Practical guides for ecological desktop studies, species surveys, and environmental data in the UK.
When does a development need a Habitats Regulations Assessment? A guide to HRA screening, appropriate assessment, and European designated sites for UK planners and developers.
Read more →How Japanese knotweed, Himalayan balsam, and giant hogweed affect planning applications. Identification, legal obligations, and treatment options for developers.
Read more →How much do ecology surveys cost in the UK? Full price breakdown for PEA, EcIA, bat, GCN, reptile, water vole, badger, BNG, and more. Updated for 2026.
Read more →What Local Environmental Records Centres (LERCs) are, what a LERC data search costs, how long it takes, and when you can use free alternatives like NBN Atlas.
Read more →How long PEAs, bat surveys, GCN surveys, and other ecological reports remain valid for planning applications in the UK. When you need to update or redo surveys.
Read more →How to do a corridor ecological assessment for linear infrastructure projects. Desktop study methods, survey planning, and constraint mapping for rail, highways, and pipeline routes.
Read more →A practical guide to ecological toolbox talks for ECoW and site managers. What to cover, how to structure them, and a free template approach for construction sites.
Read more →What the 50m Ancient Woodland buffer means for planning applications. How to check for Ancient Woodland, NPPF policy, and what developers need to know.
Read more →How to find statutory designated sites near your development. A practical guide to checking for SSSIs, SACs, SPAs, Ramsar, NNRs and Ancient Woodland.
Read more →A complete guide to Preliminary Ecological Appraisals in the UK. What a PEA involves, when you need one, what it costs, and how to prepare for one.
Read more →A practical comparison of MAGIC Map and NBN Atlas for ecological desktop studies. What each one provides, their limitations, and how to use them together.
Read more →What GCN risk zones mean for your development. How to check your zone, what surveys are required, and how district level licensing works in 2026.
Read more →Complete guide to ecological survey timing in the UK. Optimal and sub-optimal survey periods for bats, GCN, reptiles, dormouse, water vole, badger, otter, birds, and more.
Read more →SSSI Impact Risk Zones explained. What they are, how to check if your development triggers one, and what it means for your planning application.
Read more →Find out if your development needs an ecological survey before applying for planning permission. A simple guide for homeowners, developers, and architects in the UK.
Read more →How much does a bat survey cost in the UK? A breakdown of PRA, emergence survey, and mitigation costs for homeowners and developers in 2026.
Read more →When is nesting bird season in the UK? The law on vegetation clearance, what developers must do, and how to avoid prosecution and planning delays.
Read more →A practical guide to mandatory BNG in England. The 10% requirement, the biodiversity metric, exemptions, and what ecologists need to deliver for planning applications.
Read more →Every free data source for ecological desktop studies in England, Scotland and Wales. MAGIC Map, NBN Atlas, NatureScot, GCN zones and more.
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