Ecological Impact Assessment (EcIA)

PBA Applied Ecology's team regularly produce Ecological Impact Assessments (EcIAs) for a broad range of projects across the UK. An EcIA typically follows a Preliminary Ecological Appraisal at sites where significant ecological impact is anticipated. The approach that PBA takes is fully compliant with CIEEM's 2019 guidance on EcIAs. We have a strong track record of working in challenging protected sites, such as SSSIs, SACs and SPAs and have extensive experience in producing and ensuring environmental compliance with Appropriate Assessments and Habitat Regulations Assessments (HRAs).

EcIA Process

The iterative approach within the EcIA process allows designs to be developed to reduce the potential to harm the natural world.  PBA Applied Ecology’s experience in delivering EcIAs ensures efficiency in our approach and allows us to deliver appropriate proposals for avoidance, mitigation and compensation. We are well placed to deliver biodiversity net gain and have applied the principle over a number of years for a range of clients.

Our dedicated and thorough staff will undertake an initial project scoping in which relevant data is collected regarding the proposed development, local ecology and all relevant legislation are combined with an extended Phase 1 habitat survey which identifies main habitat types and the potential for the site to support protected and priority habitats and species. Together, this scoping informs the need for additional ecological surveys to assess how the development might impact specific habitats or species.

EcIA Evaluation

Information gathered through scoping and specific ecological surveys enables us to evaluate the importance of the site, its ecological communities and species against published guidelines. This evaluation allows us to accurately assess the potential impacts of the proposed project including cumulative and residual effects which persist after the principles of avoidance, mitigation and compensation have been applied. Through this iterative assessment we are able to inform the final detailed project design and facilitate the implementation of necessary ecological measures within the project. Our team is then able to contribute our findings to the overarching project Environmental Statement required under the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017.

If you have any queries regarding the services your project may require, please contact us.