As a leading multi-disciplinary consultancy, Sweco covers all aspects of environmental impact assessment & analysis for planning, design and consent application workflows across transportation, built environment and critical infrastructure projects. We combine local presence with global expertise to deliver innovative, sustainable transformation and cost-effective solutions.
The process of identifying potential risks to consent – and climate – can be extremely complex. Drawing from Sweco’s vast experience in environmental consultancy and sustainable development, our EIAs not only help our partners reduce the impact of a project on its surroundings with clear and easy-to-implement reports and planning statements, but crucially, uncover opportunities to enhance those surroundings and leave a lasting, nature-positive legacy.
What is an environmental impact assessment?
An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a survey or audit, made up of various ‘chapters’, that identifies the effects a development might have on the environment – taking into consideration factors such as air and water pollution, land use, and biodiversity.
Ultimately, the goal of an EIA is to promote sustainable development and minimise negative impact on the environment. But done well, an EIA will also focus on maximising the potential of existing natural environments to add long-term ‘legacy’ value to a development. A final EIA report – and the resulting mitigation schedule – provides opportunity for public input during application consultation and ensures that environmental considerations are taken into account in the planning and development process. It will in turn provide decision-makers with valuable, actionable data and recommendations that enable planning authority and wider stakeholders to consider consent more thoroughly and holistically.
When is an environmental impact assessment required?
An environmental impact assessment (EIA) is a crucial process that helps to identify and evaluate the potential environmental effects of a proposed project. It is required when a project has any potential to significantly impact the environment. While often focused on limiting negative impact, an EIA can be used to highlight positive outcomes on a scheme’s natural setting.
The purpose of an EIA is to ensure that potential environmental risks are properly considered and addressed before a project is approved. In general, an EIA is required for projects such as large-scale development, resource extraction, or infrastructure construction. However, the specific criteria for when an EIA is required can vary depending on the country and its environmental regulations as well as the sector – for example, transportation EIA requirements differ from those of a water, energy, or built environment EIA.
These regulations apply the amended EU directive “on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment” (usually referred to as the ‘Environmental Impact Assessment Directive’ (PDF, 417KB)) to the planning system in England. All further references in this guidance to regulations are to the 2017 Regulations unless otherwise stated. Subject to certain transitional arrangements set out in regulation 76 of the 2017 Regulations, the 2017 regulations revoke the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2011 (referred to in this guidance as ‘the 2011 Regulations’). Read about the transitional provisions.
The regulations only apply to certain types of development. They can even apply to ‘permitted development’ which is development for which you do not need to get planning permission. They do not apply to development given consent under other regimes, these are subject to separate Environmental Impact Assessment regulations.
At Sweco, we look at EIAs holistically – our expertise across transportation, buildings and infrastructure allows us to align strategies to simplify things for our clients.
Our approach means recommendations won’t contradict each other from chapter to chapter, as they often can when approached in silo, and gives our partners the reassurance that all the right questions have been asked along the way, by the right specialists, to ensure the clearest scope of works is outlined for the best environmental outcomes.
Paul Collins Environmental & Sustainability Technical Director
Integration of EIA with project design team and other professional advisors
Preparation of EIA documentation including EIA reports
Integration of EIA with consenting regimes (e.g. planning, marine licensing, energy consenting)
2. Sustainability Appraisal
Appraisal of policies, plans and programmes
Creation of plans and strategies
Project management of all stages of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA)
Preparation of SEA documentation including SEA environmental reports
BREEAM and CEEQUAL assessments and assurance
Ecosystem services and natural capital evaluation
Sustainable design
3. Development & Site Review
Constraints analysis including GIS applications
Initial environmental review
Environmental and planning advice on-site issues
Feasibility studies
4. Screening & Scoping
Requesting opinions from authorities
Early identification of statutory requirement for EIA
Focussed and efficient EIA through clear scoping
5. Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation
Climate change mitigation through our award-winning approach to carbon and cost reduction, including the implementation of PAS 2080
Ensuring project resilience and adaptability through the co-ordination of climate change projections across all EIA disciplines
6. Consultation (Community Impact, Public Participation)
Management and co-ordination of stakeholder and public consultation with landowners, communities, businesses and schools
Preparation and implementation of consultation and engagement plans to ensure effective dialogue and recording
Our multi-disciplinary, collaborative approach connects the dots in environmental impact assessments. This guarantees clear, actionable recommendations and a streamlined mitigation plan that can be swiftly implemented, providing buildable consents whilst protecting the environment and achieving sustainable project outcomes.
Rebecca McLean Head of Sustainability (Energy, Water & Environment Division)
The importance of an environmental impact assessment report
An environmental impact assessment report is a crucial document that evaluates the potential environmental impacts of a proposed project. It provides a comprehensive analysis of the potential risks and benefits associated with the project, ensuring that all stakeholders are aware of its potential effects on the environment.
This report includes detailed information on the project’s location, design, and potential impacts on the surrounding ecosystem, as well as proposed measures to mitigate any negative effects. By conducting an environmental impact assessment, we can make informed decisions that balance the needs of development with the protection of our environment.
Health assessment – as a standalone deliverable or as part of a wider Environmental Impact Assessment – can make a huge difference. With a growing body of evidence linking people’s surrounding environment to their health and wellbeing, Sweco is in a unique position to assess community impact and use data to design projects that really do create better societies.
Historically, EIAs have taken the form of text-heavy, physical documents that are time-consuming for project teams to compile – but crucially, are even more time-consuming for local communities to read and understand. By digitalising environmental assessments on a live, interactive document that is accessible to all, it is easier to reach a far wider audience who can read and comment on plans, maps and videos, from their smartphones.
With our interactive digital EIAs, citizens and key stakeholders are empowered to access planning applications quickly and easily, creating the conditions for developers to bring forward projects that truly serve the needs of end users. Through the implementation of directive requirements and contributions to associated industry guidance, we continue to be at the forefront of this field. We address climate change mitigation and adaptation at the earliest stages of a project, which enables potentially significant effects to be mitigated.
Digital environmental impact assessments are increasingly important in helping developers to bring forward developments that respond directly to the needs of communities – with the opportunity to switch to paperless digital reporting as part of a wider push for more sustainable processes.
The green transition holds great potential for mitigating the effects of climate change. As more and more countries and industries adopt sustainable practices, we can expect to see a significant decrease in greenhouse gas emissions and a slowing of global warming.
However, it is important that we continue to push for even more ambitious and comprehensive green initiatives across buildings, transportation and infrastructure projects to make a meaningful difference. By working together and prioritising the health of our planet, we can create a more sustainable and resilient future for generations to come.
Together with our clients and the collective knowledge of our 22,000 engineers, consultants and other specialists, we co-create solutions to address urbanisation, capture the power of digitalisation, and make our societies more sustainable. With international multi-disciplinary teams, we can call on the right insight and technical capability at the right time from across Buildings, Infrastructure, Advisory & Planning and Compliance.
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