Dormouse Surveys

Clear advice on dormouse surveys, mitigation and licensing for your development.

If your proposals affect hedgerows, woodland or scrub, hazel dormice may need to be considered. Crossman Ecology can help establish the survey requirements, explain the implications for your project and identify practical measures where dormice are present.

Send us your plans and any existing ecology report or council comments. We’ll advise on the next step and provide a clear quotation.

For a free quote, use our enquiry form or call 01761 233414.

When is a dormouse survey needed?

Dormouse surveys may be required where suitable habitat could be affected by development, particularly within the species’ known range. This can include removing scrub, creating an access through a hedgerow or developing land adjoining woodland.

We consider the habitats, their connections to the surrounding landscape, available records and the proposed works. A Preliminary Ecological Appraisal is often the starting point. The absence of local records does not, on its own, establish that dormice are absent.

When can dormouse surveys be carried out?

Dormouse surveys are seasonal and usually require repeated visits. Nest tube surveys take place during the active season, broadly from late April to November. Other methods have their own timing and survey effort requirements, so there is no single programme suitable for every site.

Early advice makes it easier to fit the work into your planning timetable. If you contact us later in the season, we’ll explain whether sufficient evidence can be collected or whether work may need to continue the following year.

How our dormouse surveys work

1. Review the site and agree the approach

We assess the habitat and development proposals and recommend a survey programme appropriate to the site and current guidance.

2. Look for evidence of dormice

Depending on the site, methods may include nest tubes, nest boxes, footprint tunnels or searches for characteristic feeding signs. We select the appropriate method or combination of methods and explain the visit schedule before work starts.

3. Report the findings

We explain the survey results, any limitations, the implications for development and the recommended next steps. If dormice are present, we help you consider how the design and work programme can accommodate them.

What happens if dormice are found?

Finding dormice does not automatically rule out development. We first consider whether impacts can be avoided through the design. Where further measures are needed, we can help develop a mitigation strategy and advise on the licensing process.

Measures may include retaining and connecting habitat, new planting and a carefully planned approach to works. The solution needs to reflect the site and the scale of the impact.

Will I need a dormouse licence?

Not every site with dormice requires a development licence. In England, a Natural England mitigation licence may be needed where works would otherwise breach their legal protection and the impacts cannot be avoided. This is separate from planning permission.

We can advise on whether a licence is likely to be required and help prepare the supporting mitigation proposals. Identifying this early gives your project team a clearer understanding of the steps before construction.

What will I receive?

Our quotation will explain the survey programme and report scope. The report will set out the evidence collected, conclusions and limitations, an assessment of the proposed impacts and practical recommendations. We’ll identify any further mitigation, licensing or monitoring work so that you can plan the next stage.

Frequently asked questions

There is no hazel on the site. Could dormice still be present?

Yes. Hazel dormice can use a range of woodland, hedgerow and scrub habitats. The absence of hazel trees does not rule them out.

Can I clear vegetation before the survey?

Seek advice first. Clearance could harm dormice or their breeding and resting places, and remove the evidence needed to assess your planning application. We can advise on an appropriate sequence of survey and site work.

If no dormice are found, can I proceed?

That depends on whether the survey provides sufficient evidence to support its conclusions and whether other constraints apply. We’ll explain what the findings mean for your proposals, rather than treating a single negative check as proof of absence.

How much does a dormouse survey cost?

The fee depends on the extent and accessibility of the habitat, the survey method, number of visits and reporting requirements. We’ll provide a quotation with the scope clearly explained. If further licensing or implementation work is needed, we can set this out separately.

Plan your dormouse survey with Crossman Ecology

Our approach is practical and focused on your project. We explain what is needed, why it is needed and how the findings can inform your plans.