Since January 2007, planners in Scotland have been required to look at all planning applications in the light of the European Habitats Directive.

This means that the following must be considered:

• Are any protected species present on the site?
• If they are, what are the potential implications for that species?
• If negative effects are likely, can they be prevented by voluntary changes to plans or by conditions on planning permission?
• In the event that negative effects cannot be prevented, does the proposal satisfy the tests which would make the granting of a licence by the Scottish Government likely?

The effect in practical terms is that planners are likely to require the applicant to commission a protected species survey, in order to provide answers to these questions.

In many cases taking the advice of a consultant ecologist at an early stage can help avoid potential delays in the planning process. Most species have an optimum time of year for surveys, to produce the best results. Early discussions allow this to be taken into account, helping to ensure conclusions and recommendations are acceptable to planners and other agencies.

© David Dodds Ecology (2008)