Mitigation is the process of analysing the impact a development project may have on the surrounding landscape or wildlife. This then allows developers and project managers to take preventive action.
However, in the UK, you must obtain a mitigation licence when activities that are likely to have an impact on a Protected Species cannot be avoided.
What is a Mitigation Licence?
A mitigation licence allows developers, project managers, and other professionals to carry out work that runs the risk of impacting protected species or their habitats. They are awarded by Natural England and were introduced to take into account exceptions to the Wildlife Countryside Act 1981.
What Kind of Work is a Mitigation Licence Required For?
A wide variety of tasks require a mitigation licence. This could include:
- Removing protected species from your land
- Capturing or handling protected species
- Projects that could damage/destroy protected species’ breeding or nesting spaces
- Destroying or removing specific plants
- Construction or demolition work in areas where protected species live
What Are the Different Types of Mitigation Licences?
There are three kinds of mitigation licences, and the licence you apply for can vary depending on the nature of the work and the specific species you are affecting. This includes:
- Project licences
- Low class licences or earned recognition
- Individual/ class licences
It’s important to note that individual/ class licences are not intended for mitigation purposes. Instead, they permit the licence holder to disturb a specific species, but not to damage or destroy its resting or roosting sites. For that, a project licence or a low-impact class licence is required.
You can apply for and obtain a mitigation licence on the UK.gov website. However, you will need to upload supporting documents to your application that outline the risk and the steps that you are taking to prevent damages.
For the most part, this means that you need to complete an ecology survey. These surveys, coupled with protected species surveys, will provide you with valuable insight into the scope of the project and the measures that must be taken to aid conservation efforts and minimise environmental damage. The amount of time that an ecology survey is valid for can vary but, for the most part, this is anywhere between 12-24 months.
Mitigation & Enhancements From Greenlight
At Greenlight, we have worked across a wide variety of projects, all while assisting clients with mitigation measures. This way, you can ensure that all of your processes are above board while also minimising harm to protected species and the surrounding natural landscape. This will provide you with greater peace of mind moving forward.
As we understand that time is of the essence when working on a project of this nature, we work to deliver reports within 2-3 working weeks of the last survey. This ensures that your project timeline remains unaffected and that you have all of the necessary paperwork to hand.
Greenlight offer a comprehensive service to assist with mitigation measures. Get in touch today for help with your next project.
