Frequently Asked Questions

Which areas do you cover?

Scotland and England. Choose the country your site is in, draw your polygon and the system queries that country's national databases and applies its own legislation. A site crossing the border should be split and run as two studies. Wales is not covered yet.

Do I need an ecology survey for planning permission?

Possibly. Protected species are a material consideration in planning in both Scotland and England, so if there's a reasonable chance one is present on or near your site, the planning authority can require an ecological survey (a Phase 1 survey / Preliminary Ecological Appraisal) before they'll decide your application. The fastest way to gauge your risk is to check whether protected-species records already exist for your site. Our free preview shows you exactly that in minutes — draw your site and see what's recorded, with no signup or card. For Scottish sites, read our full guide.

Do I need a bat survey before I can get planning permission?

Bats are a European Protected Species, so if your project affects buildings, trees or structures they might use, the council can ask for a bat survey. Bat surveys are seasonal and can delay a project by months if discovered late, so it's worth knowing early. Our free preview flags whether protected-species records (including bats) exist around your site so you can plan and budget before you commit.

What is a Phase 1 desktop study (or desk study)?

A Phase 1 desktop study is a review of existing, published data about a site — its ecology, geology, history, contamination risk, mining, designated sites and more — to identify environmental constraints before any ground or on-site work. It's the standard first step in assessing a site. EnviroTech produces an instant version of this screening for any site in Scotland or England: free preview, £199.99 for the full written report.

How much does an environmental desktop study cost?

Traditional consultancies typically charge between £565 and £800+VAT for a Phase 1 desk study, and take one to six working days. EnviroTech gives you an instant free preview and a full report for a one-off £199.99 — so you can understand your site's constraints today, and only commission a more expensive formal survey if your screening shows you actually need one.

How much does an ecology survey cost?

A formal Preliminary Ecological Appraisal by a chartered ecologist usually runs into the hundreds or thousands of pounds depending on site size and what's found. Before paying for that, it makes sense to screen your site for £199.99 (or check the free preview first) to see whether protected species are even likely to be an issue — it could save you commissioning a survey you don't need, or help you budget for one you do.

What should I check before buying a plot of land?

Beyond planning history, access and services, the things that catch buyers out are environmental constraints: protected species, designated sites (SSSI, SAC, SPA), ancient woodland, contaminated land, former mining and coal risk, watercourses and flood features plus archaeology or scheduled monuments. Any of these can add cost or make a site undevelopable. You can screen any site in Scotland or England for all of these before you buy — free preview, full report £199.99.

Is this site contaminated, or in a former mining area?

Our report checks the contaminated land records available for each country (the Scottish local authority register via Spatial Hub, and the Environment Agency's historic landfill records in England) and the Mining Remediation Authority's coal mining data, important across central Scotland and England's former coalfields. The free preview shows you whether records exist; the full report gives the detail.

What's the difference between a Phase 1 and a Phase 2 survey?

A Phase 1 study is the initial assessment — largely desk-based, identifying potential constraints and risks. A Phase 2 survey only happens if Phase 1 flags something that needs closer, often on-site, investigation (e.g. detailed species surveys or ground sampling). EnviroTech's screening sits at the very start of this process: it tells you, cheaply and instantly, what's likely to need a closer look.

Is EnviroTech's report a substitute for a full Phase 1 habitat survey?

No, and we're upfront about that. It's a desktop screening built from authoritative published data — an excellent, low-cost first step to understand your site's constraints and scope further work. It doesn't replace a professional Phase 1 habitat survey, an on-site walkover or specialist assessment by a chartered ecologist. Think of it as the thing you do before you spend money on those.

Where does your data come from?

Every report is built from live queries to authoritative sources. UK-wide: NBN Atlas, the British Geological Survey, Ordnance Survey and the Mining Remediation Authority. Scotland: NatureScot, Scottish Forestry, Historic Environment Scotland, Canmore and the James Hutton Institute. England: Natural England, the Environment Agency and Historic England. The data reflects the latest available records at the moment your report is generated.

How quickly do I get my report?

Instantly. You draw your site, our system queries the databases in real time, and you see a free preview immediately. If you purchase, the full report (HTML plus a branded Word document) is available straight away — no waiting days like traditional consultancies.

Do I have to sign up or enter card details to see anything?

No. Drawing your site, running the query and viewing the constraint preview are completely free, with no signup and no card. You only pay £199.99 if you choose to unlock the full report for that site.

What exactly do I get for £199.99?

A full environmental desktop study across all 10 domains, as an interactive HTML report with maps and data overlays, plus a branded Word document (.docx) ready to share with a client. It includes an executive summary, constraint levels, species breakdowns and recommended next surveys.

Can I use this for a development or planning application?

It's an ideal first step for understanding and scoping a site, and the Word report is client-ready. For the formal submission itself, planning authorities will usually still require professional surveys where constraints are present — our screening tells you which ones are likely to apply, so you go in informed and avoid surprises.

I'm an environmental consultancy — can I use this for my own projects?

Yes. We offer a white-label B2B platform covering Scotland and England, where reports carry your branding, with team accounts and unlimited reports on a flat subscription. It automates the desktop-study stage that begins every project. Get in touch via info@envirotechuk.com.

How is AI used in the report?

AI is used only to summarise and describe findings in plain language — for example the landscape description and executive summary. The underlying constraint data always comes from the authoritative databases, never from the AI.