Providing expert advice on wildlife issues across all sectors

Reptile mitigation

If reptiles are present on your site and their habitat is likely to be affected by development, appropriate measures will need to be put in place to allow the development to progress.

We are experts in all aspects of reptile mitigation and can design and implement a mitigation strategy to ensure that your development can progress. Contact us for open and honest advice regarding reptiles and your development.

Reptile mitigation comprises taking measures to avoid killing or injuring reptiles during the development process. This can include trapping and moving reptiles or manipulating their habitat so as to encourage them to move off-site. Our experienced team can work with you to produce a suitable and proportionate reptile mitigation strategy to demonstrate how the killing and injury of reptiles will be avoided during the development process. If necessary, this can be documented for submission to the planning authority.

If either of the two European protected reptile species is confirmed then a development licence (known as a European Protected Species License or “EPSL”) may also need to be gained from the relevant statutory body (e.g. Natural England) once planning consent has been granted. Our team can help guide you through the licensing procedure and design and implement a suitable mitigation strategy.

Note that in most instances the regulators will require repile surveys to have been undertaken before they will approve a mitigation strategy. See our reptile survey page for more information.

Simple avoidance and mitigation measures can be put in place for development affecting slow worms, common lizards or grass snakes.