An overview of UK practice to date - Introduction to Environmental Impact Assessment - page 222

Figure 8.1 EISs prepared in the UK,
1988-2002. ( Source: ODPM, DETR,
Oxford Brookes University IAU
statistics, Manchester University EIA
Centre statistics.)
included in the amended Directive, a stronger UK economy and concern by developers
and LPAs about certain court judgments involving the EIA Directive. By the end of 2003,
approximately 6,000 EISs had been prepared, with approximately 70 per cent produced
under the Planning Regulations for England, Wales and Scotland. The remainder are for
projects in Northern Ireland and, more significantly, for projects under the other consent
procedures (e.g. highways, forestry) as discussed in Chapter 3.
In parallel with the increase in the number of EISs, the participants in EIA have
become increasingly familiar with the process. Surveys of UK local authorities carried
out by Oxford Brookes University in the mid- 1990s showed that over 80 per cent of
LPAs even then had received at least one EIS. On average, strategic-level authorities
(county and regional councils and national park authorities) had received 12 EISs and
local-level authorities (district, borough, metropolitan boroughs and development
corporations) had received four. Surveys of environmental consultants (e.g. Radcliff &
Edward-Jones 1995, Weston 1995) found that about one-third of the consultancies
surveyed had prepared 10 or more EISs. As noted, the total number of EISs is now
approximately 6,000, compared with approximately 2,500 by the end of 1995, and LPA
and consultancy activity and experience with the process has continued to grow
accordingly.