The assessment with one of the tools has no link or dependence with earlier stages. The tools of assessment are to be designed in a manner that they are applicable throughout the planning stage up to the point of making decisions in the project life cycle (See figure 1.). The process of protocol assessment (Source: IHA, 2010).

The tools are to undergo repeated application so as to help in the continuous improvement of the process.

Strategic Assessments section

This section is important for the assessment of the strategic basis of the Gipsy Lane brickworks project. This part is most applicable at the stage when the Gipsy Lane brickworks is still under consideration and no clear cut decisions have been made in order to invest in the project. The reasons for this are because probably no public statements have been released regarding the project, the project has not yet been tendered for the initial engineering design operations. The purpose of this section of the protocol is to inform the stakeholders and the public that there exists a strategic basis for progressing with project preparation and also to make it certain that the risks involved are manageable.

Project Preparation section

This section is important since it is used to assess the preparation stage of the Gipsy Lane brickworks project. In this stage, the team members investigate, plan as well as design all the important aspects of the project. After project preparation, another critical move, the making of decision to proceed with the awarding of construction contracts follows. The assessment that is conducted at this stage assesses if all of the preparatory requirement/conditions have been fulfilled, plans of management are laid down and the commitment is both appropriate as well as binding. This part of the protocol can be employed prior to as well as to inform the process of decision-making to proceed forward with the implementation of the project. After this section, the construction begins along the appropriate environmental and socio-economic action plans (considerations)

Project implementation section

This section is important for the success of the Gipsy Lane brickworks project since it makes an elaborate assessment of the implementation stage of the project. It monitors how the construction, plans of resettlement, road diversion plans, management and other environmental plans are implemented. The commissioning of the Gipsy Lane brickworks project enables it to begin serving the public. The assessment that is made before the commissioning of the Gipsy Lane brickworks project makes it possible to assess if all project commitments/requirements have been met.

Project operation section

This stage assesses the nature and extent of operation of the Gipsy Lane brickworks project facility. This phase of the protocol is important since it can be used to gauge if the facility is functioning on a sustainable basis while all the active measures have been placed to monitor compliance for the purpose of improving the performance of the facility on a continual basis.

The implementation of the protocol

After the project has fully been adopted, it would be necessary to develop and formalize the appropriate structures that are integral to its management and implementation. There are four major strategic objectives that are important for the success of the protocol implementation. The first one is the widespread application of the protocol in order to promote sustainable construction and development. The second one would be the need to train as well as increase awareness on the protocol through efforts of project partners. The fourth one would be ensuring of transparency in the management as well as the governance of the developed protocol. This is extended to the associated activities and must be executed on a self-financing regime.

In order to realize these objectives, the company carrying out the project must work together with organizations and the community in the development of the necessary governance plans for the protocol.

In order for an assessment to be taken for a project, it must be at its initial or final stages. The assessment must have a future perspective or should scrutinize the past activities. The Protocol should be designed for conducting repeat operations. An assessment that is carried out in the initial stages of a project can help in the improvement of the later stages. An overlap may occur in the project life cycle. This is to say that implementation operations may take place at the time of project preparations, like the commissioning additional sidewalks, while the implementation operations are progressing. Should a project be in transition stage, then the assessment tool's choice heavily depends on the purpose of the project assessment itself. Road construction an industrial construction projects possess extensive lifespan. The Strategic Assessments tools can act as a source of guidance on certain important considerations that must be taken into account for making of decisions regarding the facility or the re-optimization of the transmission network, extension of life of the facility or decommissioning of the facility. In case there is a need of performing refurbishments, the Project Preparation section would come in...

The Project Operation assessment section is important during re-licensing as well as in times of minor refurbishments.
References

OECD (2008).Applying Strategic Environmental Assessment: good practice guidance for development co-operation http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/4/21/37353858.pdf

Partidario, M.R., (2003).STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT (SEA):current practices, future demands and capacity-building needs. Available online at http://www.iaia.org/publicdocuments/EIA/SEA/SEAManual.pdf

Partidario, M.R., (1999).Strategic Environmental Assessment - principles and potential, Chapter 4, in Petts, Judith (Ed.), Handbook on Environmental Impact Assessment, Blackwell, London: 60-73.

Partidario, M.R., (1996) Strategic Environmental Assessment: Key Issues Emerging from Recent

Practice. Environmental Impact Assessment Review 16: 31-55.

Partidario MR, Clark R. Perspectives on strategic environmental assessment. New York: Lewis,

2000.PRI, Policy Research Initiative. The PRI sustainability project. Horizons 1999;2(4):12.

Sadler B. And R. Verheem, 1996. Strategic Environmental Assessment Status, Challenges and Future Directions. Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment, Publication number 54, The Hague, Netherlands.

Therivel, R., (1993). Systems of Strategic Environmental Assessment, EIA Review, 13 (3). 145-

An evaluation of the effectiveness of the EIA process -a case study based on the Gipsy Lane re-development and VREE

Introduction

Environmental history of the Gypsy Lane Brickworks area

Gipsy Lane brickworks are located in a busy residential area with rich ecological sites within its near environment. Gipsy Lane Brickworks is located in Leicester which is a city located in the East Midland side of England. Leicester forms the county town of Leicestershire, a landlocked country located in central England. The 2006 census estimated the population of Leicester to be 289,700 with about 441,000 living in the greater Leicester Urban Area (National Statistics, 2004). In 2004, Larger Urban Zone by Eurostat indicated the population of the area at 772,400. It is worth pointing out that Leicester is the tenth most populated settlement in the U.K (U.K Census, 2001).The area is also the 15th largest conurbation in the United Kingdom. Leicestershire county' size is approximately 2,084 km2

There are several developed areas in the city that are rapidly extending away from the traditional urban regions located around the more populous areas such as Aneford Road, Woodgreen road the like. The population in the region has gradually expanded and the developmental pressures are giving rise to massive infrastructural development programs that are aimed at satisfying the regions social and economic demands. The rapid rate of land use has presented serious

Background and statement of problem

The diverse and rich ecological resources that exists in the rapidly shrinking habitats in Leicester

Even though Leicester is relatively small in size, it has a very rich biodiversity (Lear Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust,2008).It is home to a total of 1373 species 61% of which are native, 8% archaeophyte, 19% neophyte and 161 are casuals.

Prestone et al. (2002) and Walker (2003) pointed out that60 of the species got extinct between 1900 and 1988. This rich biodiversity is however subjected to intense developmental pressure as a result of urbanization and industrialization trends. In order to preserve this rich biodiversity, it is important to prevent the loss of wildlife habitat in the region. This research proposal is aimed at determining how EIA can be used effectively in assessing the impact of the Gipsy Lane re-development and VREE on the local biodiversity in the region.

The need of preserving the diversity

The process of preventing the loss of habitat is a daunting one. This is due to the very scattered nature of the biodiversity areas of interest (hotspots). The wildlife resources are not concentrated in specific areas. The taxonomic groups however inhibit a range of habitats along the Gipsy lane. The local authorities have taken initiative to outline the steps to be followed for the purpose of conducting EIA before a development project is approved.

Research questions, aim and objectives

The proposed study is to be guided by the following research questions:

1. What is the current condition of the ecological environment around the Gipsy Lane re-development and VREE site?

2. What are the primary factors that must be taken into account when carrying out an environmental audit around the Gipsy Lane re-development and VREE site?

3. What are the primary factors that must be considered in the representation of the environmental impact of the Gipsy Lane re-development and VREE projects>

4. Can…