We provide multi-disciplinary advice, feasibility, planning and project management, environmental planning and technical support, traffic and transport on environmental assessments and deliverables for a range of developments. Key areas of specialist advice include the feasibility and consenting phases through to post-submission support, stakeholder engagement and consultation and construction environmental management.
WHAT WE DO
We have significant experience in the direction, management and coordination of EIA across a wide variety of sectors. This generally includes managing and coordinating a team of technical consultants who prepare their individual assessments and EIA Report chapters. The crucial role of the EIA Director/Manager is to ensure consistency across all of the work that is being prepared and ensuring that critical project related information, including any changes to design or proposed planning approach, is disseminated to the team in a timely fashion. We hold regular meetings with our clients and key members of the design and assessment team to ensure the approach being taken to the EIA is understood and approved. We review draft and final chapters, technical appendices and figures, again to ensure consistency, but also with a focus on the robustness of each assessment and the quality of the EIA as a whole. Our attention is always on ensuring that the EIA will be completely defendable in the event of objector review, planning appeal or Public Inquiry.
Often a proposed development does not fall under Schedule 1 or 2 of the EIA Regulations. However, Local Planning Authorities may request specific environmental and technical information to support a planning application to aid in the decision-making process. In this instance, we have prepared a focused Environmental Appraisal report which provides the relevant information on a small number of topics, for example habitats and protected species, a landscape appraisal, a noise assessment etc, depending on the type of development and proximity of any sensitive receptors. We have found this to be an efficient method of presenting the required information in a clear and concise way which the Local Planning Department can rely on during the decision-making process.
We have assisted many of our clients with initial feasibility and/or constraints studies for potential development sites in order to provide clarity on potential issues and risks to obtaining planning consent. This is generally a desk-based exercise using freely available information and GIS analysis to map constraints and opportunities. This exercise assists with our client’s consideration of the commercial viability of their potential projects.
We have significant experience of undertaking appropriate consultation with Local Planning Authorities and regulatory bodies, including the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, the Environment Agency, Scottish Natural Heritage and Natural England during all stages of the development process. We also have significant experience of negotiating planning conditions to ensure they are workable and cost-effective for our clients and also agreeing an approach which will remove any statutory objection to a proposed development. We have developed excellent working relationships with numerous Planning Departments and regulatory teams throughout Scotland and are now in a position when often a phone call to clarify matters is sufficient to remove a concern or objection to an application.
We have significant experience of undertaking assessments of hydrology, geology and hydrogeology (including peatland) baseline conditions and potential impacts for a wide variety of development types including:
- Renewables;
- Transmission & Distribution;
- Property;
- Sport & Leisure;
- Industrial; and
- Transport
Our assessments can cover a wide range of specialist fields including:
- Watercourse characteristics, geomorphology and catchment;
- Watercourse crossing schedules;
- Private Water Supply assessment;
- Peat depth surveys and peat depth contour mapping;
- Peat Slide Risk Assessment;
- Peat Management Plans; and
- Groundwater Dependent Terrestrial Ecosystems.
We have prepared numerous CEMPs for a variety of developments, including windfarms, hydro schemes, overhead transmission lines, rail projects, golf courses and property developments.
CEMPs are often required as part of a planning condition, however we consider it best practice to prepare a CEMP for all major construction projects. This helps site staff to focus on the environmental sensitivities in and around the area that they are working and provides comfort to the Planning Authority and regulatory bodies that environmental protection is an important part of day to day site management.
We have prepared CAR Registrations and Simple and Complex Licenses for various aspects of development which has the potential to breach the Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003 (WEWS Act). These have included construction within rivers and waterbodies, abstraction from and discharge to rivers. This has involved in-depth discussions with SEPA to agree the methodology for these works and where required, to agree chemical and biological parameters.
Ramand Environmental Ltd is a registered Scottish business. Registration number SC658955.
© 2020 Ramand Environmental Ltd.