Great Crested Newts

Following an extensive drop in the number of great crested newts in this country, they have become a protected species and any injury or harm to the newts themselves or their habitat is an offence. As such, it is necessary to have habitat surveys and, more specifically, great crested newts surveys initially to assess the likelihood of any newts living in the area. If there is a possibility of this then a more in depth survey should be completed to locate the population of great crested newts.

Great Crested Newts Survey

The survey itself consists of several stages including those that need to be completed during breeding months and those during summer months. A delay in having a survey completed can lead to a delay in planning permission and this, in turn, means additional costs added to the development. The planning offices will also require that you can show appropriate steps have been taken and this may include mitigation plans.

Great Crested Newts Protection

Great crested newts need to be protected but development also needs to continue. It is advised that developers and investors have surveys completed before they purchase land. Leaving it until after the fact may add expense and time on to the whole process and it may cause additional problems. A more in depth survey may not only identify any problems but can also provide solutions to help ensure that a planned development project can still go ahead.

Great Crested Newts legal requirements

A survey to identify great crested newts is a legal requirement in most instances of proposed development. These surveys can only be carried out by licensed and accredited individuals and companies, because this too is a legal requirement for the protection of this endangered species. If you are considering buying land for development, at least consider an initial survey before purchase and if you already own land then you should start the survey process as soon as possible to avoid delays in the planning application process.