Ecology & Biodiversity /
Habitats Regulations Assessments

The Regulations require competent authorities to consider planning applications or consents which affect a ‘European site’. Subject to certain exceptions, the authorities can restrict or revoke permission where the integrity of the site would be adversely affected.

We seek to ensure that such effects can be demonstrably avoided through policies and the formulation of mitigation strategies.

European sites consist of Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), Special Protection Areas (SPAs) and Offshore Marine Sites (OMS) and are collectively known as Natura 2000 sites.

HRA must also be carried out on all land use plans in the UK.

We have:

• Undertaken a wide range of both high level strategic and project based HRA, working with government agencies, local authorities and private developers.
• Carried out HRAs of sites across the UK to inform National Policy Statements (NPS).
• Worked with local authorities to understand the potential effects of Core Strategy policies on European Sites sufficiently so as to ensure that significant adverse effects can be demonstrably avoided

In this section

• Overview >
• Habitats Regulations Assessments >
• Ecological Impact Assessment >
• Habitat Design and Mitigation >
• Ecological Management Plans >
• Mitigation Licences >
• Phase 1 Habitat Surveys >
• Detailed Botanical Surveys >
• Protected Species Surveys and Advice >
• Specialist Surveys >