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Ecological assessments

Environmental Appraisal

Before construction works begins on a project an environmental appraisal of the site and surroundings should be undertaken. While not a legislative requirement, this is considered good practice, and may identify specific ecological risks or opportunities relevant to the site. Appraisals are particularly useful to assist in choosing between construction options as they allow different alternatives to be reviewed quickly and then to be taken forward or rejected as appropriate. Environmental appraisals can also from part of a wider project appraisal process where economic and social considerations are assessed alongside environmental ones (e.g. sustainability appraisals). Ecological assessment of a site can take place at any time, it does not have to relate to a development proposal or a planning application. It can take place on any type or size of site, from a back garden in an urban area to a major infrastructure project cutting across miles of open countryside.

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)

Larger projects or those in more sensitive sites may need a formal EIA, which is carried out as part of the planning application. If planning consent is given to the project the findings from the EIA need to be taken into account during the construction phase. Formal EIA regulations apply to two types of project:

• Schedule 1 projects, for which an EIA is required in every case, for example, construction of motorways.
• Schedule 2 projects, for which EIA is required only if the particular project in question is likely to give rise to significant environmental effects on the environment by virtue of factors such as its nature, size or location, for example, a motorway service area if the development exceeds 0.5 ha.

There is a legal obligation to carry out a formal EIA on major projects that are likely to have significant environmental effects. The assessment should include consideration of effects on:

• Human beings, buildings and man-made features
• Flora, fauna and geology
• Soil and landscape
• Water
• The air and climate
• Other indirect, secondary or cumulative factors associated with the project.

EIA is used to identify the environmental and social impacts of a project prior to decision-making. It aims to predict environmental impacts at an early stage in project planning and design, find ways and means to reduce adverse impacts, shape projects to suit the local environment and present the predictions and options to decision-makers.

By using EIA both environmental and economic benefits can be achieved, such as reduced cost and time of project implementation and design, avoided treatment/clean-up costs and impacts of laws and regulations.

Measures to mitigate for any significant adverse effects have to be identified, in order to avoid, reduce or remedy those effects.

EIA was formally introduced into the UK with the implementation of European Directive 85/337/EEC in July 1988. This has since been amended by European Directive 97/11/EC, which is implemented through the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (England and Wales) Regulations 1999 (which came into force on 14 March 1999), and a series of special regulations related to specific project types. In Northern Ireland it is implemented by the Planning (Assessment of Environmental Effects) Regulations (NI) 1999, and in Scotland by the Environmental Impact Assessment (Scotland) Regulations 1999 .

For more information on EIA’s see Working with wildlife (C587) on the CIRIA website.

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