This month, the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM) formally published their updated ‘Guidelines for Ecological Impact Assessment in the UK and Ireland’, marking 10 years since the first version of the document became available.

Developers will be very familiar with the original Guidelines, which have become a staple in the Environmental Impact Assessment process. The revised Guidelines signal a change of approach for Ecological Impact Assessment, taking account of emerging methods of mitigation and compensation, including off-setting.  Similarly, opportunities for enhancing green infrastructure are now recognised as a way of mitigating effects on nature conservation.  This means a greater range of tools is available to developers seeking sustainable development. They should deliver more focussed chapters, with a greater emphasis on significant effects.  To us, that sounds like a move towards pragmatic, proportionate assessment – a good move by anyone’s book!

LUC has been involved in a number of workshops and conferences relating to the new guidelines and is ready to apply them to your project, ensuring assessment is pragmatic and mitigation measures appropriate and proportionate.  Contact Steve Jackson-Matthews today if you’d like further information on the new guidelines and their application to your project.