Environmental Assessment
habitats regulations Assessment (HRA)
Some of Natural Capital’s Strategic Environmental (SEA) work has involved carrying out appropriate assessment reports on behalf of responsible authorities who have designated European sites – Special Protection Areas (SPA) and Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) and also Ramsar sites within their local authority boundaries.
Services:
We offer a comprehensive service for undertaking Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) that includes:
- Scoping the assessment
- Evidence gathering
- Consultation with statutory authorities
- Appraisal process
- Reporting
- Information to Inform Appropriate Assessments
Key Projects:
- Undertaking the AA of the Core Strategy within the Local Development Framework for Blyth Valley Borough Council where there were particular concerns with regard to the Northumbria Coast SPA and Ramsar site.
- the AA of the Core Strategy within the Local Development Framework for Alnwick District Council.
- the AA of the Local Plan for Wansbeck District Council where there were particular concerns with regard to the Northumbria Coast SPA and Ramsar site.
- The AA of key infrastructure interventions within the Tayside and Central Scotland Regional Transport Strategy.
Ecological Surveys and Phase 1 and 2 Habitat Surveys
With its strong background in ecology the Natural Capital team is able to undertake baseline ecological surveys and Phase 1 and 2 habitat surveys as part of wider EIA projects. The team has extensive experience ranging from baseline ecological surveys for major housing and mineral development projects to Phase 1 habitat surveys for STAG 2 appraisals of road infrastructure development.
Services:
The team has expertise that can cover:
- Phase 1 habitat identification;
- habitat mapping;
- botanical surveys;
- preliminary protected species surveys (badgers, otters etc); and
- indications of ornithological interests.
Key Projects:
- Phase 1 Habitat survey and walkover inspection for protected species presence as part of STAG 1 assessment for Steer Davies Gleave of the Oban Development Road. Work involved mapping key habitats and identifying possible presence of protected species including otter and badger.
- Baseline ecological survey work and an ecological impact assessment of a proposed 132kV overhead line linking two windfarms, Earlshaugh and Hearthstanes, to the proposed substation at Moffat. Work commissioned by Environmental Designworks as input to a wider environmental statement for the proposed development.
- Baseline ecological survey work and an ecological impact assessment of the proposed off-line dual carriageway route for the A90 between Balmedie and Tipperty. Detailed studies undertaken as part of the wider environmental impact assessment managed by Natural Capital.
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
The Natural Capital team has many years’ experience of EIA and has worked on all aspects of the process on a wide variety of types of projects, of all scales and sensitivity and under a range of delivery mechanisms.
Services:
- pre-application inquiries;
- screening and scoping;
- option studies;
- environmental assessments;
- contract procurement; and
- delivery of projects on site.
Key Projects
The team has a strong background in ecology and EIA, combined with extensive experience of auditing the delivery of projects on site and monitoring the success of landscaping, biodiversity improvement and other mitigation measures. Recent major projects include:
- the proposed re-location of a fish meal plant from Iceland to Shetland where the proposed site is situated partly within the Sullom Voe SAC;
- environmental advice to Scottish and Southern Energy and Scottish Power for the EIA of a 400kV transmission line between Beauly and Denny.
The team has also gained a good understanding of EIA best practice from this wide-ranging experience and from working with a variety of clients, and also with lawyers for public local inquiries. For example members of the team:
- have worked closely with Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) and Scottish Power as advisors for the access strategy and the construction procedures handbook (CPH) for the proposed Beauly/Denny transmission line;
- have recently been appointed environmental advisors to SSE for the proposed HVDC link from Shetland to mainland Scotland to serve the proposed windfarm developments in Shetland.
The team also has extensive experience in the environmental assessment of renewable proposals for a variety of projects including those in sensitive environments. This ensures that we offer a team with a good understanding of all the key issues and who have PLI experience for infrastructure and other projects. The team has also worked for National Wind Power as an EIA reviewer and advisor, most recently for the Snow Goat Glen and Allt Dearg wind farm proposals. Natural Capital has also undertaken two best practice research studies for SNH – one to examine the role of SNH in the EIA process, and the other to examine the interactions between SNH and developers during the EIA process.
Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA)
One of Natural Capital's core services is undertaking sustainability appraisal (SA) and strategic environmental assessment (SEA) of public sector plans, programmes and strategies. We have already carried out combined SA and SEA for the Local Development Frameworks (Core Strategies) of several local authorities in the North East of England.
Services
Natural Capital is supporting a wide range of public sector bodies through the provision of the following services:
- strategic advice;
- screening of plans, programmes and strategies;
- sustainability appraisal;
- strategic environmental assessment appraisal;
- appropriate assessment; and
- the production of SA and SEA reports.
Key Projects
We are involved in significant SEA work in Scotland with current projects that include:
- undertaking the SEA of two major Regional Transport Strategies (South East of Scotland Regional Transport Partnership – SEStran and Tayside and Central Scotland Regional Transport Partnership –TACTRAN);
- the SEA of the high level Sustainable Development Policy of the national housing agency for Scotland – Communities Scotland; and
- the SEA of the sportscotland Corporate Plan.