Scope of Services
MWH can deliver the following range of EIA services:
- Agricultural studies
- Archaeological and cultural heritage studies
- Ecology and nature conservation studies
- Environmental water quality studies
- Freshwater and marine ecology
- Hydrology and hydrogeology
- Landscape and visual impact assessment
- Noise, dust and air quality studies
- Socio-economics and social impact assessments
- Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA)
- Traffic and transport studies/impact assessment
MWH can undertake all aspects of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) from advising on whether an EIA is required, though undertaking and managing an EIA directly, to consultation, reporting and decision making. In undertaking an EIA MWH would, for each environmental issue, typically:
- Undertake a scoping exercise to identify key issues and constraints in relation to a development
- Consult statutory authorities and relevant public bodies to seek stakeholders’ views and opinions on a proposed development
- Identify the baseline environmental conditions on a development site through a process of desk study, literature review and site walkover
- Characterise the environmental impacts (including benefits) of a proposed development
- Propose mitigating measures to alleviate the negative impacts of a proposed development
- Report on the above in the form of an environmental statement and further consultations as required
MWH’s philosophy is to develop solutions through teamwork, and a high degree of collaboration exists between the engineering and environmental teams in order to develop environmentally sensitive and cost effective solutions. Thus, environmental assessment is viewed as a process that can result in direct benefits to a project, and not merely as a consenting issue. The understanding that exists between the environmental and engineering staff is particularly useful where Environmental Statements need to be prepared on the basis of generic engineering designs for Build-Own-Operate projects.
MWH’s can also advise on:
- Permitted Development Rights and new EIA Regulations
- EIA Screening Opinions
- SEA
A full planning service from initial consultations and presentations, through to preparation of Planning Applications and Drawings is available. We also provide expert witnesses for public inquiries.
Requirements of the European Directive 1997/11/EC
MWH recognises that EIA is a procedure that must be followed for certain types of development before they are granted development consent. The requirement for EIA comes from a European Directive (85/33/EEC as amended by 97/11/EC). The procedure requires the developer to compile an Environmental Statement (ES) describing the likely significant effects of the development on the environment and proposed mitigation measures. The ES must be circulated to statutory consultation bodies and made available to the public for comment. Its contents, together with any comments, must be taken into account by the competent authority (e.g. local planning authority) before it may grant consent.
The MWH Approach and Team
Environmental Impact Assessments will be completed by an experienced team of consultants drawn from MWH’s offices in High Wycombe and Warrington, lead by MWH’s Jacquie Critchley. Jacquie is a Chartered Town Planner with 20 years experience in planning and environmental assessment. The team will be structured so that where site visits are required the staff from the nearest MWH office are used enabling cost savings to be made to the customer in terms of mobilisation.
All projects will be managed in accordance MWH’s Product Delivery System, which includes both MWH’s quality assurance and environmental management procedures.
For Further Information please click below:
