Abricon Limited Ecology Director Jana Prapotnikova is a Registered Consultant (RC). And can now register low impact sites under Bat Mitigation Class Licence (BMCL).
Aim of Bat Mitigation Class Licence new system (previously known as Bat Low Impact Class Licence – BLICL) is to provide a more efficient and proportionate approach to licensing for bats in certain circumstances. The objective for introducing this license is to provide a more streamlined service for developers that is appropriate to situations where effects on bats can be easily mitigated (but which still require a licence to derogate the law).
Benefits of BMCL
The determination period of a BMCL is 10 working days compared to the individual European Protected Species License (EPSL) for bats which has a determination period of 30 working days.
BMCL streamlined application process results in a significantly faster and therefore cheaper application facility for clients!
Key Features
- RC and register under their BMCL all year round
- Determination period is 10 working days
- You can register a site a minimum of 15 working days and no more than 12 weeks prior to undertaking any licensable works
- Licensable works completed within 6 months
Included in BMCL:
The BMCL permits the disturbance and capture of bats and/or damage/destruction of no more that 3 low conservation significance roosts affecting no more that 3 of the more common species of bats present in low numbers:
- “low conservation significance roosts” include feeding roosts, day and night roosts and transitional/occasional roosts.
- “common species” include common pipistrelle, soprano pipistrelle, brown long-eared, whiskered, Brandt’s, Daubenton’s and Natterer’s bats.
Things To Remember:
- Site survey work must follow BCT survey guidelines and must be up to date; it must be from the “current or most recent optimal season”. May-August being optimal season. For more info on Bat Surveys please click here.
- As with a standard EPS licence, appropriate consents must be in place for the works affecting bats. Therefore you will need to have discharged all related planning conditions.
- As these are low impact situations, there is no expectation for compensation to be provided. However, one feature/box for each species/roost affected would be considered appropriate.
- There is no provision for monitoring with BMCL
- The licence is in the name of the RC and not the developer. Therefore it is the responsibility of the RC to ensure works are carried out correctly. Reporting any problems appropriately. Enforcement will come in for the form of regular compliance checks.
- The BMCL is a personal licence and linked to a Registered Consultant (RC). Therefore any site under BMCL would be in the name of that RC. The RC can retract the BMCL at any time if they deem it to be appropriate.
A call to Abricon for your BMCL needs may actually save you money.
Contact Us Now For Advice And Guidance On Registering Your Sites Under BMCL.