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Protecting the natural environment through expert preliminary ecological assessments
Ecological impact assessment
Reduce impact to the environment by adhering to regulatory and statutory compliance around the development of land or environmental incidents.
If you would like to learn more about ecology assessments from Adler & Allan, get in touch today and our expert team will be happy to assist you.
Reduce impact and protect the environment
Ensure regulatory compliance
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Nationwide response
At Adler & Allan, we help clients navigate the complexities of environmental regulations, ensuring their projects remain compliant while minimising ecological impact. Whether you're planning a new development or responding to an unexpected environmental incident, our expertise ensures responsible and sustainable solutions.
Through Preliminary Ecological Appraisals (PEA) and Ecological Impact Assessments (EcIA), you're able to prevent harm to local ecosystems and watercourses, allowing you to safely develop land for buildings, housing, or infrastructure projects.
Book a date
Once we have established a tailored training programme for you and your business, we book in a date to for the training session at one of your sites.
Get in touch
Submit your details using the form above and a member of our expert team will be in touch to discuss your spill training needs.
Get your certificate
Upon successfully passing the multiple choice exam and attitudinal goals, training delegates will be awarded a certificate of attendance in Spill Awareness valid for 3 years
What's next?
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What parts of my business should be covered in the ESOS energy audit?
From there, you must audit the areas that account for 95% of your overall energy. You’re allowed to class 5% of your energy consumption as ‘de minimis’ and exclude it from audits.
Your assessment should cover a representative sample of your operations and sites, and results should be presented in a common unit, such as pounds sterling or kilowatt-hours.
Are there penalties for ESOS non-compliance?
Failure to notify the Environment Agency can lead to an initial penalty of up to £5,000 and a daily fine of up to £500 until you comply – even if you’ve carried out your audits.
Making a false or misleading statement could lead to fees of up to £50,000.
When should my company begin its ESOS audit?
In previous phases, companies who put off their audit faced bottlenecks, delays, and a shortage of lead assessors, risking harsh non-compliance penalties.
Early ESOS reporting lets you lock in compliance, spread the cost of energy-saving initiatives, and realise their benefits sooner, rather than later.
Frequently asked questions
The course was extremely beneficial to myself and the wider team and I would recommend Adler & Allan for any of our training
Stewart King, Site manager
Adler & Allan
Preliminary ecological appraisals (PEA)
A PEA is sometimes referred to as an Extended Phase 1 Habitat Survey or Phase 1 Ecology Survey. It is the first stage in assessing the ecological value of a site and enables identification of features of ecological interest.
The appraisal comprises of an assessment to identify features of ecological interest on-site or within the vicinity of the site to understand the potential ecological impacts that may be caused by a proposed project.
The assessment includes:
- A desk study to provide background data and context.
- A walkover of the site to classify and map the habitat types that are present.
- Looking for evidence of potential protected species within or adjacent to the site.
A PEA can be undertaken at any time of the year, although the optimal time for the survey is from April to September, inclusive.
The objectives of a PEA are to identify:
- Potential ecological constraints in relation to the proposed project
- The need for further ecological surveys
- Any mitigation measures which may be required
- Opportunities for ecological enhancement within the proposals
PEA’s are important as they help to identify and evaluate any features of ecological interest on a proposed development site. This identification is often required before planning applications can be submitted, as it can help ensure any mitigation measures are put in place before a proposed project is signed off.
Certain species and habitats are protected by UK and International Law; therefore, any potential impact needs to be mitigated in line with the exiting wildlife legislation and planning policies in place, be that national or local. Planning policies also detail the requirement for a net gain in biodiversity on proposed development sites.
A PEA includes:
- Details of the methodology used and any limitations encountered
- Experience and credentials of those undertaking the appraisal
- Results and interpretation of the desk study
- Results of the site visit, including UK Habs mapping Identification of the potential impacts on features of ecological importance and recommendations for avoidance, mitigation, or compensation, where appropriate
- Identification of the requirement for a further survey, where appropriate
- Recommended ecological enhancements
- Details of relevant legislation and planning policy.
Ecological impact assessments (EcIA)
Ecological Impact Assessment (EcIA) is a process of identifying, quantifying and evaluating potential effects of development-related or other proposed actions on habitats, species and ecosystems.
The findings of an EcIA can help competent authorities understand ecological issues when determining applications for consent. EcIA can be used for the appraisal of projects of any scale including the ecological component of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). When undertaken as part of an EIA, EcIA is subject to the relevant EIA Regulations. However, unlike EIA, EcIA on its own is not a statutory requirement. It is a best practice evaluation process undertaken to support a range of assessments.
Key elements of the EcIA include:
- Overview of the EcIA process and underpinning principles.
- Determining the matters to be addressed in the EcIA, including consultation to ensure the most effective input to defining the scope.
- Scoping is an ongoing process – the scope of the EcIA may be modified following further ecological survey/research and during impact assessment.
- Collecting information and describing the ecological conditions in the absence of the proposed project, to inform the assessment of impacts.
- Identifying important ecological features (habitats, species and ecosystems, including ecosystem function and processes) that may be affected, with reference to a geographical context in which they are considered important.
- An assessment to determine if significant ecological features may be affected, along with a detailed characterisation of these impacts and their implications. This includes an analysis of the residual ecological impacts that remain after mitigation measures have been implemented, as well as the significance of these effects, taking cumulative impacts into account.
- Incorporating measures to avoid, reduce and compensate ecological impacts, and the provision of ecological enhancements. Monitoring impacts of the development and evaluation of the success of proposed mitigation, compensation and enhancement measures.
- Consideration of the legal and policy framework throughout the EcIA process
Our team combines deep ecological expertise with practical management solutions. We don’t just collect data, we also interpret it, helping you navigate regulatory requirements and implement achievable, real-world strategies for environmental protection.
Why choose Adler & Allan?
Accreditations
All our ecologists are degree educated and members of Chartered Institutes.
Innovation
We use innovative techniques such as UK Hab mapping software to survey most effectively.
Expert
We are advisors to Natural England on wetland issues and response consultants to the Environment Agency.
In-house laboratories
We have our own dedicated in-house macroinvertebrate laboratories for analysing samples.
Get in touch with the experts
If you would like to book a preliminary ecological assessment or an ecological impact assessment get in touch with our experts today.
How we can help
Aquatic ecology
We offer a range of aquatic ecology surveys to assist operators with planning for development, in the event of an environmental incident, and with invasive species.
Terrestrial ecology
We offer a range of terrestrial ecology surveys to assist operators with planning for development, in the event of an environmental incident, and with invasive species.
Habitat restoration
We help organisations understand their site, design enhanced natural habitat, consult with stakeholders, and arrange groundworks for their habitat restoration project.
Biodiversity net gain
We help landowners and developers meet biodiversity net gain commitments through advice, site survey and assessment, enhancement, restoration, creation, and onward habitat management.