Natural England exploring new approaches to bat licensing

Natural England has announced that it is beginning work to explore a new, more strategic approach to protected species licensing for bats in England, setting out an initial vision for bat conservation through to 2036.

In a blog published today, Natural England outlines early thinking on how licensing could evolve to better support both nature recovery and sustainable development. The proposals remain at an exploratory stage, with further evidence gathering and stakeholder engagement expected over the coming year.

Key areas under consideration include improving the evidence base through enhanced data collection and habitat suitability modelling, expanding digital licensing systems, and introducing more flexible and proportionate survey requirements.

Natural England is also considering updates to its Earned Recognition approach, alongside potential options for off-site compensation in certain limited circumstances.

The proposed changes are intended to help reduce delays and costs within the planning system, while moving towards a more strategic, landscape-scale approach to bat conservation that better accounts for cumulative impacts.

CIEEM recognises the potential benefits of more strategic approaches to licensing that deliver population-level and landscape-scale outcomes. Improved alignment between licensing and planning processes, alongside better data management and accessibility, could support more effective decision-making and help evaluate the success of compensation measures.

However, as with all such reforms, the detail will be critical. CIEEM emphasises that any move towards reduced survey effort must be underpinned by a robust and transparent evidence base. While habitat suitability modelling may have a role – for example in understanding commuting and foraging behaviour – its application to roost assessment raises significant concerns and must be approached with caution.

Similarly, while off-site compensation mechanisms (such as District Level Licensing for Great Crested Newts) could potentially have a role in very specific scenarios, CIEEM maintains that these approaches should remain the exception rather than the norm. Natural England has assured us that this approach would exclude high-value roost sites.

CIEEM has and will continue to engage with Natural England as proposals are developed. Ensuring that any changes deliver genuine benefits for bats, supported by clear and robust evidence, will be essential.

Further updates are expected as Natural England develops its proposals over the coming months.