Scott Cawley

What Scott Cawley does

Scott Cawley Ltd is an Ireland-based ecological consultancy founded in 2002 by Aebhín Cawley, providing survey, impact assessment, and advisory services to public and private sector clients engaged in planning and development. The firm operates across the full lifecycle of ecological due diligence, including habitat and botanical surveys (Phase 1, NVC classification), specialist bat surveys (ultrasonic detection, radiotracking, telemetry, acoustic lure), terrestrial mammal, amphibian, reptile, bird, invertebrate, and freshwater surveys, plus ecological due diligence for pre-acquisition planning. Its work is anchored in deep expertise in Appropriate Assessment under the EU Habitats Directive, with over 500 screening statements prepared for Section 261a quarries and a regulatory reputation built through director participation in International Workshops for AA Practitioners.

The firm's technology stack is built on established field survey methodologies rather than software platforms, leveraging GIS-based habitat mapping (ArcGIS, AutoCAD, Mapinfo), ultrasonic detection and acoustic monitoring for bats, electrofishing for freshwater species, and licensing for protected species exclusion work. Specialist services include Ecological Impact Assessment (EcIA) and EIA ecology chapters, BREEAM certification (LE2-LE6 credits), Appropriate Assessment (AA Screening, Natura Impact Statements, Natura Impact Reports), mitigation and monitoring (including Ecological Clerks of Works), expert witness services for planning appeals, and structured training programmes. The team comprises approximately twenty ecologists with CIEEM membership and post-graduate qualifications, led by Managing Director Aebhín Cawley, Technical Director Andrew Speer, and Operations Director Ashling Cronin.

Scott Cawley operates a project-based professional services revenue model with quote-based fees, distributed through direct client engagement ([email protected]), inbound via the company website, and reputation-driven referrals from Irish local authorities, An Bord Pleanála, the EPA, Eirgrid, and enterprise clients in data centres, brewing, and manufacturing. Customer segments are led by the planning and development sector, with secondary exposure to local authorities/government training and ESG-focused organisations seeking nature-positive advisory. On April 7, 2025, Scott Cawley was acquired by Origin Enterprises, becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary operating within an environmental services platform exceeding 270 professionals; all three directors remain in place post-acquisition.

Name

Scott Cawley

Legal name

Scott Cawley Limited

Website

https://www.scottcawley.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Scott Cawley is Ireland's market-leading ecological consultancy, providing survey, impact assessment, Appropriate Assessment, BREEAM, and expert witness services to public and private sector planning and development clients; founded in 2002 and acquired by Origin Enterprises in April 2025.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Ecological Consulting Services

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (54162)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainability & ESG Consulting (BPAHACAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Nature & Biodiversity Reporting (TNFD, natural capital) (EUAHAJAM)

Keywords

• Ecological consultancy services
• Habitat impact assessment
• Protected species surveys
• Appropriate assessment consulting
• Biodiversity advisory services

Headquarters

HQ city

Dublin

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Ecological Consultancy Services: Professional consulting services including ecological surveys, impact assessments, Appropriate Assessment, mitigation and monitoring, expert witness services, and training. Revenue generated through project-based fees for services to public and private sector clients in planning and development sectors.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Scott Cawley Ltd is Ireland's market-leading ecological consultancy providing integrated ecological survey and impact assessment services to the planning and development-related sectors. The firm delivers habitat, botanical, bat, mammal, amphibian, reptile, bird, invertebrate, and freshwater surveys; ecological impact assessments (EcIA and EIA ecology chapters); Appropriate Assessment under the EU Habitats Directive; mitigation, monitoring and habitat compensation; planning appeals support and expert witness services; BREEAM assessments; and training programmes for public authorities, developers, architects, banks, and investors.

Product overview

Scott Cawley Ltd operates as Ireland's market-leading ecological consultancy providing a comprehensive suite of integrated ecological survey and impact assessment services to the planning and development sectors. Founded over 20 years ago, the company offers services across multiple interconnected categories: Ecological Surveys (including habitat, botanical, bat, mammal, amphibian, reptile, bird, invertebrate, and freshwater surveys), Ecological Impact Assessment (EcIA and EIA ecology chapters), Appropriate Assessment under the EU Habitats Directive, Mitigation and Monitoring, and Training Services. The company recently became part of Origin Enterprises, expanding its environmental services portfolio and team to over 270 professionals. Scott Cawley advises both public and private sector clients on biodiversity protection and nature-positive planning aligned with ESG strategies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ecological Surveys Comprehensive suite of ecological survey services covering habitats, flora, fauna, and protected species to establish baseline environmental conditions for development and planning projects across Ireland, with sub-services covering habitats and botany, bats, terrestrial mammals, amphibians and reptiles, birds, invertebrates, freshwater species, and ecological due diligence.
• Habitat and Botanical Surveys

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 500 AA screening statements prepared for Section 261a quarries in Counties Meath and Kildare
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Jacobs: Global environmental and infrastructure consultancy with Ireland operations offering ecological and EIA services for major projects, often as part of broader programme delivery.
• AECOM: Global environmental and engineering consultancy competing for Irish infrastructure and development work that includes ecological surveys, EIA and AA — bundled into large multi-disciplinary bids.
• Mott MacDonald: Global engineering, environmental and development consultancy with Ireland presence providing EIA, AA and ecology services alongside broader infrastructure design and advisory.
• WSP: Global professional services firm with a major Ireland presence offering ecological impact assessment, AA, and environmental permitting as part of a much wider infrastructure and environment portfolio.
• AtkinsRéalis: Global design, engineering and project management consultancy with Ireland operations providing ecological impact assessment, AA and environmental services as part of multi-disciplinary infrastructure bids.
• ERM (Environmental Resources Management): Global environmental and sustainability consultancy with biodiversity advisory capabilities, including TNFD and nature-related disclosure work that overlaps with Scott Cawley's emerging ESG/biodiversity practice.

Direct peers

• SLR Consulting: Global environmental and ecological consultancy with established Ireland operations providing EIA, AA, ecology and biodiversity services comparable to Scott Cawley's core offering.
• RPS Group: Irish-origin environmental and planning consultancy with strong AA, ecological impact assessment and infrastructure permitting capabilities. Competes head-to-head with Scott Cawley on major Irish development projects.
• Fehily Timoney & Company: Irish environmental, ecological and engineering consultancy delivering EIAR, AA, ecological surveys and planning support. Provides direct overlap with Scott Cawley's planning-and-development service line.
• McCarthy Keville O'Sullivan (MKO): Ireland-based ecological consultancy offering comparable ecological surveys, AA, impact assessment and planning-related ecology services to public and private sector clients. The closest domestic specialist competitor to Scott Cawley.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCszZILMMa052NWcozqj6HaQ/feed
• Facebookfacebook.com/scott.cawley.79
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/scott-cawley-ltd
• Xx.com/scottcawleyecol

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Scott Cawley