We provide reptile surveys across Surrey, covering key areas including Guildford, Woking, Farnham, Dorking, Reigate, Epsom, Camberley, Godalming, and Haslemere.
Do I need a reptile survey for my development in Surrey?
If your project may affect a reptile habitats, a professional survey is essential — we provide compliant reports to support planning consent.
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Surrey supports some of the UK’s strongest reptile populations, with extensive heathland, woodland edges, commons, grassland, road corridors and brownfield plots.
A reptile survey assesses an area to determine which reptile species are present and whether they could be affected by development. Ecologists search, trap, and record reptiles over time to understand their distribution. The findings help ensure that construction or land changes avoid harming wildlife and comply with planning regulations.
Planning officers in Surrey often require reptile surveys when development could disturb suitable habitats or areas where reptiles may be present.
You may need a reptile survey if your project involves:
grassland, scrub, commons or open green space across Reigate & Banstead, Epsom & Ewell and Mole Valley
brownfield parcels or disused land in Camberley, Staines-upon-Thames, Egham or Chertsey
solar farms, rural housing plots or conversions near Dorking, Haslemere or Cranleigh
A quick postcode check reveals if your site sits within likely reptile habitat.
We provide reptile surveys across Surrey, covering key areas including Guildford, Woking, Farnham, Dorking, Reigate, Epsom, Camberley, Godalming, and Haslemere.
Surrey planning authorities require reptile survey evidence where suitable habitat is present to ensure development complies with the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 and national planning policy. Without early, proportionate evidence, applications are often delayed through validation queries, additional conditions, or seasonal survey requirements that can disrupt project programmes and lead to unnecessary redesign.
Our specialist ecology team carries out a Reptile Survey and confirms presence or risk. You receive a clear, LPA-ready report setting out mitigation and timing controls to keep your project moving.
We provide a clear, proportionate, practical approach which includes:
Assessment of habitat suitability for reptiles
Presence/absence surveys using refugia
Tailored mitigation recommendations
Practical site clearance strategies, where required
Reports prepared for LPA validation
Advice on timing and site preparation
Clear coordination with your design team or contractors
We help you plan works across Surrey safely around reptile habitats, ensuring compliance and keeping your project on schedule.
Send your site details and programme. We confirm the correct level of survey.
Site walkovers, habitat suitability assessments, refugia checks, and activity monitoring for reptiles.
Planning-ready reports with impact assessment, mitigation options and timelines for site teams.
Only if needed. PEA, EIA, and Protected Species surveys
Need a reptile survey in Surrey? Let’s confirm your site’s requirements and keep your project on track.
Potentially, yes. Many Green Belt sites contain habitats that can support reptiles, including rough grassland, heathland, woodland edges and scrub. If a proposed development could disturb these habitats, ecological survey work may be required to support a planning application and demonstrate that protected species have been properly considered.
Yes. Many replacement dwellings, large extensions and high value residential developments are built on generous plots containing mature gardens, paddocks, woodland edges or unmanaged areas. These habitats may support reptiles, meaning ecological surveys are sometimes required before planning permission can be granted.
Yes. Horse paddocks, grazing land and equestrian facilities often include field margins, hedgerows, rough grassland and areas of scrub that provide suitable habitat for reptiles. Even where the grazed areas themselves appear unsuitable, surrounding land may require ecological assessment before development proceeds.
No. Simply having grass on a site does not automatically trigger a reptile survey. An ecologist will assess factors such as habitat quality, connectivity, shelter, management regime and the likelihood of reptiles being present before recommending whether detailed survey work is necessary.
Yes. Reptile surveys are frequently coordinated with Preliminary Ecological Appraisals, Biodiversity Net Gain Assessments, tree surveys, protected species surveys and other planning reports. Coordinating ecological work early can reduce project timescales and simplify the planning process.
Where suitable habitat exists and development could impact reptiles, Local Planning Authorities across Surrey may require reptile survey evidence as part of a planning application. Requirements vary depending on the site’s location and ecological sensitivity. Planning guidance can be found through Surrey County Council and the relevant borough or district council:
Not necessarily. In many cases, practical mitigation measures can be incorporated without significant changes to the overall scheme. Habitat protection, ecological supervision, phased site clearance or habitat creation are often sufficient to allow development to proceed whilst protecting wildlife.
If vegetation has already been removed before ecological surveys were completed, it may become more difficult to determine whether reptiles were previously present. This can sometimes result in additional ecological assessment or precautionary mitigation being recommended. Seeking ecological advice before site clearance is therefore always advisable.
Yes. Providing robust ecological information at the start of the planning process allows potential constraints to be identified early. This helps planners assess applications more efficiently and reduces the likelihood of unexpected ecological requests later in the determination process.
ProHort provides professional reptile surveys for residential, commercial and mixed use developments throughout Surrey. Our experienced ecologists deliver reliable survey work, practical mitigation advice and planning ready reports that help developers, architects, planning consultants and homeowners progress projects with confidence while meeting ecological and planning requirements.
