We provide bird surveys across Kent, covering key areas including Canterbury, Maidstone, Tonbridge & Malling, Ashford, Dover, Folkestone & Hythe, Medway, Swale, Sevenoaks, and Thanet.
Do I need a bird survey for my development in Kent?
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.
Kent’s combination of farmland, orchards, coastal landscapes, chalk grassland and urban fringe woodland supports abundant breeding birds.
A bird survey is a check of an area to see what birds live there or visit. Experts watch, listen, and record birds over time to understand which species are present and if they could be affected by a development. The results help make sure building or land changes don’t harm wildlife and meet planning rules
Planning officers in Kent often expect bird assessments where disturbance is possible.
You may need a bird survey if your project involves:
clearance of hedgerows, blocks of scrub or unmanaged green areas in Canterbury
vegetation management or removal between March-August around Dover and Ashford
works on barns, older properties or bridges used by nesting birds around Folkestone
renovation or conversion of rural buildings or farm structures near Gravesham
brownfield redevelopment or solar installation surrounding Swale or Maidstone
A postcode check can confirm whether your LPA expects bird evidence.
We provide bird surveys across Kent, covering key areas including Canterbury, Maidstone, Tonbridge & Malling, Ashford, Dover, Folkestone & Hythe, Medway, Swale, Sevenoaks, and Thanet.
In Kent, 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 often delayed due to validation queries, additional planning conditions, or seasonal restrictions linked to the breeding bird period. These delays can disrupt project programmes and may lead to avoidable redesign, highlighting the importance of early, targeted nesting bird assessments.
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:
Nesting bird checks (vegetation & structure-based)
Breeding bird surveys (BBS) if required
Barn owl and specialist species assessments
Practical phasing and timing solutions
LPA compliant reporting
Practical next steps for contractors and design teams
We help you plan works, in Kent, safely around the breeding season.
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 Kent? Let’s confirm your site’s requirements and keep your project on track.
Yes. Developments within or close to the Kent Downs National Landscape may require bird surveys where woodland, chalk grassland, hedgerows or farmland could support breeding birds. A survey provides the ecological evidence needed to support planning applications while helping protect sensitive habitats.
Potentially. Vineyards, orchards and agricultural land can provide nesting habitat within field margins, hedgerows and surrounding vegetation. Where development or land use changes could affect these habitats, a bird survey may be required before planning permission is granted.
Yes. Kent’s coastline, estuaries and port environments support a wide range of bird species. Developments near docks, harbours, coastal defences or waterside infrastructure may require ecological assessment to determine whether breeding or feeding birds could be affected.
They can be. Larger residential developments often involve the loss or alteration of hedgerows, grassland, mature trees and scrub that provide nesting opportunities for birds. Bird surveys help identify ecological constraints early, allowing mitigation to be incorporated into the design.
Yes. Highway upgrades, new access roads, rail improvements and junction alterations can affect roadside vegetation, embankments and nearby habitats used by breeding birds. Bird surveys help ensure ecological impacts are properly assessed before construction begins.
Bird surveys provide valuable ecological information during the design process, helping developers understand potential constraints before submitting planning applications. Early surveys can reduce the likelihood of design changes, additional survey requests or programme delays later in the project.
Yes. ProHort prepares bird survey reports using recognised ecological survey methodologies for submission to planning authorities throughout Kent. Planning guidance is available through Kent County Council here:
https://www.kent.gov.uk/environment-waste-and-planning/planning-and-land
Yes. Survey findings may recommend retaining mature trees, native hedgerows, woodland edges or grassland that provide important nesting habitat. Protecting these features can reduce ecological impacts while supporting biodiversity and planning objectives.
Absolutely. Landowners and developers often commission ecological surveys before submitting sites through local plan promotions or strategic land processes. Identifying bird related constraints early provides greater certainty when assessing a site’s development potential.
ProHort provides professional bird surveys throughout Kent for homeowners, developers, architects, planning consultants, landowners and commercial clients. Our experienced ecologists produce clear, planning ready reports with practical recommendations that help developments progress efficiently while protecting nesting birds and supporting successful planning outcomes.
