Before starting any kind of construction work on an area of land an initial survey must be carried out. The impact a development may have should be considered long before any building gets underway. The environmental effects should be determined within the first stages of planning, in order to encompass and design an area within the build that makes up for the impact you will have. There are several surveys that you may need to carry out prior to starting your development so you can plan accordingly around the needs of the natural world around you.
Arboricultural survey
Arboricultural surveys are important because they provide a detailed report of what trees should be kept on site, whether they pose any risk to a project, and inform developers of any constraints that could be placed on their plans. Any development plans need to account for the presence of trees on or adjacent to the site and appropriately plan ahead. The survey will make recommendations of which trees should be kept in order to stay within guidelines so that planning permission is likely to be given. Head over to https://indigosurveys.co.uk/arboricultural-consultant/ if you need an affordable, detailed arboricultural survey.
Animal survey
You can get survey services that will cover a wide range of protected species, the services on offer range from simple scoping surveys to highly detailed impact assessments. Animal surveys of the area you want to develop in can entail:
- Badger surveys
- Bat surveys
- Bird surveys
- Hazel dormouse surveys
- Great Crested Newt surveys
- Reptile surveys
- Otter surveys
- Water vole surveys
- Notable species surveys
- Mitigation and onsite surveys
Ecological survey
An ecological site survey will assess all areas of your site, and will likely involve any considerations, issues, or problems that have to be addressed from an ecological point of view. The survey looks at the site’s immediate environmental impact on existing habitats and will allow developers to establish the next steps that are needed to ensure the project can continue. Also, developers need to be aware of environmental legislation to make sure they are abiding by the law throughout the development and land planning.
You will require an ecological survey on any site where there is potentially an existing ecosystem or habitat for a protected species. Below are some examples of habitats of protected species, if any of them are found on your proposed development site, you will need an ecological survey.
- Heathland
- Lakes or bodies of water
- Ponds or ditches
- Woodland, scrub, or hedgerow
- Parkland, pasture, or meadow
- Complex tree structures, caves, or cave-like spaces
- Coastal habitats
- Large suburban or rural gardens
- Derelict buildings, farm buildings, or timber frame buildings with access points
Botanical survey
As well as an ecological survey, you might want to consider having a botanical survey done on your site. For any botanical survey, like a species survey, a habitat survey will be completed. This will offer a map of habitats that are present on the site including:
- A list of individual plant species
- Target notes of important features of the site
The second phase might include a national vegetation classification, that will basically highlight and map vegetation using defined plant community types.