Badger Surveys by Licensed Ecologists

Appletons provides professional, fully compliant badger surveys to support planning applications, ecological assessments, and development projects throughout the North West and beyond. Our experienced in-house ecologists deliver robust, planning-ready reports to ensure your project remains legally compliant and progresses without unnecessary delay.

Badgers and their setts are strictly protected under UK law. Local planning authorities frequently require a badger survey where development may impact suitable habitat or existing sett structures. Our team provides reliable field surveys, detailed reporting, and practical mitigation advice to help clients meet legislative requirements and planning conditions.

When is a Badger Survey Required?

A badger survey may be required where a proposed development site contains habitat suitable for badgers or shows evidence of activity. Planning authorities will often request a survey before determining an application.

• Woodland, scrub, or rough grassland
• Hedgerows and field margins with visible pathways
• Sites with evidence of latrines, foraging signs, or digging
• Development near known or suspected badger setts
• Groundworks, excavation, or infrastructure projects
• Land clearance or habitat removal

If your site includes any of the above features, a badger survey will help confirm the presence or absence of activity and determine whether mitigation or licensing is required.

Our Specialist Badger Survey Services

Appletons offers a comprehensive range of badger survey and mitigation services to support residential, commercial, infrastructure, and land development projects.

• Badger Activity Surveys – Identification of tracks, latrines, foraging signs, and sett entrances
• Badger Sett Surveys – Classification of main, subsidiary, annex, or outlier setts
• Sett Monitoring – Ongoing observation to determine active, inactive, or breeding status
• Mitigation Design – Development of exclusion zones, protection fencing, and working method statements
• Badger Sett Creation – Design and installation of artificial setts where required
• Natural England Licence Support – Preparation and submission of licence applications where disturbance is unavoidable
• Ecological Clerk of Works (ECoW) – On-site supervision during construction to ensure compliance

Each survey is accompanied by a detailed report including mapping, photographic evidence, activity assessment, and clear mitigation recommendations suitable for planning submission.

What Happens if a Badger Sett is Found?

If an active sett is identified within or close to your development site, this does not necessarily prevent development. However, it does require careful assessment and, in some cases, licensing.

Depending on the situation, measures may include:

• Establishing exclusion zones
• Adjusting site layout to retain setts
• Installing protective fencing
• Timing works to avoid breeding season
• Applying for a Natural England licence
• Creating artificial replacement setts

Our ecologists guide you through the process to ensure compliance with the Protection of Badgers Act 1992 and planning policy.

Legal Protection for Badgers

Badgers and their setts are fully protected under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992.

It is a criminal offence to:

• Kill, injure, or take a badger
• Damage, destroy, or obstruct access to a badger sett
• Disturb a badger while occupying a sett

Failure to carry out an appropriate badger survey, or to obtain a required licence, can result in planning refusal, fines, enforcement action, or costly project delays.

Appletons ensures all surveys, mitigation measures, and reporting comply fully with UK wildlife legislation and Natural England guidance.

Badger Surveys Across the North West – Choose Your Area

We are creating dedicated landing pages for badger surveys across the North West to help homeowners, developers, and planning consultants find the right information for their location.

• Badger Surveys in Bolton

• Badger Surveys in Wigan

If you are unsure whether you require a badger activity survey, sett monitoring, or licence support, contact our team and we will advise on the appropriate survey approach and optimal timing.