GLVIA teleconference
18 April 2011
Jeff Stevenson
Julian Francis
Josh Fothergill
Summary of notes from meeting
Sensitivity is a catchall, for many things, and quite often associated with magnitude. Jeff outlined the Natural Englandreview of Topic Paper 6 on sensitivity and capacity and the direction it is likely to move. We need to try to ensure that the third edition does not take a different approach to LCA or to other environmental impact assessment processes. i.e. we need to be aware what the LCA guidance is doing.
Sensitivity & capacity studies approach studies undertaken.Capacity keeps getting referred to as a volume or threshold.
It is becoming more and more important in landscape terms what is valued in the landscape e.g. designations, and if ELC definition is included, local importance and sensitivities, or potential sensitivities. Importance is different to different people. May move away from inherent sensitivity, and understanding of what they are, and then to see whether the value is maintained. Rather than losing them, it’s a matter of disentangling them.
An asset may be highly valued by the local community, sensitivity at different levels to different people.Then might talk about capacity.
What happens in future, when a separate entity is added, can it be accommodated? Least harm, what is valued or recognised.
In GLVIA, impact is the action, effect is what comes out of it. It’s important to remember that there can be positive effect too of course.
Josh agrees that it’s important to remember that there are likely to be positive and negative effects: intrinsically the view is that it may be that something is bad, but when it’s proposed to be taken away it will be missed. Local context is important. IEMA may support a more flexible approach, but at the same time there could be a risk if the developer uses this to win the legal case.
Power cut so lost connection with JF for a while….
Jeff left the conference temporarily due to communications problem…..
Josh suggested that some tend to have a generic view on significance. Encourage professionals to look at mitigation in more detail. Just because something is mitigated and funded, it may not survive and still be there in the future. Some of the negativity coming from communities having knowledge from elsewhere that mitigation measures are not always lasting, perhaps due to them not being managed/maintained correctly etc.
Cumulative effects, latest on infrastructure planning commission definition has a much broader view. Developers don’t necessarily see the move as being positive though. Josh will send a current version of the special report through, will be completed in late May or June. He will attempt to highlight what he sees as the main drivers, as it’s a long documentof around 90 pages.Action: Josh. JS and JFagreed they will review and take key points to the next GLVIA panel rather than forwarding the full document to all the GLVIA panel members.Action: Jeff and Julian
Sensitivity and impact and effect, in public domain, they just want to be able to read a report and understand the consequences for them. Need to be careful regardingthe distinctions between impact and effect, these are technical terms used by professionals, but are more likely to be used interchangeably in practice.
Non technical summaries are often glossed over in EIA’s in so far as LVIA is concerned. Josh reported that communication agencies are often producing these; IEMA have picked up on this as certain impacts have disappeared or been diluted in importance.
Multiple sensitivities will have to be picked out and brought to the forefront. Cumulative assessment must be correct and accurate and monitoring should be correct. Mitigation, monitoring and learning are important, but these aren’t being focussed on by the commission. It was suggested that although the legislation may not be changed to pick up on monitoring being enhanced in importance, perhaps IEMA and the LI should give more credence to this in the new edition.
In terms of landscape and visual, it was agreed that the economics and social aspects are equally important in an assessment.. Also how it links to engagement. Planning Aid document - Josh will sent a link through. Action: Josh. A real need in the education system re human engagement and understanding the psychology of how communities react. Genuine engagement focuses communities and helps them to understand where they are and to help in more effective decision making.
Agreement that the panel and IEMA are more or less aligned in their thoughts re sensitivity, capacity etc. Josh believed that the review is heading in the direction that IEMA would agree with. Very keen that it should focus on key principles.
Notes by JF