Project aims/ background:
The owners of the site needed to downsize for health reasons, but lenders would not provide a mortgage on the house for the buyers until the roof had been replaced and insulation was installed to meet current Building Regulations. However a brown long-eared bat breeding roost was present in the loft.
What CEC did/ delivered:
CEC were instructed to carry out a visual survey and provide advice. Using the information from the survey, CEC advised the roof should be replaced outside the bat breeding period, a bat-licensed ecologist should be present during roof removal, the existing bat access points should be retained and the new roof should be underlined with 1F bitumen felt. CEC, the clients and the roofing company worked together to complete the work under this advice.
Outcome for client:
The buyers were provided with a mortgage and the owners were able to sell the property.
Final outcome e.g. on budget, happy client, more space for nature:
The work was completed without breaching the legislation protecting bats and their roosts, avoiding the need for a bat mitigation licence which would have delayed the sale by about a year.
