Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) and Ecological Impact Assessments (EcIA) are important parts of the development project planning process. This leaflet outlines the requirements for either and summarises the processes for undertaking an EcIA.
Key Points
- The purpose of an EIA is to determine the potential environmental, social and health effects of a proposed development so that project developers and authorising bodies are informed of the likely consequences before they take decisions.
- An EIA must be completed for projects covered by Part III of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.
- EIAs must conform to the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017.
- An EcIA is a process of identifying, quantifying and evaluating potential effects of development-related or other proposed actions on habitats, species and ecosystems.
- Unlike an EIA, an EcIA is not a statutory requirement, but it might be required by a local authority for projects of any size, type or complexity.
- An EcIA might be used as the ecological chapter of a project EIA, when it must then conform to the relevant EIA regulations.
Completion of an EcIA
Completion of an EcIA can be a lengthy and iterative process, and, despite careful consideration before commencement, its content might require modification as new information and factors come to light or project plans are modified.
The process is most effective when all interested parties in a project understand the process and contribute to its completion.
Elements of an EcIA include:
- Determining the matters to be included in the study.
- Collecting information and describing the ecological conditions in the absence of the proposed project, to inform the assessment of impacts.
- Identifying important ecological features (habitats, species and ecosystems, including ecosystem function and processes) that may be affected, with reference to a geographical context.
- An assessment of whether important ecological features will be subject to impacts and characterisation of these impacts and their effects.
- Incorporating mitigation measures to avoid, reduce and compensate negative ecological impacts and their effects, and the provision of ecological enhancements.
- Assessment of the significance of the residual ecological effects of the project (those remaining after mitigation), including cumulative effects.
- Evaluation of the success of proposed mitigation, compensation and enhancement measures.
- Consideration of the legal and policy framework throughout the EcIA process.
Select the appropriate link to see how we have assisted with EcIAs for development projects at Aberbargoed, Llanharan and Tonyrefail.
JP Ecological Services 