Environmental Impact Assessments for Marine and Freshwater Environments – EIA, HRA and WFD

Name: Carcinus Ltd
Price range: $$$

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)

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Habitat Regulations Appraisal
(HRA)

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Water Framework Directive
(WFD)

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Marine Conservation Zones
(MCZs)

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Aquatic Environmental Impact Assessments

Carcinus delivers scientifically robust and regulatory compliant environmental assessments including marine and freshwater Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Habitats Regulations Appraisal (HRA) and Water Framework Directive (WFD) assessments to support clients with development projects in and near aquatic environments. A properly scoped, managed and delivered environmental assessment is vital to securing development / planning consent for a project. Our aquatic environmental consultants are highly skilled in the management and delivery of multi-disciplinary environmental assessments, covering all stages from scoping, ecological and physical baseline surveys, impact assessment, formal Environmental Statements (ES) through to post-consent support. Our staff have managed and delivered environmental assessment services including EIAs and supporting documentation for high-profile projects within the offshore renewables, ports, power and transport sectors.

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is an environmental assessment process that aims to identify the environmental effects of a proposed activity, project, policy or plan and to ensure that the competent authority(s) are fully informed and can make decisions in full knowledge of the likely effects on the environment. The need for an EIA is driven by a number of regulations, dependent upon the nature and location of the proposed project and includes, but is not limited to:

The Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (England) Regulations 2011 (as amended 2017).

The Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Wales) 2016 (as amended 2017).

The Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Scotland) 2017.

The Marine Works (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations (England, Wales and N. Ireland) 2007 (as amended 2017).

The Marine Works (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations (Scotland) 2017.

Offshore wind turbines – Carcinus undertake all stages of environmental impact assessment and consent support for the offshore renewables sector, from feasibility and site selection, scoping, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Habitats Regulations Appraisal (HRA), marine licence application through to post-consent monitoring.

Great crested newt Triturus cristatus – Our experienced aquatic ecologists provide expert consultancy advice and survey services for protected species such as the great created newt.

An EIA is a multi-staged process, comprising the following broad stages:

Screening – determine if the proposed project requires assessment.

Scoping – identify issues to be considered within the ES and ask relevant authority(s) for their ‘scoping opinion’.

Consultation – undertaking consultation and engagement with regulators, stakeholders and local interested parties.

Baseline data collection – desktop studies, ecological field surveys (e.g., freshwater or marine ecological surveys) and geophysical surveys.

Impact Assessment – the identification and assessment of likely impacts on physical, ecological and human receptors.

Mitigation – the identification of mitigation and compensatory options to reduce or offset identified impacts to acceptable levels.

Consent application – the preparation and submission of an Environmental Statement and associated documentation.

Decision making – consideration of the application by the planning authority.

Post-construction or post-consent monitoring and discharging license conditions – including ecological and / or geophysical monitoring.

Carcinus’ marine consultancy and freshwater consultancy team have project managed and delivered EIAs and associated environmental assessment and consent documentation for major infrastructure projects within a range of industry sectors. Our marine environmental consultants and ecologists and our freshwater consultants and ecologists can advise on all stages of the EIA process for projects with the potential to affect both marine and freshwater aquatic environments.

Habitats Regulations Appraisal (HRA)

Where a project or plan is likely to have a significant effect on a Natura 2000 site (e.g., Special Areas of Conservation (SAC), Special Protection Areas (SPA) and Ramsar sites), the Habitats Directive and Birds Directive set out a consenting procedure. This requires that the competent authority(s) carries out an Appropriate Assessment (AA), this process is known as a Habitats Regulations Appraisal (HRA). It is the competent authority who is responsible for carrying out a HRA and deciding if there will be adverse effects on the integrity of a Natura site.

HRA Process

The HRA process is rigorous and precautionary with a focus on the conservation objectives and qualifying features of the affected site. To enable the competent authority to undertake a HRA, a developer must provide sufficient information and evidence. Carcinus are experienced in supporting developers in this aspect, providing the necessary information in a scientifically robust report known as a ‘report to inform Appropriate Assessment‘ or ‘shadow HRA‘.

The HRA Process comprises four key stages as outlined below:

Screening – identify and determine if the project is likely to have significant impacts on a Natura site (alone or in combination with other projects).

Appropriate Assessment – assessment of impacts on the integrity of Natura site, taking cognisance of the site’s structure, function and conservation objectives. Mitigation options are assessed – where adverse effects cannot be mitigated, proceed to stages 3 and 4.

Assessment of alternative solutions – review alternative ways of delivering or designing the project and if such solutions avoid or reduce impact on Natura site.

IROPI (Imperative Reasons of Overriding Public Interest) – where no alternative solution is identified and adverse impacts remain, determination if project is needed due to IROPI and consideration to be given to possible compensatory measures to maintain the overall coherence of site or the integrity of the Natura site network.

Seal pup – Our ecologists are experienced in the provision of consultancy and survey services in relation to European protected species and the requirements of Habitat Regulations Appraisal (HRA) for designated habitats and species under the Habitats Directive and Birds Directive.

Carcinus supports clients in relation to their obligations under Habitat regulations by providing the following services:

Ecological desk studies and surveys designed, managed and delivered to support HRA screening;

Undertake shadow HRA assessments to determine if a likely adverse effect on the integrity of a site will occur;

Designing and specifying mitigation options to reduce / remove likely adverse effects or identifying compensatory measures to offset effects; and

Liaison and consultation with regulators throughout the HRA process.

Transport and Development Supported by Carcinus Ltd

Offshore wind turbine towers – We support clients throughout the life of any offshore renewables project, including the discharging of marine licence conditions during the construction and operational phases.

Water Framework Directive (WFD)

The Water Framework Directive (WFD) aims to achieve ‘good’ ecological and chemical status (or potential) for all ground and surface waters (rivers, lakes, transitional waters, and coastal waters) and the avoidance of deterioration in the status. Any project, plan or policy must ensure that the aims of the Directive are not undermined.

WFD Status Assessments

The assessment of status under the WFD considers the following elements:

Biological Quality – e.g. aquatic flora and fauna;

Hydromorphological quality – e.g. channel and bank structure, continuity / connectivity and river bed substrate;

Physico-chemical quality – e.g. water temperature, dissolved oxygen and eutrophication; and

Chemical quality – defined by environmental quality standards for specific pollutants.

Ports and harbours – Carcinus is a leading expert in the assessment of ecological status under the Water Framework Directive (WFD) within transitional and coastal waters (TRAC) and inland waterways.

Hampshire chalk stream river – Our freshwater ecologists undertake assessments in relation to the ecological status of inland waters under the Water Framework Directive (WFD) and support a diverse range of client needs.

The establishment of baseline / existing conditions for each of the WFD biological, physico-chemical and hydromorphology quality elements is an essential step in determining the likely effect of a project on individual quality elements or the overall WFD status. Carcinus provides a range of ecological, water quality and hydromorphology consultancy and survey services to enable the assessment of current compliance against the WFD and to determine if proposals will affect WFD status. Our services, supporting WFD assessment include:

Ecological surveys – freshwater environments;

Ecological surveys – coastal and transitional waters;

Catchment walkover surveys;

Habitat mapping; and

Water and sediment quality studies

Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs) and Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)

In addition, Carcinus also provides support to clients in relation to the assessment of project effects on MCZs and MPAs.

We also provide advice in relation to the need for European Protected Species (EPS) licences.

More Information

If you would like more information, please view and download our Capability Statement or read about our recent projects below. Alternatively you can Contact Us.

Capability Statement

Environmental Assessment

Intertidal Ecology Surveys for the Port of Dover

Carcinus Ltd was contracted by the Port of Dover to complete biannual intertidal ecology surveys of the littoral zones of several sites in Dover.

Hovercraft marine ecology survey of wharf infrastructure on banks of the Thames Estuary

Working Platform Installations – Thames Estuary

Carcinus’ marine consultants contracted to support working platform installations on the Thames Estuary, including Ecological Impact (EcIA) and Water Framework Directive (WFD) assessments.

Hovercraft undertaking marine ecological survey

Thames Temporary Berth Installation

Carcinus was contracted to complete an Ecological Impact Assessment (EcIA) to assess the potential impacts of a temporary berth installation in the river Thames. Building works are scheduled on a riverside property, and the nature of the site requires a barge to facilitate the movement of construction materials and provide additional working space.

East Tipner Environmental Impact Assessment

We were recently contracted to conduct an ecological survey of the intertidal mudflat at East Tipner, Portsmouth. Our client was applying for planning permission to redevelop the brownfield land adjacent to the area, and our survey results have since been used to inform an Environmental Statement in support of the application.

Southport Marine Lake

Carcinus were recently contracted to complete Marine Ecology Surveys and input to the EIA for a new Marine Lake Events Centre in Southport. This survey took the form of a Phase I Habitat Survey, followed by a Secondary Extended Phase I and Fish Ecology survey to characterise the intertidal communities, sediments, and habitats in the area. The surveys were used to inform an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the proposed development, for which Carcinus provided support in the form of scoping and delivery of an Environmental Statement chapter.

Everton Football Clubs brand new stadium

Everton Football Club’s brand new stadium at Bramley Moore Dock has been shortlisted as a host stadium as part of the UK & Ireland’s bid to host the #UEFAEuro2028 Championships. Carcinus Ltd are proud to have supported the preparation of an Environmental Statement for the project and look forward to seeing the construction of the stadium progress!

Josh Baker Carcinus Marine Scientist - taking water quality samples

Shoreline Surveys at Southend-On-Sea and Swansea Bay

As part of Carcinus’ ongoing relationship with the Food Standards Agency (FSA), we have recently paid visits to Southend-On-Sea and Swansea Bay to survey the shorelines. Carcinus are contracted to help the FSA fulfil their obligations under retained EU law Regulation (EU) 2019/627.

Marine Ecology Survey at Morden Wharf

Carcinus Ltd deliver marine ecology survey and environmental statement for Morden Wharf, Greenwich Peninsula development.

Environmental Impact Assessments for Marine and Freshwater Environments – EIA, HRA and WFD

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)

Habitat Regulations Appraisal
(HRA)

Water Framework Directive
(WFD)

Marine Conservation Zones
(MCZs)

Aquatic Environmental Impact Assessments

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)

Habitats Regulations Appraisal (HRA)

HRA Process

Water Framework Directive (WFD)

WFD Status Assessments

Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs) and Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)

More Information

Capability Statement

Recent posts

Intertidal Ecology Surveys for the Port of Dover

Working Platform Installations – Thames Estuary

Thames Temporary Berth Installation

East Tipner Environmental Impact Assessment

Southport Marine Lake

Everton Football Clubs brand new stadium

Shoreline Surveys at Southend-On-Sea and Swansea Bay

Marine Ecology Survey at Morden Wharf

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