Thorough assessments, practical recommendations, defensible outcomes
A thorough Environmental Impact Assessment provides the ecological foundation for major planning applications. We evaluate potential impacts systematically, identifying both direct effects and less obvious indirect consequences that might otherwise be missed.
Our EIA work integrates multiple survey disciplines to build a complete picture of site ecology. We then design mitigation and compensation measures that are proportionate to identified impacts, avoiding both under-provision and unnecessary expense.
Phase 1 Habitat Survey provides the essential baseline for understanding what ecological features exist on a site. Using the standard UK methodology, we systematically map and classify all habitats present, identifying areas of particular value and potential constraints.
Our surveys go beyond simple mapping to include assessment of habitat quality and connectivity. This contextual understanding helps you interpret findings meaningfully and plan subsequent survey work efficiently.
When preliminary assessment indicates potential for protected species, detailed surveys determine presence or likely absence. Our licensed surveyors have extensive experience with bats, great crested newts, badgers, reptiles, breeding birds, and other protected fauna.
We conduct surveys to current best practice standards using appropriate methods for each species. Clear reporting explains findings in terms that planning officers and clients can readily understand, with honest assessment of survey limitations.
Effective habitat management requires understanding both ecological processes and practical realities. We develop management plans that achieve genuine conservation outcomes while remaining implementable within available resources and operational constraints.
Our plans are structured around clear objectives with measurable outcomes. We specify management operations in sufficient detail that they can be carried out by land managers without specialist ecological knowledge, while building in monitoring to track progress.
Biodiversity Net Gain is now a mandatory requirement for most developments in England. We calculate baseline and post-development biodiversity units using the statutory metric, identifying the enhancement needed to achieve the required 10% gain.
Beyond calculation, we help you develop realistic strategies for delivering net gain. This might involve on-site habitat creation, off-site compensation, or statutory biodiversity credits, depending on your site circumstances and commercial requirements.