Badger Activity on Site: What Happens Next

Once signs of badger activity are confirmed on a site, the next stage is working out what kind of sett has been found, how the badgers are using it and what that means for the project timeline. 

Not every sett carries the same weight 

Setts are classified by how they're used rather than simply how many holes they have, and that classification shapes everything that follows. 

A main sett has multiple entrances in regular use and typically serves as a breeding site, which makes it the most sensitive feature on a survey. 

Annex setts sit close to a main sett and are linked to it by well-used paths, while subsidiary setts stand apart with no clear connecting route and see less frequent use. 

Outlier setts are the least active of all - often just one or two holes visited only occasionally. A site with an outlier sett and a site with an active main sett are in very different positions, even though both would show up as "badger presence" on a first walkover. 

Confirming how the sett is used 

Establishing which category a sett falls into and whether several setts on or near a site belong to the same social group takes more than one visit. A walkover survey identifies the physical evidence - entrances, latrines, feeding signs, hair caught on fencing or vegetation, but confirming activity levels usually means returning with camera traps over a three to four week period, sometimes alongside sand and hair traps or bait marking to establish whether setts some distance apart are used by the same group. This is the stage that determines whether a project can proceed with minor precautions or needs a formal licence. 

When a sett needs to move or close 

Any work within 30m of a badger sett may cause disturbance. If works can't avoid this buffer zone, then a mitigation licence will be required from Natural England. If the works within this zone will include excavation or heavy machinery use, it is likely the sett will need to be closed under the licence. In this instance, one-way gates are fitted at every entrance so badgers can leave to forage but can't get back in, alongside anti-dig mesh to stop them simply excavating a new way through. The site is then monitored for a minimum of three weeks, with checks every three days. If a badger digs back in during that period, the clock restarts. The gates will only be closed once the sett has been confirmed empty. Closures can only happen within an open season running roughly from July to November, to keep dependent cubs from being cut off underground. A licence is not normally granted until planning permission is already in place. Note that where an extensive or main sett is found, Natural England will likely require an artificial sett to be built before any works to close the existing sett commence.  

Why this matters for programming a project 

Badger surveys take time and can run for weeks or months depending on the season and the sett's classification. In addition, a sett closure does not always fit into the ’21 day’ window, dependent on how long it takes for badgers to leave the sett and whether they are able to dig back in.  

For the legal background on badger protection and when a survey is required in the first place, see our Badger species guide.