Environmental Planning and Impact Assessment

The term ‘environmental impact assessment’ (EIA) describes a procedure that must be followed for certain types of project before they can be given ‘development consent’. The procedure is a means of drawing together, in a systematic way, an assessment of a project’s likely significant environmental effects. This helps to ensure that the importance of the predicted effects, and the scope for reducing them, are properly understood by the public and the relevant competent authority before it makes its decision.

EAME is able to offer a range of services, these include, but are not limited to:

  • Project Management
  • Environmental Statement (ES) Preparation
  • Ecology
  • Air Quality
  • Land Quality
  • Socio‐economic Conditions
  • Waste Management
  • Development Constraints Evaluation
  • Environmental Expert Witness for Planning Inquiries
  • BREEAM Workshops
  • EIA Co‐ordination
  • Environmental Baseline Surveys (Marine & Land)
  • Noise & Vibration
  • Water Quality
  • Sediment Quality
  • Cultural Heritage and Archaeology
  • Hazardous Installations
  • Site Selection Appraisals
  • Sustainability Appraisal
Key Project Experience

Recent key project experience has included:

  • Environmental Baseline Study & Impact Assessment for New Bio-diesel Plant – EAME staff were commissioned by the client to compile an Environmental Statement (ES) in relation to its proposed development of a new bio-diesel manufacturing plant using vegetable oils, animal fats and used cooking oils as feedstock. The site was approximately 2.5ha in area and comprised open grassland used for grazing sheep. The site setting was sensitive, given the proximity of residential housing within 100m and an internationally protected river estuary within 400m, designated due to its importance as a site for wildfowl and wading birds. The EIA established baseline conditions at the site and assessed the potential impact from the development on air quality, noise, visual impact, traffic, ecology, soils, groundwater and the river estuary. Where potential negative impacts were identified, mitigation measures were proposed to reduce the impact on baseline conditions to an acceptable level.
  • EBS, EIA & Remediation of Former Chemical Works Adjacent to an EU Protected Estuary – EAME staff were commissioned to undertake various technical studies as part of an EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) for the redevelopment of commercial land in Widnes, UK.  The development site comprised 150 acres of former industrial land containing a former oil storage facility, unlicensed waste repository, industrial land, former petro-chemical works and former fertiliser works contaminated with a wide range of substances in the shallow and deeper soils, two heavily impacted surface water courses and groundwater bodies.  The site lies immediately adjacent to an EU designated highly sensitive Estuary.
  • Environmental and Social Impact Assessment, Oil Terminal, Iraq – EAME has recently completed an ESIA of a proposed oil terminal adjacent to the Khor Al-Zubair, Southern Iraq. This has involved a comprehensive desktop study, scoping report followed by a series of focused baseline assessments. An Environmental and Social Management and Monitoring Plan was developed based on the findings of the ESIA. Included within the plan were the current environmental and social aspects relevant to the project, an overview of the environmental and social risks associated with its construction and an outline of environmental and social management and mitigation measures and monitoring requirements. EAME was also commissioned to undertake a metocean study as part of the Project. This involves sediment and water sampling, installation of two ADCPs, bottom tracking ADCP transects, long term meteorological measurements and water column profiling.
  • Stakeholder Engagement and Social Impact Assessment, Water Supply Pipeline, Iraq  Stakeholder engagement and social impact assessment for a water supply pipeline passing through several villages and nomadic herder areas. The project was commissioned by an IOC.
  • Environmental and Social Impact Assessment, 100MW Temporary Power Station, Basra, Iraq  EAME has recently completed an ESIA for a gas fired 100MW power station north of Basra. The project included a desk-based study supplemented with field studies involving air, noise and vibration monitoring, soil sampling, a terrestrial ecology survey, an archaeology survey and the collection and analysis of socio-economic data.
  • Sealine Project, Environmental and Social Baseline Survey, Iraq 12-month Environmental and Social Baseline study of an oil pipeline across the Fao Peninsula and off-shore to two oil export terminals.  The pipeline comprises approximately 12km of onshore section and 60KM of off-shore sections. The project mandate required that several seasonal surveys would be required to establish baseline environmental and social conditions prior to construction works being authorised.
  • Land Quality and Waste management chapters for various Energy from Waste Plants, UK  EAME have undertaken numerous land quality and waste management assessments for a number of proposed Energy from Waste Plants across the UK. The assessments have included both Phase I (desk-based) and Phase II (intrusive) investigations.
  • Land Quality and Waste Management chapters for various Housing Schemes, UK  EAME have undertaken numerous land quality and waste management assessments for a number of proposed housing schemes across the UK.
EAME Key Contact

If you require further information or you want to enquire about our range of environmental planning and impact assessment services please contact Michael Sylvester.

michael.sylvester@eame.co.uk