The great crested newt and its habitats are protected under legislation, and they’re classified as a European endangered species.
Their presence on or near to a development site will usually require action to mitigate any environmental impact.
As a developer operating in the UK, it’s very likely that you’ll run into the great crested newt sooner or later, as they occupy a range of habitats that are often prime development areas, and are widespread across lowland England.
There’s plenty of advice available for developers concerning licenses and wildlife mitigation plans, and Natural England publishes mitigation guidelines that contain all of the legal information you need to get started.
It will usually be necessary for you to have an ecologist or environmental consultant involved, in order to meet your responsibilities as a developer:
Provide to Local Planning Authorities an accurate assessment of application sites, including surveys for great crested newts if their presence is suspected.
Apply for a license, should mitigation be required.
Provide a sound and objective assessment of the potential impact of the proposed development on great crested newt populations.
Where necessary, designing and undertaking a mitigation scheme that meets planning and licensing requirements, and ensures the long term future of any affected populations.
Where necessary, agreeing with Local Planning Authorities a Section 106 agreement or similar, to ensure continued support for affected populations.
In many cases, monitoring affected populations after project completion.
Once your planning application is approved and you’ve obtained your license, that’s where we come in.
We’re an independent company offering all the hands-on services that you’ll need. Unlike many other providers, we’re not tied to any particular brand or system, so you can be sure of only the most appropriate and cost-effective solution for your project.
With a focus on environmentally friendly practices, our expertise ensures that we can get the job done in the most practical and cost-effective way, whilst ensuring full compliance with all legislation.
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