Consultation, Scope of Assessment and Methodology

Scoping and Consultation Environmental Assessment Methodology

SCOPING AND CONSULTATION

Scoping is the process of identifying the issues to be addressed during the Environmental Impact Assessment process. This process sets the context for the assessment.

This section discusses the Scoping Opinion and responses received allowing topics to be identified which require consideration. These typically include:

Landscape and Visual Resources
Traffic and Transport
Ecology and Biodiversity
Air Quality
Hydrology and Flood Risk
Historic Environment
Noise and Vibration
Agriculture and Soils
Geology, Hydrogeology and Ground Conditions
Socio-economics and Community Effects
Population and Health
Other Environmental Effects

ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY

Environmental Impact Assessment is a means of identifying and collating information to inform an assessment of the likely significant environmental effects of a development. For each of the key environmental topics, the following have been described:

Methodology/approach to assessment;
description of the existing environmental (baseline) conditions and potential future baseline conditions (in the absence of the Project);
identification of and assessment of the significance of likely effects arising from the Project;
identification of any mitigation measures proposed to avoid, reduce and, if possible, remedy adverse effects; and
assessment of any cumulative effects with other proposed developments planned in the area.

In terms of significance, effects are described using the following scale.

Substantial:

only adverse effects are normally assigned this level. They represent key factors in the decision making process. These effects are generally, but not exclusively, associated with sites or features of international, national or regional importance that are likely to suffer a most damaging impact and loss of resource integrity.

Major:

these beneficial or adverse effects are considered to be very important considerations and are likely to be material in the decision making process.

Moderate:

these beneficial or adverse effects may be important, but are not likely to be key decision making factors. The cumulative effects of such factors may influence decision making if they lead to an increase in the overall adverse effect on a particular resource or receptor.

Minor:

Only adverse effects are normally assigned this level of significance. They represent key factors in the decision-making process with regard to planning consent. These effects are generally, but not exclusively, associated with sites or features of international, national or regional importance that are likely to suffer the most damaging impact and loss of resource integrity;

Negligible:

no effects or those that are beneath levels of perception, within normal bounds of variation or within the margin of forecasting error.

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