Recent news from the National Grid announces that 52% of electricity generation came from low carbon sources (wind, solar, hydro and biomass) this summer making it the ‘greenest’ summer on record. Since 2000 the UK has seen a steady increase in renewable energy use and the strive to meet energy demands using renewable energy
New Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations On 16th May 2017, the new Town and Country Planning Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations came into force. A copy of the new Regulations can be found here. Find the technical consultation published by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) here. Any Development Projects that obtained EIA Screening,
New Graduate Starters We have two new graduate starters that have recently joined us! Melissa Seymour has a BSc in Earth and Environmental Science from the University of Cardiff. Having specialised in environmental planning, environmental impact assessment, water resources and hydrology. Melissa is currently working on a number of EIA and environmental appraisal projects
New flood insurance scheme for properties at risk Over recent years, the UK has been affected severely by a number of winter storms. Which is resulting in coastal damage and widespread, persistent flooding. December 2015 was the warmest and wettest for over 100 years. That resulted in widespread flooding across Cumbria and North-east Scotland,
How will new climate change allowances impact development proposals? The Environment Agency (EA) have published new guidance on climate change allowances for flood risk assessments and strategic flood risk assessments. These were published on 19th February 2016, which can be found here. The EA have produced these new guidelines based on the most recent
Energy Demand There has been an almost exponential growth in the demand for energy over the last 50 years. Which is matched by predictions for future energy demands over the next 50 years. Especially in rapidly developing countries such as China, India and Brazil. Therefore, a range of International and European policies have been
The energy secretary has confirmed a development consent order (DCO) for the world’s first Tidal Lagoon Power Plant off the Welsh coast. The Severn Estuary has the second largest tidal range in the world. With Swansea Bay benefiting from an average tidal range of 8.5 m during spring tides. A 9.5 km long seawall
In the EU, more than 25,000 people die every year from antibiotic resistant infections. These resistant strains cost an estimated £1.1 billion in extra healthcare costs. Britain’s chief medical officer, Sally Davies, has called it a threat as great as terrorism or climate change. Often, increasing resistance to these drugs is attributed to inappropriate
Water is an essential commodity for human life; underpinning our food and drink. The clothes we wear, the landscapes we enjoy, the length and quality of our lives. Severe new pressures on the system; including population rise, migration from rural to urban areas. Also dietary changes, increasing pollution, over-abstraction and climate change are causing
The public consultation period for the Draft Flood Risk Management Plans will soon be closing. Completed by the Environment Agency ending 31st January 2015. Draft plans are produced for each of ten River Basin Districts in England. These are “set out proposals for managing the risk of flooding at a catchment and river basin
