Planning

Our consultants have a wealth of knowledge and experience with Planning Applications, both Local Authority Planning Applications and Strategic Infrastructure Design (SID) Applications to An Bord Pleanála. Enviroguide Consulting are best placed to ensure compliance with relevant regulations and to manage projects from concept to design.

We have specialist experience in providing expert advice on all aspects of planning and can act as expert witnesses for oral hearings. We have a wealth of experience in provide planning services for planning applications for quarries and infill sites, in addition to providing services to SID residential developments.

Planning Services

Our planning services include:

Planning Applications

Enviroguide Consulting offers a range of technical and advisory services in relation to planning applications. Our team can project manage your application or engage as part of your project team and provide all necessary environmental support services such as EIA and AA reports, flood risk assessment and hydrogeological assessment, ecology surveys as well as stakeholder consultation and engagement. We can also provide acess to other specialist experts such as archaeologists and traffic engineers. We have experience in Local Authority planning applications as well as An Bord Pleanála Strategic Infrastructure Developments. We also have experts who can offer specialist consultancy services for oral hearings. Our in-house team includes ecologists, hydrogeologists, engineers, environmental impact assessment specialists and environmental scientists with planning and environmental law qualifications.

Environmental Due Diligence Assessments

Environmental due diligence is the process of assessing lands to be acquired / developed, identifying actual or potential environmental liabilities arising from current or historical land usage. Enviroguide Consulting offers both Phase 1 Site assessments and Phase II site investigation works.

Oral Hearings Support

Oral hearings are a vital part of large planning developments. An Bord Pleanála has discretion to hold an oral hearing of any case e.g. an appeal, referral or an application for permission or approval of strategic infrastructure development. Enviroguide Consulting can provide experts to assist you during the oral hearing process.

Waste Management Plans -C&D and operational phases

Every development will create waste during the construction and demolition as well as the operational phases. It must be demostrated that waste generated will be reduced where possible and where produced, will be managed in accordance with best preactice and all regulatory requirements. Our experienced waste management consultants can prepare bespoke construction and demolition phase waste management plans as well as operational waste management plans specific to your development.

Project Management

Enviroguide Consulting has a track record of successful project management of large and small-scale projects. We provide specialist consultants with a broad range of experience who provide expert advice on planning, environmental compliance and waste management. Our project managers have the experience to ensure projects are progressed and completed in an efficient and timely manner, within budget.

Statutory Consent Procedures

Planning processes involves numerous elements, whether being submitted to a Local Authority or An Bord Pleanála through Strategic Infrastructure Design (SID). Enviroguide Consulting has the experience and specialist knowledge to ensure all statutory elements are addressed prior to submitting an application.

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIAR)

The Environmental Impact Assessment process is a statutory requirement for developments that meet a certain threshold. Enviroguide Consulting has a track record of project management and producing robust Environmental Impact Assessment Reports (EIAR) from scoping stage to the final EIAR which may be required for a planning application.

Ecological Impact Assessments (EcIA)

Ecological Impact Assessment (EcIA) is a process of identifying and evaluating potential effects of development and proposed actions on habitats, species and ecosystems. The findings of an assessment can help understand ecological issues when determining planning consent. EcIA can be used for the appraisal of projects of any scale including the ecological component of Environmental Impact Assessments. Unlike an EIAR, an EcIA on its own is not a statutory requirement. It is an evaluation process to support an assessment and planning application.

Enviroguide Consulting has a team of ecologists available to assist you in the compilation of an EcIA.

Ecology Surveys

There are a number of plants and animal species that are legally protected in Ireland. If a planning application has the potential to impact these protected species a planning authority may request a protected species survey. Enviroguide Consulting offers a range of surveys, such as:

Bat surveys
Otter surveys
Badger surveys
Breeding bird surveys
Winter bird surveys
Newt surveys
Flora Identification and Habitat Mapping
Invasive Species identification and management

Ecology - Appropriate Assessment

Enviroguide Consulting has a team of ecologist specialist in a range of species surveys, and have produced Appropriate Assessment Screening Reports, Natura Impact Statements and Ecological Impact Assessments for large and small-scale developments.

Invasive Species Management Plans

Enviroguide Consulting offers the identification of invasive species, for example Japanese Knotweed or Rhododendron Ponticum. We can advise and produce site specific invasive species management plans. The need for invasive species identification and management is a prerequisite for Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) and the requirement for an invasive species assessment is a necessary part of all planning and licensing applications.

Site Investigation

Site Investigation enables collection of data to inform an assessment of a site to reduce the uncertainty associated with a project. The correct design and implementation of a site investigation at early design stage in a project is critical to project success.

Enviroguide has a dedicated team of site investigation and assessment specialists with experience of dealing with a range of complex sites and regulatory requirements including brownfield development sites, EPA Licensed facilities and unregulated landfill remediation sites. We provide our clients with expert cost-effective, practical, site-specific solutions for site investigations to inform the site assessment. Our services include site –specific investigation design, selection of investigation methods, site supervision by our specialist consultants, logging and preparation of trial pit and borehole logs (to BS5930), design and installation of groundwater and ground/landfill gas monitoring wells.

We also undertake detailed site assessment to inform our clients of any potential risks associated with the site for the overall project and remedial solutions where required. Our site assessment services include environmental risk assessment including Phase 1 and Phase 2 assessments, DQRA, risk evaluation and identifying environmental liabilities associated with the site.

Environmental Liability Risk Assessment

There are potential environmental liabilities associated with any site regarding of how it has been used and whether it is greenfield or brownfield development site. The correct assessment of environmental risks and liabilities at early design stage in a project will reduce the uncertainties associated with a project and minimise risk to the overall project success.

Enviroguide Consulting has a dedicated team of experts that specialise in environmental liability assessment to make development of contaminated sites feasible. We have a proven track record in development of bespoke risk management solutions for property portfolio acquisition and divestiture, ongoing licensed operations and liabilities associated with rectifying statutory consents and obligations to enable our clients to meet with corporate and statutory obligations. At every phase of a project and proactively work with our clients to minimise uncertainty, develop risk mitigation strategies and ensure delivery of risk management solutions to add tangible value to their business.

Services provided include: assessment of planning liabilities, environmental due diligence assessment, Phase 1 and Phase 2 environmental assessment, ecological assessment, soil and groundwater sampling, hydrological assessments, environmental risk assessment (DQRA) and guidance on environmental liabilities.

Contaminated Land and Hydrogeological Risk Assessment

Enviroguide Consulting provides expert contaminated land and hydrogeology consultancy services to our clients in a manner that is scientifically robust, practical and commercially focused. Our in-house experts have the necessary expertise and experience to undertake complex environmental risk assessments including site investigation, monitoring, Phase 1 and Phase 2 assessment, and quantitative risk assessment (GQRA and DQRA) for contaminated land and hydrogeology issues in accordance with industry standards and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidance including ‘Guidance On The Management Of Contaminated Land And Groundwater At EPA Licensed Sites’.

We have extensive experience of negotiating with regulators to successfully deliver commercially viable solutions for our clients.

Our team includes experienced and competent hydrogeologists listed on the EPA approved IGI Register of competent persons to undertake Regulated and Unregulated Waste Disposal/Contaminated Land Assessments in accordance with requirements of Section 2.3 or the EPA Code of Practice.