Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a process that identifies both the positive and negative environmental effects of proposed developments prior to planning permission being considered. It aims to prevent, reduce or offset any identified significant adverse environmental effects of development proposals.
The EIA process is a method of ensuring that planning decisions are made in the full knowledge of the environmental effects and with full engagement of statutory bodies, local interest groups and members of the public. The responsibility of completing an EIA lies with the applicant. The written output of the EIA process is an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
When to get an EIA (Screening)
Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) are required for proposed developments that may have a significant impact on the environment. The requirement for an EIA will only affect a small number of projects in Jersey. The
EIA Order specifies a range of developments which require an EIA. Any changes or extensions to a development that was previously subject to an EIA will also require an updated EIA.
If you're still unsure or consider that you shouldn't be required to undertake an EIA, you can request advice by completing an EIA pre-application advice form.
EIA advice request form
We aim to respond to your screening request within five working days. We’ll advise whether your proposal falls within the types of development which requires an EIA.
We don’t advertise screening requests and no other organisations are contacted before a screening opinion is issued. This is because we’re only determining if a proposed development requires an EIA under the Order, any further information is provided by a scoping opinion.
Information to provide in an EIA (scoping)
We’ll determine the parts of a proposed development that are most likely to have a significant impact on the environment and consult the relevant organisations to detail the level of information that an EIA must contain. We’ll provide this information as a scoping opinion.
If you’re undertaking an EIA and want to know what you need to provide, you can also request this on the EIA advice request form.
To help us process your EIA advice request, you should also provide:
- a plan that identifies the land
- a description of the nature and purpose of the proposed development and its possible effects on the environment
This advice can only apply in relation to currently available information and the Chief Officer isn’t bound by the provided opinion. The Chief OFficer can request additional information or further work to be carried out at any time during the application process. An applicant is also not bound by the scoping opinion and can submit an EIA with the information they believe is most relevant to the proposed development.
EIA scoping process
When you’ve submitted your request we’ll review it to ensure the minimum level of information has been submitted to understand the proposal. If it doesn’t contain sufficient information, we’ll contact you and explain what needs to be provided. We aim to validate all submissions within five working days.
All information supplied with the request will be published to the
Planning register. We’ll redact or blank out personal contact information, personal information on any statements and any defamatory or libellous claims.
Site notices
Once your request is registered we’ll send you one or more site notices to clearly display on the property for 21 days. The purpose of site notices is to make other people aware of your proposal so they can comment if they wish.
We’ll also send you a form which you need to sign and return, after the 21 days, together with photographs that clearly show the position of the sites notices around the site. This is to confirm that the site notices have been displayed for the full time.
Consultation with organisations
We will consult organisations that may want to comment on your request and ask them to respond within 21 days. If they don’t respond, we may assume they’ve no comments to make. If your application raises complex issues we may extend the consultation period.
Scoping opinion
We aim to provide a scoping opinion within six weeks. Complex scoping requests may take longer, but we’ll discuss this with you.
Submitting a planning application that requires an EIA
When the EIS is ready for submission, it’s included with the planning application in the usual way. If a planning application is received without an EIS, but it requires an EIA, the application won’t be registered until an EIS has been provided.
Get more information about
submitting a planning application.
Commenting on a planning application that contains an EIS
We advertise all EIA applications via:
All planning applications, associated plans and documents are available to view on the planning register. If you don’t have access to a computer, you can use the public computers at Customer and Local Services, La Motte Street (opening times are 8.30am to 5pm Monday to Friday).
Find out more about
making a comment.
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