Case studies of EIA in practice - Introduction to Environmental Impact Assessment - page 280

While the process did open up the environmental assessment to detailed
questioning by a small but representative group of the public, it arguably
started too late in the limited regulatory process to allow the Contact
Group members to frame and define the problems to be considered and
assessed. During the author's own observation and evaluation of the
process, it was evident that questions about the assessment methods were
able to be raised (for example, the Portsmouth Contact Group identified
deficiencies in the transport assessment based upon knowledge of cycling
on the local roads). Some reassessment did take place as a result of such a
public quality assurance mechanism. However, this was limited.
Participants valued the opportunity provided to them to review the
assessment but were suspicious that outcomes had already been decided.
9.5.6 Conclusions
The case study has illustrated the use of extended methods of public consultation in EIA,
which go beyond the minimum legal requirements in the EU EIA Directive. These
methods are not without their practical difficulties, and these have been highlighted. The
main weakness in this case appears to have been that the contact group meetings started
too late in the overall EIA process. Public involvement at the scoping stage of the EIA
may have helped to avoid some of the problems encountered.
As a postscript, after a public inquiry was held in 2000, planning permission for the
Portsmouth incinerator was finally granted in October 2001-10 years after the initial
application for an incinerator on the site had been submitted.
9.6 Cairngorm mountain railway—mitigation in EIA
9.6.1 Introduction
It is appropriate that one of our case studies includes a tourism project, for tourism is the
world's largest industry, it is growing apace and it contains within itself the seeds of its
own destruction. That tourism can destroy tourism has become increasingly recognized
over the last 30 years or so, with a focus of concern widening from initially largely
economic impacts to a now wider array which includes social and biophysical impacts
(see Glasson et al. 1995, Hunter & Green 1995, Mathieson & Wall 2004). Mountain areas
can be particularly sensitive to tourism impacts, including from walking, skiing and
associated facilities. This case study takes a particularly controversial project, the
Cairngorm mountain railway, in the Highlands of Scotland, which was opening in 2001
after a long and protracted debate about its impacts and their management. This brief case
study focuses on the latter aspect as an example of approaches to mitigation in EIA.
9.6.2 The project
The Cairngorm Ski Area is one of five ski areas in Scotland. It developed rapidly in the
1960s and 1970s in combination with the adjacent settlement of Aviemore. Chairlift