ABSTRACT
Much has been written about the links between soils, geology and civilisation, but considerably less is known about the impact of human activity on soils and geology. The EU/UK EIA legislation (see §1.3) specifically identifies soil as one of the main environmental receptors of development impacts for which assessments must be carried out. The DoE (1989) guidance on the scope of EIAs includes soil, agricultural quality, geology and geomorphology as topics in the checklist that should be included in an EIA. This has recently (June 2006) been updated by DCLG through a consultation paper Environmental impact assessment: a guide to good practice and procedures, (DCLG 2006a).
