Rachel Hacking Ecology was commissioned in 2019 to undertaken a suite of ecological surveys at the historic Weir Mill site in central Stockport.

Situated adjacent to (and slightly underneath) the Stockport Viaduct, the site is a Grade II listed former mill complex.

The surveys included various bat surveys, including a preliminary roost assessment and dusk emergence surveys. In addition, a Mobile Elevated Working Platform (MEWP) was also used to search the window arches and brickwork cavities for evidence of bat roosts.

Furthermore, the ancient sluice tunnels running directly underneath the mill building were accessed via aerial descent and canoe, to assess the viability of the tunnels to offer suitable bat roosting habitat.

While surveying the tunnels, we also recorded a sighting of an Otter, which was using one of the tunnels to forage.