A PEA can be done at any time of year, this is the bare minimum for a planning application. If the PEA states that further reports are required then the council may refuse the application but at least you can show the enforcement team that you are trying. If you then need to reapply when the surveys are complete then providing that is within 12 months you get a free-go.On the ecology survey saga, I've been told by the eco company that anything carried out now would be invalid for the LPA's purposes and that I should book between May-September next year... which throws up all sorts of problems as the LPA probably won't consider the application(s) without it... What a mess! Dx
Get a PEA done and get your application in. Worry about the rest as and when it comes up.