We provide invertebrate assessments across Greater Manchester including Manchester, Salford, Bolton, Stockport, Wigan, Leigh, and Hindley, Trafford, Bury, and Rochdale.
Looking for expert invertebrate surveys and habitat assessments in Greater Manchester?
We provide targeted surveys for priority species and habitats, ensuring our reports enable you to achieve planning permission.
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
Industry Leading Standard
We stay with you from first call through to submission.
Greater Manchester’s mix of urban parks, canal networks, post-industrial land, river corridors, and brownfield sites supports unexpectedly rich invertebrate communities.
An invertebrate survey is an assessment of an area to identify which invertebrate species are present. Experts search, observe, and sample habitats over time to determine species diversity, abundance, and conservation importance. The results help ensure that development or land-use changes do not harm invertebrate wildlife and comply with planning and environmental regulations.
You may need an invertebrate survey in Greater Manchester if your project involves:
brownfield land or former industrial sites, such as Salford Quays or former mills in Bolton
wetland edges, ponds, rivers, or ditches, including stretches of the River Irwell and Rochdale Canal
woodland edges or species-rich hedgerows, often present in Heaton Park and the surrounding suburban fringes
grassland, allotments, or scrub, for example in Wythenshawe Park
large-scale landscaping or habitat change, including areas around MediaCityUK, Salford
sites identified during a Preliminary Ecological Appraisal (PEA) as having elevated invertebrate potential, such as Daw Bank, Oldham
A simple postcode check confirms whether your LPA is likely to request invertebrate evidence.
We provide invertebrate assessments across Greater Manchester including Manchester, Salford, Bolton, Stockport, Wigan, Leigh, and Hindley, Trafford, Bury, and Rochdale.
In Greater Manchester, planning authorities may require invertebrate survey evidence where suitable habitat is present to ensure development complies with the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 and national planning policy. Without early, proportionate survey work, planning applications can be delayed due to validation queries, additional conditions, or seasonal restrictions linked to key invertebrate activity periods. These delays can disrupt project programmes and may result in avoidable redesign, highlighting the importance of early, targeted invertebrate assessments.
Our specialist ecology team carries out an Invertebrate Survey to assess species presence, habitat use, and any potential risks. You receive a clear, LPA-ready report outlining practical mitigation and timing recommendations, helping your project remain compliant with wildlife legislation and progress without delay.
A clear, proportionate, planning-ready approach in Greater Manchester which includes:
Habitat assessment and invertebrate potential screening
Specialist invertebrate surveys (targeted species or guilds)
Approved techniques: pitfall trapping, sweep-netting, timed searches
Clear, practical mitigation options
Reporting aligned with Local Planning Authority expectations
Support for BNG strategy, including habitat enhancement recommendations
Our emphasis is always on clarity, proportionate evidence, and minimal project disruption.
Send your site details and programme. We confirm the correct level of survey.
Walkovers or multi-visit surveys depending on your sites potential.
Planning-ready reports with impact assessment, mitigation options and timelines for site teams.
Only if needed. PEA, EIA, and Protected Species surveys
Need an Invertebrate Survey in Greater Manchester? Let’s confirm your site’s requirements and keep your project on track.
Yes. An invertebrate survey may be required where a development site contains habitats that could support notable insects or other invertebrates. In Greater Manchester, this can include brownfield land, canals, railway corridors, riverbanks, wetlands, mature trees, scrub, parks, grassland and unmanaged urban edge habitats.
Urban sites can provide surprisingly valuable habitat, especially where land has been left unmanaged or has developed a mix of bare ground, flowering plants, scrub and damp areas. These conditions can support diverse invertebrate communities, so planning authorities may request survey evidence before determining an application.
An invertebrate survey assesses both the species present and the habitats that support them. Ecologists look at habitat quality, structure, plant diversity, shelter, bare ground, moisture levels and connectivity to nearby green spaces. This helps determine the ecological value of the site and whether mitigation is needed.
Sites with brownfield mosaics, former industrial land, railway embankments, canal edges, river corridors, wetlands, old grassland, woodland edges, mature trees or flower rich vegetation are more likely to require assessment. The need for a survey depends on habitat potential rather than the size of the site.
Most invertebrate surveys are completed between April and September, when insects are most active. Some species are only visible during specific parts of the season, so early planning is important. If the survey window is missed, the planning programme may be delayed until suitable conditions return.
Ecologists select survey methods based on the habitats present and the likely species groups. This may include direct observation, sweep netting, vegetation beating, hand searching, pitfall trapping and habitat condition assessment. The results are then interpreted in a planning focused ecological report.
Often, yes. The purpose of the survey is to identify constraints and provide practical recommendations. This may include retaining key habitats, creating new habitat areas, improving planting schemes, managing grassland differently or incorporating ecological buffers into the design.
Survey requirements depend on the Local Planning Authority responsible for the site. In Greater Manchester, this may include Manchester City Council, Salford City Council, Stockport Council, Trafford Council, Bolton Council, Bury Council, Oldham Council, Rochdale Borough Council, Tameside Council and Wigan Council. Regional information is available through Greater Manchester Combined Authority at https://www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk.
You will receive a clear ecological report setting out the survey methods, habitats assessed, species recorded, ecological significance and recommendations for planning. Where needed, the report may include mitigation, habitat enhancement, management advice and measures to support Biodiversity Net Gain.
ProHort provides professional invertebrate surveys across Greater Manchester for residential, commercial, infrastructure and brownfield redevelopment projects. Our ecologists prepare robust, planning ready reports that help clients understand ecological constraints, satisfy Local Planning Authority requirements and keep projects moving forward.
