The EIA Regulations include certain requirements to the manner in which to conduct an environmental impact assessment. Aditionally, there are a number of documents that describe good practice guidance in environmental impact assessment.
The approach to the EIA should be informed by:
- Statutory requirements, as set out in the EIA Directive and the EIA Regulations 1999.
- Consultation with statutory and non-statutory consultees.
- Current guidance and best practice.
- The specific nature and location of the proposed scheme.
- The qualifications of the EIA team and their professional experience on comparable projects.
Government guidance
An EIA should be undertaken having regard to the following Government guidance documents:
- Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR) (1999) Circular 2/99: Environmental Impact Assessment.
- DETR and the National Assembly for Wales (2000) Environmental Impact Assessment: A Guide To Procedures.
- Preparation of Environmental Statements for Planning Projects that require Environmental Impact Assessment: A Good Practice Guide, DOE, 1995
- Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM), Note on Environmental Impact Assessment Directive for Local Planning Authorities 1999 EIA Regulations, July 2002.
Between June and September 2006 the UK Government consulted on draft updated versions of the above documents. These are being updated to reflect, inter alia, the lessons derived from the large amount of EIA case law that has arisen in the preceding six or seven years, and also the ongoing development of EIA as a professional discipline. Although it is acknowledged that they are in draft form, the following documents have nevertheless been reviewed and lessons drawn where appropriate:
- Department for Communities and Local Government (2006) Amended Circular on Environmental Impact Assessment. A Consultation Paper.
- Department for Communities and Local Government (2006) Environmental Impact Assessment: A guide to good practice and procedures. A Consultation Paper.
Design and environmental interface
Environmental issues have influenced the development of the scheme in that they have been incorporated from the outset of the design process and have been considered as part of decision-making. This was achieved through a co-ordinated relationship between project design, EIA and project management. EIA is intended to be an iterative process rather than an assessment of end state. Applied in this way there is a much greater opportunity for environmental effects to be reduced or eliminated through changes to design rather than by means of offsetting or compensating. Where the EIA process has influenced the design decisions this is reported within the relevant environmental assessment chapter.
Baseline condition and assessment of effects
The EIA has considered the likely environmental effects of the proposed development based upon current knowledge of the site and the surrounding environment. Following the findings of various studies contributing to the EIA, ways of avoiding, reducing or offsetting any potential significant adverse effects (collectively known as ‘mitigation measures’) have been identified.
An EIA should consider both positive and negative impacts during both the construction phase of the development and once it is completed. In accordance with the legislative requirements, direct, indirect, secondary and cumulative; short, medium and long term; permanent and temporary; and positive and negative effects have been addressed where applicable.