Appropriate Assessment

FERS specialises in carrying out “Appropriate Assessments” (AA) and producing Natura Impact Statements at competitive rates. FERS has carried out AAs for numerous bodies including the Office of Public Works (OPW), Meath Co. Council and Inland Waterways Ireland in addition to a large number of private companies and individuals.
The requirement for AA is set out in the EU Habitats Directive in Articles 6 (3) and 6 (4). The directive requires an AA to be carried out where a plan or project is likely to have a significant impact on a Natura 2000 site. Natura 2000 sites comprise Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and Special Protection Areas (SPAs), which form a pan-European network of protected sites.
The assessment requirements of Article 6 are generally dealt with in a stage by stage approach. The stages as outlined in “Appropriate Assessment of Plans and Projects in Ireland – Guidance for Planning Authorities” are:

STAGE 1: SCREENING

This initial process identifies the likely impacts of a proposed project or plan upon a Natura 2000 site, either alone, or in combination with other projects or plans and considers whether these impacts are likely to be significant. The deliverable of the screening process is a screening report.

STAGE 2: APPROPRIATE ASSESSMENT

The consideration of the impact of the project or plan on the integrity of the Natura 2000 Site, either alone or in combination with other projects or plans to the sites structure and function and its conservation objectives. Additionally, where there are adverse impacts, an assessment of the potential mitigation of those impacts. The deliverable of this stage in the Appropriate Assessment process is a Natura Impact Statement.

STAGE 3: ASSESSMENT OF ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS

The process which examines alternative ways of achieving the objectives of the project or plan that avoid adverse impacts on the integrity of the European site.

STAGE 4: ASSESSMENT WHERE ADVERSE IMPACTS REMAIN

An assessment of compensatory measures where, in the light of an assessment of Imperative Reasons of Overriding Public Interest (IROPI), it is deemed that the project or plan should proceed.

At each stage, there is a determination as to whether a further stage in the Appropriate Assessment process is required. If, for example, the conclusions of the Screening stage indicate that there will be no significant impacts on the Natura 2000 site, there is no requirement to proceed further. Stages 1 and 2 deal with the main requirements for assessment under Article 6 (3). Stage 3 may be part of Article 6 (3) or a necessary precursor for Stage 4.

Ecological Impact Assessment (EcIA) & Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)

Ecological Impact Assessment (EcIA) is the formal process by which the potential ecological impacts of a proposed development are identified, quantified, and evaluated. It provides a systematic and repeatable framework applicable to projects of any scale – from local private developments to national infrastructure. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a mandatory regulatory process for specific development categories, governed by the EIA Directive (2014/52/EU) and the Planning and Development Act (as amended).

  • EIA Screening: We provide expert Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Screening to determine whether a project requires a full Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR). 
  • Biodiversity Chapters for EIAR: For large-scale projects, FERS Ltd provides comprehensive Biodiversity Chapters. We integrate intensive field surveys with our in-house UAV (Drone) and GIS capabilities to deliver data-driven impact assessments that meet the requirements of the EIA Directive (2014/52/EU) and EPA guidelines.
  • Standalone EcIA Reports: For projects that do not trigger a formal EIAR but require a full evaluation of ecological features, we prepare standalone Ecological Impact Assessments. These reports follow CIEEM best-practice guidelines to evaluate all ecological receptors.