Preliminary Ecological Appraisals
Whenever someone plans work on a development site, the presence of wildlife and their habitats needs to be considered as part of the legal process.
From a minor extension to a major housing scheme, any planning project that involves planning permission could need an ecological assessment to satisfy the local planning authorities.
Failing to address any ecological issues on the site early can run the risk of causing costly delays, breaking the law, and even seeing the planning application refused.
The recommended first stage in environmental due diligence is known as a preliminary ecological appraisal (PEA), and with it, developers and planners can uncover any and all problems.
What is a Preliminary Ecological Appraisal?
A preliminary ecological appraisal is a foundational step in understanding the profile of a development site.
It is a rapid and systematic approach to collect existing information and evaluate the site for potential ecological constraints and opportunities for ecological enhancement.
Combining a desk study and field survey to assemble a clear overview of the site’s ecological value, a PEA enables identification of the existing habitats present and any potential issues relating to listed protected species or any other notable species on or near to the location.
More than anything, the primary aim is to flag any possible ecological concerns in the lifecycle of the project ahead of time, allowing for proactive design and planning.
It is also commonly called a PEA survey or PEA assessment, and the field stage of the inspection was formerly known as an Extended Phase 1 Habitat Survey. The term stopped being used, however, when the methodology was superseded by the UK Habitat Classification (UKHab) System.
When is a Preliminary Ecological Appraisal Required?
A PEA is usually needed to support protected habitats and species when it comes to submitting development proposals to a local authority.
A report from a PEA survey is an essential requirement under national and local planning policy whenever a development could have ecological impacts at any level. Examples could include works on or near areas of high ecological interest, such as designated sites or any location where the likely presence of any species protected by law is suspected.
Essentially, if your planning project involves ground disturbance, changes to land use or could affect existing wildlife, a preliminary ecological appraisal is the best way to address the requirements set out by local planning policies.
Guidelines for a Preliminary Ecological Appraisal
The execution of a PEA is governed by clear standards to guarantee consistency and regulatory compliance.
Our approach adheres strictly to relevant legislation and planning policy, incorporating guidance from industry bodies and ensuring the highest quality of survey methodology.
The preliminary ecological appraisal is a crucial process, as it supports the basis for an ecological impact assessment (EcIA) and other ecological surveys, if any are needed.
Methodology for Preliminary Ecological Appraisal Surveys
Our comprehensive PEA process consists of two key components: the desk-based assessment and the field-based site survey. More details are outlined in the space below:
1. Desk Study
- Reviewing existing survey information from public and private databases for the area surrounding the development site.
- Checking for records of protected and notable species and nearby statutory and non-statutory designated sites.
2. UK Habitat Classification (UKHab) Survey
- Walking the site, mapping and classifying all habitats present, using the UKHab system instead of the formerly used extended phase 1 habitat survey methods.
- Using UKHab to ensure that all data is compliant, based on the latest environmental standards and biodiversity metrics.
3. Preliminary Species Assessment
- Looking for evidence of or potential for particular species inhabiting the site.
- Working out if further surveys are needed, such as for any protected species or invasive species discovered during the assessment.
The outcome of this process is understanding the site’s overall biodiversity value and the initial determination of whether the planning project is likely to have significant effects on protected species.
Preliminary Ecological Appraisal Report
After the on-site assessment, all of the data is collated, analysed and displayed in a PEA report.
In the document are results from both the desk study and the field survey to outline any identified potential impacts. It also confirms if additional surveys are needed based on ecological impacts on the site, or if certain mitigation measures are needed to avoid, reduce or remove any risk to listed species.
The report is created to be submitted to the local planning authorities, and it will be used as evidence to support planning applications.
Preliminary Ecological Appraisal Guidance
We understand that working with the ecological requirements for your planning project can be complex, but our job is to give developers and planners solutions in a way that is quick, effective, compliant and at the highest possible standard.
Preliminary Ecological Appraisal Cost
Every time we put a quote together for a new or returning client, our focus is always on offering a competitive service without compromising on quality.
Following years of helping clients all over the country, Arbtech has been able to minimise the amount of travelling for each surveyor and the number of hours spent surveying a site. With this, we can subsidise the cost of our services and shorten the amount of time needed to complete assessments, all while producing reports that are suitable to support developments.
Although we guarantee that our quotes are fair and accurate, we can only do this using the specifications of a client’s site and project. For this to happen, we recommend that developers and planners contact us and let our team work out the price for an assessment.
Preliminary Ecological Appraisal Timings
Ecological work is often dictated by the seasons, with different weather conditions and temperatures affecting whether or not certain animal and plant surveys can go ahead.
A PEA can generally be undertaken throughout the year, but when it comes to the potential follow-up surveys for protected species of flora and fauna, it’s a completely different situation. The ecology survey calendar is different from species to species, and each survey has a different optimal time, sub-optimal time and out-of-season time for our ecologists to work around.
While we can’t do anything about seasonal constraints, we can advise that clients book their preliminary ecological appraisal with us as far in advance as possible. The earlier we can conduct an appraisal on your site, the better chance we have of scheduling any necessary specialised ecological surveys for protected species and invasive species within the next seasonal window.
Preliminary Ecological Appraisal Near Me
If you want an ecology consultancy that can conduct a preliminary ecological appraisal wherever you are in the country, choose the helpful team at Arbtech.
The ecological consultants in our team are qualified, experienced and licensed to carry out preliminary ecological appraisals, as well as other ecology surveys if they’re needed, such as habitat surveys for protected species of animals and invasive species of plants.
Get a free quote for a preliminary ecological appraisal from our team by filling out a quote form at the top of this page or on our contact page, via email or over the phone.
We can then plan a date to evaluate all possible priority species on your site, and if any protected species surveys or invasive species surveys are needed after, we can choose the optimum time to complete them and any other surveys you might need.
The outcome of a PEA could trigger the need for a different type of ecology survey like an ecological impact assessment (EcIA), and if that happens, we can even manage that for you.
