ABSTRACT

Overall, the experience of EIA to date can be summed up as being like the proverbial curate’s egg: good in parts. Current issues in the EIA process were briefly noted in Section 1.6: they include EIA methods of assessment, the quality and efficiency of the EIA process, the relative roles of the participants in the process, EIS quality, monitoring and post-decision, managing the widening scope and complexity of impact assessment activity, plus concern about its overall effectiveness. The various chapters on steps in the process have sought to identify best practice, and Chapter 8 provides an overview of the quantity and quality of UK practice to date. Detailed case studies of good practice and comparative international experience provide further ideas for possible future developments. The evolving, but still in some cases limited, experience in EIA among the main participants in the process – consultants, local authorities, central government, developers and affected parties – explains some of the current issues.