PEA & EcIA
Expert walkovers and impact assessments to identify constraints early and secure smooth planning consent for your development.
E3 Ecology.
Preliminary Ecological Appraisal (PEA) & Ecological Impact Assessment (EcIA)
A Preliminary Ecological Appraisal (PEA) is most often the first step in ecological assessment of a site. If you have been asked for an ecology survey or walkover, this will usually be what is required. The PEA will help us to identify potential ecological constraints and opportunities associated with your project/development and provide recommendations for further survey work and mitigation requirements.
Once further survey work is completed, a full assessment of the potential impacts of a proposed development can be determined, and appropriate mitigation and compensation measures can be developed. The PEA can then be updated to an Ecological Impact Assessment (EcIA) for the project/development. In some cases, this may be all that is required for a planning application, however it will usually identify potential constraints and allow recommendations for further survey work or mitigation recommendations to be made.
Commissioning a PEA/EcIA for your project at as early a stage as possible is recommended, as this allows us to input into site design, identify key constraints and avoid costly delays by allowing you to plan for additional survey work to be carried out, which can be time constrained depending on the types of survey required.
PEA
A PEA will involve a desk study which includes an assessment of existing information regarding designated sites, habitats and protected species within the site and surrounding area. This will include consultation with the Local Records Centre as needed.
We will also carry out a site visit to map the habitats on site using UKHab classification and to assess the site for the potential presence of protected and otherwise notable species. Following this survey, we will make recommendations for additional survey work required in order for your development to be legally compliant.
Initial feedback will be provided promptly following the survey, followed by a draft ecological report. This report can be updated iteratively with results of additional surveys and the impact assessment and mitigation requirements can be updated as the site design evolves.
Ecological Impact Assessment
An Ecological Impact Assessment (EcIA) typically follows on from a PEA and any relevant additional survey work carried out. It forms a core element of the work undertaken by E3 Ecology and is typically required to fully assess the potential impacts of proposed development works and to allow appropriate mitigation and compensation measures to be developed. This is a key requirement for the majority of planning applications. An assessment of the ecological value of your site will be made and impacts will be considered at the construction and operational phases.
Larger developments may require ecological input into full Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA). E3 have the expertise to assist you at all stages of EIA developments, including input to screening, delivery of survey work and production of ecology chapters of Environmental Statements and technical appendices.
When can surveys be carried out?
The optimal time of year is in the spring and summer to coincide with key botanical growing seasons, however these surveys can be carried out at any time of year.
How Can E3 Ecology Help?
E3 Ecology has extensive experience completing PEAs and EcIAs with projects covering a broad spectrum of development types and scales. This includes projects such as barn conversions, residential developments (ranging from small-scale to large multi-phased), hospital and school developments, golf courses, leisure and retail schemes, mineral extraction and quarry restoration.
If you think you require or have been asked for a PEA, EcIA or another ecology survey, please don’t hesitate to get in touch and we will be happy to help.