Expert Witness

When a planning appeal turns on ecology, the Inspector relies on expert evidence to understand what the survey data shows and how legislation and policy apply to it. The Ecology Co-op provides that evidence on protected species, habitats and Biodiversity Net Gain, acting for developers, landowners, local planning authorities, community and environmental groups, and the legal teams who represent them.

Our ecologists carry out surveys and assessments throughout the year, and that fieldwork underpins the opinions we give. It keeps us close to current survey guidance and gives us a realistic sense of what a particular set of data can support, which is often where two ecologists' readings of the same site part company. Whether the data is ours or another consultancy's, we test it against the relevant standards before relying on it, and say plainly where it falls short.

Many protected species surveys can only be carried out at certain times of year, but appeal timetables take no account of the seasons. Involving an ecologist early gives the best chance of identifying gaps in the existing evidence, particularly where it was gathered by another consultancy, and of filling them while the survey window is still open.

An expert's overriding duty is to the inquiry, not to the party that instructs them. In practice, that means giving clients a candid view of the ecological issues from the outset, so they can decide how to proceed before significant costs are committed.