We provide bird surveys across Berkshire, including Reading, Newbury, Maidenhead, and Slough.
Do I need a bird survey for my development in Berkshire?
If your planning application could affect birds or their habitats, a professional survey is essential — we provide fully compliant reports to secure your consent.
Calls answered in 2 rings, emails replied to within the hour.
Clear guidance before you commit.
Working in partnership with clients to ensure planning approval first time
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We stay with you from first call through to submission.
Berkshire includes river valleys, farmland, woodland, parkland estates, and historic buildings that offer a wide range of nesting and foraging habitats for birds.
A bird survey determines which species are present, their nesting activity, and how proposed works may affect them. Survey results guide planning decisions and help ensure compliance with wildlife legislation. Local authorities across Berkshire often request bird surveys for both rural and urban projects.
Planning officers often require bird surveys where works involve:
development near the River Thames or River Kennet in Reading, Maidenhead, or Newbury
vegetation or tree clearance on rural or semi-rural sites in Wokingham, Bracknell Forest, or West Berkshire
conversion or refurbishment of older farm buildings, historic cottages, or park structures in Ascot, Thatcham, or Cookham
works near woodland edges, hedgerows, or parkland such as Windsor Great Park or Sandhurst Arboretum
projects flagged as having potential nesting bird activity in PEAs across Slough, Wokingham, or Reading
A simple postcode check confirms local requirements.
We provide bird surveys across Berkshire, including Reading, Newbury, Maidenhead, and Slough.
Berkshire planning authorities require bird survey evidence where suitable nesting habitat is present to ensure development complies with the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 and national planning policy. Without early, proportionate survey work, applications are frequently delayed through validation queries, additional conditions, or seasonal restrictions linked to the breeding bird period, all of which can disrupt project programmes and lead to avoidable redesign.
Our specialist ecology team carries out a Bird Survey to assess nesting activity and confirm any risks. You receive a clear, LPA-ready report outlining practical mitigation and timing measures, helping your project remain compliant and progress without delay.
We provide a clear, proportionate, practical approach which includes:
Pre-works nesting bird checks
Full Breeding Bird Surveys where required
Barn, swallow, swift and house martin nesting inspections
Clearance timing advice for rural and semi-rural sites
Practical method statements to prevent disturbance
Reporting aligned with Derbyshire LPAs and the National Park
Clear next steps for designers and contractors
We focus on clarity and practicality — keeping your Berkshire project legal and moving.
Send your site details and programme. We confirm the correct level of survey.
Walkovers, habitat assessments, observations and activity checks.
Planning-ready reports with impact assessment, mitigation options and timelines for site teams.
Only if needed. PEA, EIA, and Protected Species surveys
Need a bird survey in Berkshire? Let’s confirm your site’s requirements and keep your project on track.
They can be. Riverside habitats, mature trees, reedbeds, grassland and waterside vegetation can support nesting and foraging birds. Where development could affect these areas, a bird survey may be required to support the planning application.
Yes. Business parks and commercial campuses often include mature landscaping, ponds, tree belts and grassland margins that can support breeding birds. A survey helps identify ecological constraints before expansion, refurbishment or redevelopment works begin.
Potentially. Berkshire contains large estates, parkland landscapes and mature tree groups that provide valuable nesting habitat. Where proposals affect these features, ecological assessment may be needed before planning permission is granted.
Yes. Sites on the edge of settlements may affect hedgerows, pasture, scrub, mature trees or former agricultural land. A bird survey helps establish whether breeding birds could be impacted and whether mitigation should be included.
Yes. Campus sites often contain established landscaping, courtyards, tree lines, roofs and green spaces that may support nesting birds. A bird survey helps ensure extensions, refurbishments or new buildings are planned with ecological compliance in mind.
Yes. Survey findings can help shape sustainable drainage features, native planting, habitat corridors, retained hedgerows and bird nesting enhancements. This can improve biodiversity value while supporting planning and landscape design objectives.
Yes. ProHort prepares bird survey reports using recognised ecological methods for submission to planning authorities across Berkshire. Local planning information is available through West Berkshire Council here:
https://www.westberks.gov.uk/planning
They can do. Even regularly managed sites such as lawns, landscaped grounds, sports pitches or commercial estates may contain trees, hedgerows, roof features or boundary vegetation used by nesting birds. The need for survey depends on the habitat affected.
Yes. Providing clear ecological evidence before a planning application reaches committee can help address concerns about nesting birds, habitat loss and biodiversity measures. This gives decision makers a clearer understanding of the ecological position.
ProHort provides professional bird surveys across Berkshire for developers, architects, landowners, schools, commercial clients and homeowners. Our ecologists deliver practical, planning ready reports with clear recommendations that help projects progress while protecting nesting birds and meeting ecological planning requirements.
