LeithE™

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LeithE is a rapid biodiversity assessment service, designed to provide a quick evaluation of ecological constraints for any development or planning application.

It offers our clients an initial review of their proposals, helping to identify risks, plan designs, and meet biodiversity requirements set by local planning authorities.

The tool assesses the likelihood of further ecological support needs, evaluates the risks for land purchases, and ensures compliance with biodiversity regulations. Additionally, the LeithE helps determine if on-site habitats can be enhanced and assesses land suitability for restoration or habitat creation, supporting sustainable development.

This initial service is priced at £300, however, this fee will be fully refunded upon purchase of additional services. 

Local planning authorities are obligated to consider biodiversity conservation and enhancement when fulfilling their responsibilities. 

A PEA is the initial step towards understanding the ecological importance of a site and is used to determine the requirements for planning applications by helping to identify and manage risk. 

The primary objectives of PEAs include:  

• To identify potential ecological challenges that may arise from the proposed plans. 
• To consider the legal and planning regulations concerning species and habitats in the UK.
• To help our clients avoid impacts through working with them where sensitive ecology could be present on a site.
• To evaluate any necessary mitigation measures, adhering to a standard mitigation hierarchy. 
• To pinpoint and suggest any further surveys that may be needed for habitats, protected species, or species of conservation significance. 
• To recognise the potential for a project to provide ecological improvements and net benefits for biodiversity. 

It is essential to note that the PEA can be updated throughout a project to form an Ecological Impact Assessment (EcIA) for a planning submission, where all surveys and resulting impacts have been addressed. 

An EcIA is the essential ecological evaluation for local planning authorities and regulatory agencies when assessing planning applications for projects of various sizes.  

The EcIA involves the process of identifying, measuring, and assessing the potential impacts of proposed developments or other actions on habitats, species, and ecosystems. 

This serves a few key purposes:   

• Evaluates potential effects of development on ecological features and habitats.
• Details the mitigation measures required to minimise negative impacts and enhance biodiversity.
• Illustrates how a project complies with relevant planning policies and legislation in cases where an EIA is not necessary. 

BNG is a fundamental aspect of planning applications and the decision-making process of local planning authorities. 

It represents a development strategy aimed at enhancing the natural environment to a quantifiably improved condition compared to its prior state.  Through the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), Local Planning Authorities are tasked with incorporating biodiversity net gains into their policies and decision-making frameworks. 

The Environmental Bill mandates an advancement of net gains for biodiversity in development projects. Consequently, all planning permissions will be tied to a compulsory condition stipulating that construction cannot commence until a suitable biodiversity plan is approved.  

Your project can illustrate compliance with BNG by providing a 'biodiversity net gain plan,' which will rely on assessing biodiversity levels before and after construction using the statutory biodiversity metric or equivalents from local authorities. This metric calculates the biodiversity value of habitats to ensure that any habitat loss is compensated by creating or enhancing habitats elsewhere. 

The assessment process for BNG is structured as follows:  A field survey is conducted at the site employing the UK Habitat Classification system. This typically forms a part of a Preliminary Ecological Appraisal (PEA) associated with the proposed development. Landscaping designs are evaluated in relation to the baseline habitat data gathered at the site. The collected baseline data and landscaping designs are translated into ‘biodiversity units’ through a biodiversity metric, factoring in any off-site compensation and biodiversity units. Finally, the net gain or loss in biodiversity is calculated and is usually expressed as a percentage. 

Habitat Assessments play a crucial role in establishing the baseline ecology of a site during PEAs, EcIAs and BNG assessments. UK Habitat Survey Classification system ( ukhab – UK Habitat Classification ) forms the basis of most habitat assessments. 

The objectives of Habitat Assessments are as follows:  

• To deliver quick evaluations of the habitats on-site and determine their ecological significance, identifying the presence of any protected habitats. 
• To ascertain whether more detailed botanical surveys are necessary for protected plants and significant plant communities. 
• To evaluate habitats for their potential to serve as ecological receptors for protected species. 
• To oversee sites as part of ongoing habitat management and legally binding agreements. 

Aquatic Habitat Assessments (AHA) provide comprehensive walkover and desk-based evaluations of aquatic environments, identifying risks and opportunities related to any development on or near water habitats.

These assessments are crucial for developments that interact with waterbodies and provide, similar to PEAs, a baseline to understand risks and map out opportunities for projects. If your application site is near water, you require a flood risk activity permit for your development or you need to understand indirect impacts to waterbodies these assessments are required.  

Our experienced aquatic ecologists assess habitat suitability for fish, invertebrates, and vegetation, offering detailed mapping outputs to visually highlight constraints, sensitive features, and mitigation opportunities.

Numerous plant and animal species, along with their essential habitats, receive legal protection in England, and various actions can lead to criminal charges for negatively affecting these species. 

Local Planning Authorities are obliged to consider the 'conservation and enhancement' of biodiversity, and protected species must be taken into account during the planning process when evaluating a planning application.  

The regulations safeguarding specific plants and animals apply to all forms of development, including those that fall under permitted development rights. This means that even if planning permission is not required, you may still need to show that you have taken appropriate measures to prevent harm to protected species where their presence is reasonably expected. 

Having an Ecological Clerk of Works (ECoWs) to assist you with any existing or potential ecological issues on-site is crucial for ensuring that your teams are properly informed and that your project can move forward legally.  

Numerous plant and animal species, along with their necessary habitats, are legally safeguarded in England, and various actions can lead to criminal charges if these species are harmed. Therefore, it is vital to show that sufficient precautions have been taken during preparatory and construction activities to prevent negative impacts on protected species, with comprehensive documentation available to support this.  

Expert guidance and the identification of ecological challenges on-site, along with up-to-date knowledge of legislation, are essential skills you should anticipate from an ECoW. These competencies, in addition to a proficient background in risk management, will facilitate practical solutions to ensure that your project can proceed legally.  

The typical responsibilities of our ECoW on-site include the following:  

• Carrying out watching briefs 
• Identifying and addressing ecological constraints   
• Supervising and managing habitats and/or protected species   
• Overseeing the application of mitigation licenses for European Protected Species   
• Creating daily site reports