Ecological Impact Assessment

We undertake Ecological Impact Assessments (EcIA) as an integral part of our work within an award-winning, multidisciplinary consultancy. We can support you through all stages of the Ecological Impact Assessment process.

We tailor our approach according to the nature and scale of the development proposed and the sensitivity of the location. We regularly work on complex schemes in sensitive locations, such as within, or adjacent to, nationally and internationally designated sites.

Working to professional standards

Our reputation for quality of service has been established over a period of more than 40 years.

Our ecologists adhere to the professional standards of the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM) and carry our Ecological Impact Assessments (EcIA) in accordance with CIEEM best practice guidance.
Our assessments are underpinned by robust survey work and a detailed knowledge of development proposals.

We seek to embed mitigation into scheme designs, working to minimise impacts and provide net gains for biodiversity, whilst appreciating commercial needs.

Delivering rigorous, proportionate assessments appropriate for your project needs

Our ecologists are experienced in preparing Ecological Impact Assessments for a wide range of development proposals. The baseline data to inform an EcIA is usually obtained during a Preliminary Ecological Appraisal (PEA).

The output of a PEA can be tailored to your requirements, with consideration given to planning needs. Unless a project has a very low scale impact, then an Ecological Impact Assessment will be required to appropriately assess the likely impacts and effects on sensitive ecological receptors. This is in accordance with CIEEM guidance.

Consultation is an integral part of our work and we pride ourselves on developing close working relationships to facilitate the process.

A full EcIA can be a standalone report. Alternatively, it may be provided as a chapter to an Environmental Statement.

Key contacts

David Harvey

Associate Director

Jamie Farnell

Director

Simon Kale

Managing Director

Aisa Irvine

Senior Professional

We are here to help you

We will use our comprehensive ecological expertise to assist you with the following related services:

Environmental Statement Chapters
Habitats Regulations Assessment

Environmental Statement Chapters

We are experienced in preparing chapters on Ecology and Biodiversity as part of an Environmental Statement. We work in accordance with CIEEM guidelines and the IEMA EIA Quality Mark standard. Our ecologists benefit from working alongside colleagues with extensive experience of Environmental Impact Assessment.

Habitats Regulations Assessment

We have extensive experience of working on developments with the potential to affect internationally designated sites collectively known as Natura 2000 sites. The National Planning Policy Framework also refers to these as ‘habitats sites’. The sites include Special Protection Areas (SPA), Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) and Ramsar sites.

We can provide you with early advice and produce HRA screening and Appropriate Assessment reports. These will ensure that the competent authority, often the Local Planning Authority, has sufficient information to inform their decision.

We have experience with working on proposals that relate to recreational pressure, noise and visual disturbance, habitat loss and air quality effects on the qualifying features of habitats sites.

HRA and EcIA are both required when a plan or project has a likely significant effect on habitats sites.

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