Great crested newts on your development site can sometimes be seen as an inconvenience and a problem. They can cause additional expense and delays to construction programmes as they have specific seasonal constraints. However, if handled the right way they don’t have to be. They can even add value to your development.

Great crested newt licence applications require appropriate long-term mitigation to maintain great crested newt populations on site, including ongoing surveys. Mitigation measures for great crested newts do not have to solely include great crested newt fencing and pitfall traps, they can include long-term enhancements to a development. If included at the masterplanning stage, these mitigation measures can be slotted into a development design. Mitigation measures can include:

• Retention of ponds on site - this will reduce the need for additional pond creation. Ponds can be managed to enhance opportunities
• Retention of suitable habitat, for example woodland and tussocky grassland. These can be managed in the long-term to maintain opportunities for great crested newts, whilst providing recreational opportunities
• Creation of deadwood piles, with the possibility of using material from felled trees on site, to create refuge and hibernacula
• Creation of new habitats, such as woodland planting
• Ongoing great crested newt surveys

Green open spaces and nature conservation areas add to the overall appear of your development, and can improve quality of life. They don’t have to use large areas of the developable land, and they don’t have to cost a lot if planned correctly and incorporated into the masterplan at an early stage.