Badger Surveys in Kent
Do you need a planning-focused badger survey and sett assessment across Kent?
We can offer badger surveys backed by clear guidance, proportionate methods, and practical support to keep your project moving on schedule.
Fast, Clear, Planning-Ready Support
Fast response
Calls answered in 2 rings, emails replied to within the hour.
Free expert advice
Clear guidance before you commit.
Cost-effective
Working in partnership with clients to ensure planning approval first time
Typical 10-day turnaround
Industry Leading Standard
Expert Team
We stay with you from first call through to submission.
Do You Need a Badger Survey in Kent?
Kent’s varied landscape, from rolling chalk downland and ancient woodlands to hedgerow-lined farmland, river valleys, and coastal fringes, offers ideal habitat for badgers. As a result, thorough badger surveying is essential for any development or land management project within the county.
A badger survey assesses an area to determine whether badgers are present, and whether they could be affected by development. Ecologists look for setts, foraging signs, and activity patterns, sometimes using motion cameras or tracking methods, to understand their distribution. The findings help ensure that construction or land changes avoid disturbing badgers and comply with planning regulations.
Certain types of land and habitat across Kent may trigger the need for specialist badger assessment. Typical examples include:
Farmland with established hedgerows in the Maidstone area
Mature woodland edges and traditional coppice close to Canterbury
Pasture, orchards, and lightly wooded fields around Ashford
Green corridors, embankments, and vegetated urban fringes within Medway
Low-lying wet ground, riverbanks, and drainage features near Tonbridge
Large landscaped estates, open parkland, and recreational grounds in the Sevenoaks district
ChatGPT said:
Badgers use many of these habitats, even without visible setts. Early ecological input helps ensure compliance, protects wildlife, and avoids delays.
We support projects across Maidstone, Canterbury, Ashford, Medway, Tonbridge, Sevenoaks, and Dover, as well as surrounding areas.
Why Planning Officers in Kent Request Badger Surveys?
Kent planning authorities require badger survey evidence where setts or suitable habitat are present to ensure development complies with the Protection of Badgers Act 1992 and national planning policy. Without early, proportionate surveys, applications are often delayed by validation queries, additional planning conditions, or seasonal restrictions, which can disrupt site programmes and, in some cases, necessitate redesign.
Local Case Insight
How Badger Assessments Work
Our specialist ecology team carries out a Badger Survey to identify setts, activity, and potential risk. You receive a clear, LPA-ready report detailing any required mitigation and timing measures, helping your project stay on schedule and compliant.
Key Deliverables for projects in Kent:
We produce clear, planning-ready badger assessments that typically include:
Assessing how proposals may affect badger activity
Mapping and classifying setts and recording use
Recommending proportionate mitigation
Providing on-site guidance for contractors
Advising on licensing where required
Our reports are widely accepted by Kent planning authorities, helping projects remain compliant and on schedule.
Step 1
Schedule
Send your site details and programme. We confirm the correct level of survey.
Step 2
Fieldwork
Walkovers, sett assess-ments, camera deployment and activity checks.
Step 3
Reporting
Planning-ready reports with impact assessment, mitigation options and timelines for site teams.
Step 4
Integration with other Surveys
Only if needed. PEA, EIA, and Protected Species surveys
Next Steps
Need a badger survey in Kent? Let’s confirm your site’s requirements and keep your project on track.
FAQ - Badger Surveys in Kent
Who should conduct the badger survey in Kent? Does the ecologist need qualifications?
Yes. Surveys should be carried out by a qualified ecologist with demonstrated experience in badger ecology and survey methods. This ensures compliance with best-practice standards and that findings are accepted by planning authorities.
For planning checks and guidance:
- Kent County Council — https://www.kent.gov.uk/environment-waste-and-planning/planning-and-land/planning-applications
- Maidstone Borough Council — https://maidstone.gov.uk/home/primary-services/planning-and-building/planning/search-for-a-planning-application
- Ashford Borough Council — https://www.ashford.gov.uk/planning-and-development/
- Medway Council — https://www.medway.gov.uk/info/200133/planning
Can badger surveys be carried out at any time of year?
Yes, they can be done throughout the year. However, visibility tends to be better and signs more obvious in seasons when vegetation is less dense (commonly late winter to early spring, or autumn).
What if a sett is found on or near my site in Kent? Does that automatically stop development?
Not necessarily. If a sett (active or likely occupied) lies within the construction footprint or could be disturbed by works, a mitigation strategy is required which may involve buffers, adjusted working methods, or even a licence application. With appropriate mitigation or licensing, development can still proceed.
When is a badger survey required for a development?
A survey is generally needed if the site has suitable badger habitat (woodland, hedgerows, scrub, river corridors, farmland, green-space, etc.) or there are records/historical evidence of badger presence nearby.
