Do I need a GCN survey?
GCN and other protected species are likely to be impacted by development work, including but not limited to; pond maintenance or infilling, building demolition, changes to land use, wind turbines, removal of trees/hedgerows, and road building or maintenance. GCN surveys become more important where land has favourable features for GCN, such as a waterbody within 500 metres, damp patches or bogs, nearby woodland, hedgerows, trees, unmanaged grass and moss. GCN surveys will likely be needed for changes to ancient woodland, large land with good growth, land with damp mossy areas, land with unmanaged grass, hedgerows or trees, and land close to a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) or local nature reserve. A GCN survey will also be needed if there are historical records of newts on the land or close to the land proposed for development.
