Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a procedure that must be followed for certain types of development before they are granted development consent. The requirement for EIA comes from a European Directive (85/33/EEC as amended by 97/11/EC) and the procedure requires the developer to compile an Environmental Statement (ES) describing the likely significant effects of the development on the environment and proposed mitigation measures. The ES is then circulated to statutory consultation bodies and made available to the public for comment. Its contents, together with any comments, must be taken into account by the competent authority (eg local planning authority) before it may grant consent.

EIA may be required for a project if it is likely to have a significant effect on the environment. In the main this applies to large scale developments but smaller scale projects that are likely to have a significant effect on the will be subject to EIA as well.

Archaeology South East have extensive experience in the management and production of thorough high standard Environmental Statement chapters.

We have been involved in a number of major Environmental Impact Assessments, including the proposed wind farm at Little Cheyne Court, Walland Marsh, Kent, housing schemes for Berkeley Strategic and Countryside Properties and the proposed A24 Horsham-Capel road link, West Sussex / Surrey.

We are able to carry out an integrated cost effective service from seeking scoping opinions from curatorial archaeologists, local planning authority conservation officers and other consultees through to the production of a final ES chapter including recommendations for mitigation. This includes carrying out any fieldwork or surveys required to be undertaken and submitted as part of the ES such as evaluation trenching and geophysical survey.

Contact: Ron Humphrey