must be surveyed and mitigation projects that require trapping can only be managed by licensed ecologists.

Survey season:		15th April - 30th September
How long to allow for surveys:		At least two months Note: Generally two survey visits are required – one survey visit mid-April/end of June, and one July-September (inclusive) - with at least two months between visits.
Planning risk:		Survey information is required during the planning determination period; failure to provide may result in delays in determination or even refusal.
Construction risk:		The presence of water voles on (or within close proximity to) the Site can cause major delays to works that may impact upon watercourses, or the development programme as a whole. For sites where works qualify, a displacement licence can be used between 15th February - 15th April.
Design risk:		Potential requirement for on-Site mitigation or compensation, impact on developable area and final landscape design. Note: provision of compensatory habitat not adequate for licenced works - significant enhancements are required which requires ecologist input into landscape design early in the programme. Also adequate time allowance necessary for habitat establishment before development can commence.