Environmental and social impact assessment

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Greenwich Consulting provides a diverse range of services to assist clients who need to undertake an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) in support of a specific development, or a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of a larger scale concept or planning policy. The level of support we can offer ranges from individual technical sections through to complete management of the SEA / ESIA and the associated planning process

Environmental and Social Impact Assessment is a process used to assess the environmental and socio-economic consequences (which can be positive as well as negative) of a project and provides information to decision makers and stakeholders prior to deciding whether or not to permit a project.

Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEAs) are prepared to ensure that environmental, socio-economic and sustainability aspects are considered effectively in policy, plan and programme making.

Many of the staff managing the ESIA process, and the technical experts contributing to the assessment also have Expert Witness experience.

How can Greenwich Consulting Help - Clients are typically developers or industrial clients, but we  also provide pragmatic reviews of ESIA work to regulators and other interested parties. We can manage and deliver an entire ESIA project from concept, pre-feasibility through to feasibility using experienced ESIA project managers and its teams of technical specialists; or our technical experts can provide input on one or more discrete ESIA topics. We also have key staff that are able to provide technical peer review as may be required for the more contentious projects to ensure that the assessment is robust and thorough. Our approach to ESIA work is iterative, working constructively to assess impacts and then to optimise project proposals to minimise those impacts whilst maintaining project viability. ESIA managers have expertise in specific business sectors which they use to work pro-actively with their colleagues and clients to achieve a positive outcome.

Our team of highly experienced ecologists work on a range of projects across the Caspian Region, such as small to large scale housing, public sector and infrastructure developments. Our regular client list includes large oil and gas companies, architects, developers, construction companies and planning consultants.

Whether you need a bat survey or a more detailed assessment in aid of achieving biodiversity net gain on site, we provide a complete range of ecological survey and assessment services to support your planning application, conservation project or habitat management planning.

Our services include extended Phase 1 habitat survey, Preliminary Ecological Appraisal, Ecological Impact Assessment (EcIA), Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) and the preparation of Ecology Chapters to support ESIAs.

We are specialists in carrying out protected species surveys, such as bat surveys and reptile surveys. We will devise appropriate and cost-effective mitigation strategies for your site and can prepare any application for a MENR permits and licenses or other protected species licences as required.

Our fully licensed and qualified in-house ecological contracting team can also provide site supervision during development works, as well as habitat creation, management and monitoring services.

We provide tailored monitoring and evaluation services to charities, social enterprises and businesses across a range of sectors. Covering both process and impact evaluation, we select approaches which depend on individual project aims and objectives, delivery modes, available resources and evaluation aims. Our approaches include straightforward evaluation (relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability), process tracing, outcome harvesting, quasi experimental approaches and social return on investment. 

Where possible, we incorporate findings validation workshops with project participants to test findings and develop lessons learned.

Monitoring services include the development of tools, including management information systems which incorporate the tracking of indicators, and training on how to gather, input and interpret data on an ongoing basis, and how to use data to inform decision-making.

Our expert heritage consultants offer a full suite of archaeological services, including professional assessments and surveys to help you understand any heritage impacts and manage archaeology to minimise project risk 

Archaeology on your site can be a costly, if not identified early and managed appropriately, but not all archaeology needs to cause project delays or constraints.  When identified early and managed appropriately many archaeology issues can be avoided, for example by 'designing-out' archaeological risk through impact avoidance. Where this is not possible schemes of work can still be organised in a way to reduce the most significant heritage impacts, reducing project risk and associated costs..

Our experienced consultants are expert archaeologists and practised in the design and management of a range of intrusive and non-intrusive archaeological surveys and assessments, helping you progress your development plans efficiently and meet your heritage planning obligations. 

Initial Site Heritage Appraisal

We always advise our clients to consider the potential project impact of archaeology at the earliest opportunity, to avoid costly delays. Our Initial Site Heritage Appraisals have been designed specifically to provide a broad assessment of heritage risk on any land being considered for development, even prior to purchase.  This pre-planning report will cover a single site, drawing upon available online data sources to better understand the potential risks and constraints you may face associated with the historic environment. The report will not only outline options for further works that may be required (where applicable) but will provide useful data for risk registers and purchase negotiations as part of your decision making process.

Archaeology Desk-Based Assessment

This assessment mainly on assessing the below ground factors associated with a development, providing a clear and impartial assessment of the potential heritage impact associated with a development and how best to avoid them. Our consultants often undertake archaeological assessments to inform a planning application, or as an information gathering tool to help advise on site design and layout. 

Archaeological Field Evaluation

Archaeological Evaluation (often in the form of trial trenching) provides an on-site assessment to determine the presence or absence of archaeological features, structures, deposits or artefacts within a specified site. It will include the character, extent, quality and state of preservation. It enables an assessment of their significance in a local, regional or national context as appropriate. Archaeological evaluations are often commissioned as part of the progression of a planning application, providing invaluable insight to the potential for archaeological risk.

Archaeological Excavation

Archaeological Excavation is a programme of controlled, intrusive fieldwork with defined objectives in relation to the investigation, recording and interpretation of below ground archaeological remains within a site. The records made, and objects gathered during fieldwork, are subsequently studied and the results of that study published in detail appropriate to the project design. Archaeological Excavation is often termed ‘preservation by record’ and is often the final stage of mitigation for a site. We work with a small group of trusted archaeological contractors to manage works on site.

Our team of expert acoustics consultants work in all aspects of noise and vibration. From scoping and consultation, through background noise assessments and acoustic design, to noise modelling and production of noise impact assessments.

We offer a range of services, including:

• Noise and Vibration Monitoring
• Noise Modelling and Prediction
• Building and Architectural Acoustic Design for Schools and Offices
• Noise Impact Assessments
• Noise Complaint Investigation
• Assessment for Planning Applications
• Expert Witness Services

We work with a range of companies and organisations to meet their noise requirements.  These include housing developers, architects, processing plants, wastewater treatment works, individual homeowners and multi-national corporations.