Ground Conditions Chapters for Environmental Statements

Name: Ruddlesden Geotechnical
Price range: $

An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is required for planning purposes for sites where the project is likely to give rise to significant environmental effects, most commonly on larger developments.

As part of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), a Scoping Opinion and Environmental Statement (ES) must be produced. The Scoping Opinion addresses which issues are to be considered in the Environmental Statement and this must be agreed with the local authority, prior to the production of an Environmental Statement.

As well as providing input for the production of Scoping Opinions, Ruddlesden geotechnical produces the Ground Conditions Chapter for Environmental Statements, covering contamination (and sometimes geotechnical aspects) and how development is likely to affect the existing ground conditions, together with a description of the measures envisaged to avoid, reduce or remedy significant adverse effects.

Case Study

Ground Conditions Chapter for Environmental Statement for Large Residential Development

Ruddlesden geotechnical produced a ground conditions chapter for an Environmental Statement (ES) as part of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for a new, large residential development on the outskirts of Dawlish, Devon. Following the scoping assessment, which was agreed between Ruddlesden and the local authority, a Phase 1 Preliminary Geotechnical and Contamination Assessment was undertaken to provide information on the baseline ground conditions at the site. This information was used to assess how the proposed development would affect the ground conditions in the short term (construction stage) and long term (developed stage). Where the proposals were found to have a negative impact on the baseline ground conditions, mitigation measures were proposed to reduce the impact to acceptable levels.