The Ecology Partnership

What The Ecology Partnership does

The Ecology Partnership Ltd is an independent UK ecology consultancy headquartered in Leatherhead, Surrey, delivering ecological surveys, impact assessments, protected species work, and Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) services to developers, house builders, infrastructure managers, master planners, and local planning authorities. Founded in 2015 and led by Managing Director Alexia Tamblyn and Director Chris Jennings, the firm operates with a team of ~16 professionals (ecologists, senior ecologists, a principal ecologist, a GIS technician, and administrators) holding CIEEM membership, multiple Natural England protected species licences, and relevant degrees. Its core technology stack is methodological rather than software-based: Phase 1 Habitat Survey (JNCC 2010), National Vegetation Classification, CIEEM 2019 EcIA guidelines, Defra Biodiversity Metric calculations, BREEAM Land Use & Ecology assessments, eDNA testing for great crested newts, and GIS-based habitat mapping via an in-house GIS Technician.

The firm's service portfolio is organised into three pillars: regulatory assessments (PEA, EcIA, EIA, HRA, BREEAM, Expert Witness), protected species surveys (bats, great crested newts, dormice, badgers, reptiles, birds, barn owls, otters/water voles, invertebrates, and other mammals), and Biodiversity Net Gain services (habitat condition assessment, Defra Metric, enhancement plans, and Landscape & Ecological Management Plans), supplemented by Building with Nature advisory work. The business model is project-based professional services: bespoke, quote-based engagements scoped per development or planning requirement, delivered directly by the firm's own ecologists with no intermediary distribution. The firm's geographic footprint originates in the south and south east of England and now extends across England, including infrastructure projects such as solar farms, wind turbines, and transport links. The firm holds CIEEM Registered Practice status, CHAS, SSIP, and Aclaim procurement accreditations, plus Approved Assessor status for Building with Nature, and maintains full Professional Indemnity, Employers Liability, and Public Liability insurance. It is privately held with no external investment or parent company disclosed.

Name

The Ecology Partnership

Legal name

The Ecology Partnership Ltd

Website

https://ecologypartnership.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Ecology Partnership is an independent UK ecology consultancy in Leatherhead, Surrey, delivering ecological surveys, protected species assessments, Biodiversity Net Gain, and planning-related ecological services to developers, house builders, infrastructure managers, and planning authorities across England.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Ecological Consultancy Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Terrestrial Ecology & Habitat Surveys (EUAHAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Ecological Restoration Planning & Monitoring (Habitat, Wetland, Stream) (EUAHAHAF), Nature & Biodiversity Reporting (TNFD, natural capital) (EUAHAJAM)

Keywords

• Ecological consultancy
• Protected species surveys
• Biodiversity net gain
• Habitat regulations assessment
• Ecological impact assessment

Headquarters

HQ city

Leatherhead

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Ecological Consultancy Services: Professional consultancy services for development projects including ecological assessments, protected species surveys, mitigation design, licensing applications, and expert witness services. Revenue generated through project-based fees for services rendered to developers, house builders, infrastructure managers, and planning authorities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Ecology Partnership is an independent ecology consultancy delivering ecological surveys, impact assessments, protected species licences, biodiversity net gain calculations, and expert witness services to support development projects through UK planning and environmental regulation. Its portfolio spans Preliminary Ecological Appraisals, Ecological Impact Assessments, Environmental Impact Assessments, Habitats Regulations Assessments, BREEAM assessments, and a full range of protected species surveys (bats, great crested newts, dormice, badgers, reptiles, birds, barn owls, otters/water voles, invertebrates), complemented by Biodiversity Net Gain services and Building with Nature advisory work.

Product overview

The Ecology Partnership is an independent ecology consultancy offering a portfolio of ecological survey and assessment services across England, with a focus on protected species and biodiversity net gain. The core offering consists of ecological assessments (Preliminary Ecological Appraisal, Ecological Impact Assessment, Environmental Impact Assessment, Habitats Regulations Assessment, BREEAM, and Expert Witness services) that provide the regulatory and planning framework for development projects. These are complemented by specialized protected species survey services covering bats, great crested newts, dormice, badgers, reptiles, birds, barn owls, otters/water voles, terrestrial invertebrates, and other mammals. The company also provides Biodiversity Net Gain services including habitat condition assessment, biodiversity metric calculations, enhancement plans, and Landscape and Ecological Management Plans (LEMP), alongside Building with Nature advisory services. The portfolio is service-based rather than software-based, delivered by a team of CIEEM members with relevant species licences.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Preliminary Ecological Appraisal (PEA) The first stage of site assessment, providing an evaluation of baseline habitat conditions and the potential to support protected species, following Phase 1 Habitat Survey guidelines (JNCC 2010). Used by developers, house builders, and planning applicants as the foundational ecological evidence base for planning applications.
• Ecological Impact Assessment (EcIA) Process of identifying, quantifying, and evaluating potential effects of development or proposed actions on habitats, species, and ecosystems, following CIEEM 2019 guidelines. Used by developers and house builders requiring detailed ecological impact evidence for planning applications.
• Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Procedure providing information on the likely impacts of development projects, with an ecology chapter required to support the Environmental Statement (ES). Used by developers and infrastructure operators seeking consent for EIA-scope schemes.
• Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) Assessment required for projects which may have a significant effect on European sites (SACs, SPAs, Ramsar sites), ensuring compliance with the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017. Used where development proposals could affect internationally designated nature conservation sites.
• BREEAM Assessment Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method covering Land Use and Ecology credits (LE 01-05), including site selection, ecological risk, managing impacts, ecological enhancement, and long-term management. Used by developers pursuing BREEAM certification on new buildings.
• Expert Witness Expert witness and planning appeals services including conference attendance, specialist papers, assessment, cross-examination notes, proofs of evidence, and court proceedings. Used by developers, planning consultants, and legal teams involved in planning appeals and public inquiries.
• Bat Surveys Comprehensive bat surveys including Preliminary Roost Assessment (PRA), dusk emergence and dawn re-entry surveys, transect surveys, hibernation surveys, and remote bat detector surveys with call analysis, including Natural England licensing. Used where bats may be affected by proposed development.
• Great Crested Newt (GCN) Surveys Surveys using Habitat Suitability Index (HSI), environmental DNA (eDNA) testing, bottle trapping, egg searching, torch surveys, and netting, with Natural England licensing and District Level Licence guidance. Used to assess great crested newt presence and inform mitigation design on development sites.
• Dormouse Surveys Dormouse surveys including hazelnut analysis, nest tube surveys, and footprint tunnel surveys between April and November, conducted by licensed survey workers holding Natural England licences. Used where dormice may be affected by development proposals.
• Badger Surveys Survey and mitigation for badger setts including initial walkover surveys, four-week monitoring with motion cameras, footprint sand traps, and Natural England mitigation licence applications. Used where badger setts may be affected by development.
• Reptile Surveys Reptile surveys using artificial refugia between April and September with minimum seven visits, including population estimation and translocation mitigation. Used where reptile populations may be affected by development.
• Bird Surveys Bird surveys including Breeding Bird Survey (British Trust for Ornithology methodology), Farmland Bird Survey (RSPB indicator), and Wintering Bird Survey for SPA functionally linked land. Used where birds may be affected by development proposals.
• Barn Owl Surveys Barn owl surveys under Schedule 1 Wildlife and Countryside Act protection, including nesting site assessment and mitigation with alternative nesting provision. Used where barn owls may be affected by development proposals.
• Otter and Water Vole Surveys Otter surveys including spraint, footprint, feeding remains, slide and holt identification; water vole surveys including latrines, burrows, and displacement/translocation under Natural England licence. Used where otter or water vole populations may be affected by development.
• Terrestrial Invertebrate Surveys Invertebrate surveys using sweep netting, pitfall traps, light traps, and manual searches for development or conservation projects, including protected species such as stag beetle and brown hairstreak. Used where invertebrates may be affected by development proposals.
• Other Mammal Surveys Surveys for priority species such as hedgehog and brown hare, including impact assessments and targeted mitigation strategies for large-scale projects. Used where priority mammal species may be affected by development proposals.
• Habitat Condition Assessment Assessment of habitat condition (poor, moderate, good) using Defra Metric criteria, with digitised proforma included in BNG reports for transparency. Used by developers required to demonstrate Biodiversity Net Gain under planning policy.
• Biodiversity Metric Biodiversity Net Gain calculations using the Defra statutory metric to measure biodiversity units, with all ecologists and senior staff trained in metric use. Used by developers to calculate and demonstrate BNG compliance with planning requirements.
• Ecological Enhancement Plans Ecological Mitigation and Enhancement Plans or Ecological Design Strategies (EDS) detailing ecological mitigation measures, enhancements, bird and bat box specifications, and design strategies. Used by developers and master planners to deliver BNG and ecological design commitments.
• Landscape and Ecological Management Plan (LEMP) Long-term habitat and ecological enhancement management documentation often required by planning authorities under Section 106 agreements and needed for BNG target habitat conditions. Used by developers required to commit to long-term ecological management as part of planning consent.
• Building with Nature Assessment and advisory service using Building with Nature Standards benchmark for green infrastructure quality, providing externally verified awards for development designs meeting Building with Nature principles. Used by developers, master planners, and architects pursuing green infrastructure quality assurance.

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Middlemarch Environmental: Mid-sized UK ecology consultancy offering ecological impact assessments, protected species surveys and BNG services with a strong Midlands/East England presence. Slightly larger than TEP but directly competitive on UK development-planning work.
• Ecus Ltd: UK ecology and environmental consultancy delivering protected species surveys, ecological impact assessments and BNG services across northern England. Directly comparable in service range to TEP, with broader geographic reach as a moderate-sized peer.
• Aspect Ecology: Independent ecology consultancy serving the south and south west of England with similar services: PEA, EcIA, protected species surveys, BNG and arboriculture. Closely comparable size, geographic footprint and service mix to The Ecology Partnership.
• Tyler Grange: Independent UK ecology consultancy offering ecological appraisals, protected species surveys, BNG and arboricultural services. Closely comparable mid-sized UK firm competing for similar residential and infrastructure-planning work.
• Thomson Ecology: Independent UK ecology consultancy providing ecological surveys, environmental impact assessments, water/environment services and ecological contracting. Directly comparable specialist consultancy with national coverage and a similar end-customer base of developers and planners.
• Simlaw Ecology: UK-based independent ecology consultancy providing protected species surveys, ecological impact assessments, BNG services and planning support to developers and LPAs. Direct competitor of comparable size and focus, and a known former employer of TEP ecologist Natasha Wilson.
• E3 Ecology: UK ecology consultancy providing protected species surveys, ecological impact assessments, BREEAM, BNG and arboriculture to developers and housebuilders. Similar service portfolio and customer base to TEP.

Emerging players

• Wildwood Ecology: Smaller UK independent ecology consultancy offering protected species surveys, BNG and planning support across the south of England. Comparable service mix and regional focus to TEP, but at a smaller scale.

Broad incumbents

• AtkinsRéalis (SNC-Lavalin): Global engineering, design and project-management consultancy with a substantial UK environmental and ecology practice. A known former employer of TEP administrator Sue Fox (20 years at Atkins). Competes for the same major UK infrastructure and development EIA/HRA mandates.
• WSP Environment & Planning: Global professional services firm with a large UK ecology, environmental impact assessment and planning practice. Competes for major infrastructure EIA, HRA and strategic planning work where TEP also bids, but as part of a much broader multi-disciplinary portfolio rather than an ecology-specialist.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/EcologySurveys

Compliance10 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Ecology Partnership