Ecology

Project Outline

Three Shires Ltd were responsible for Bat & Great Crested Newt Natural England Mitigation Licensing, Destructive Searches, Mitigation, Design, Working at Height, Asbestos, Roof Stripping for permitted refurbishment of a Natural England historical site and building.

The development permitted the refurbishment of a Heritage Castle and extension of its building, incorporating three grade-listed outbuildings, in Warwickshire. All buildings, including the castle, were occupied by multiple roosts (including hibernation, maternity colonies, and day roosts) for common and Soprano pipistrelle, brown long-eared and Myotis species.

The Role of the Three Shires Ltd Ecologist

Our Principal Ecologist functioned as the Lead Ecologist and Accredited Agent and was present for all on-site works during the demolition phase.

The Problem

All buildings, including the castle, were occupied by multiple roosts (including hibernation, maternity colonies, and day roosts) for common and Soprano pipistrelle, brown long-eared and Myotis species.

The Solution

To obtain a European Protected Species Mitigation (EPSM) Licence from Natural England to allow the planned works to proceed, our Bat Ecologist/s designed extensive mitigation measures and agreed with the developer a phased approach to the works.

The Outcome

Roosts were preserved. Where this was not possible, suitable replacement roosts were built into the buildings, the maternity colonies were retained in situ and protected during the works.

A Bat Hibernaculum was designed, which involved leaving an area of a basement closed off and undisturbed to ensure that conditions were cold, at a constant temperature and humidity. Suitable roosting crevices were provided by installing wooden wedge boards.

A bespoke bat loft was built to give a maternity colony of brown long-eared bats a summer roost. This was completed before construction began, replacing a nearby roost that would have been lost during development. Several types of bat boxes were also installed on trees around the site ahead of the work 

The role involved:

• conducting internal roost inspection

• implementing exclusion zones/working distances

• ensuring compliance with the Licence conditions: overseeing & ensuring compliance of the mitigation Bat loft creation and ensured that any Bats found during the demolition works, where our Principal Ecologist supervised all the works, were released safely within the Bat loft.

Daily role:

• implementation of temporary roost exclusion devices across the buildings, working at height either in mobile elevated working platforms (MEWPs) or extensive scaffolding

• supervision of the soft stripping/demolition of roofs of all the buildings, many of which had asbestos present, as such, face kit testing, full head masks and training in the identification of asbestos in various forms.

In addition:

• assisted as an accredited agent under the Great Crested Newt pitfall trapping, and translocation works, inclusive of the destructive hand search work activities

Key Statistics

Industry: Historical Parkland, Castle & Hotel Complex, Warwickshire

Total Contract Value: £35.5 million

Project Key Risk Areas:

• Bat Roosts present

• Asbestos

• Working at Height

• Great Crested Newt presence

• Roof Stripping

Role of Three Shires Principal Ecologist:

• Functioned as the Lead Ecologist and Accredited Agent

• Present for all on-site works during the demolition phase.