Environmental Impact Assessment (Shirley)

Friday 30 April 2010

Client organisations: Shirley Advance

Date: 2006 – on going

Value: £20,000

CL Voelcker were appointed by Shirley Advance to produce an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the planned redevelopment of the town centre of Shirley in the West Midlands. The existing "centre" was an old fashioned high street which had built up piecemeal fashion over the years with no cohesive focus and no relationship with the local park which backed onto it.

The total area of the site covered some 6.87 hectares including existing retail premises, a Grade II Listed Building, servicing areas, car parks, two houses and a small part of the park.

The aim of the proposal was to form a new hub for retail activities in Shirley whilst at the same time giving the local community an enhanced conceptual focus for the town which links commercial activities with recreational activities in the local park.

We played a key role in liaising with the local authority and other key stakeholders to define the scope of the project identifying key local issues relating the perception of the townscape, the value and utilisation of the local park and the key contributors to the local amenity. We carried out the EIA and ultimately produced the Environmental Statement and Non-Technical Summary covering such aspects as traffic, noise, ecology, landscaping and visual impact and air quality as well as water run off, drainage and flood protection.

In carrying out this work we managed a number of in-house specialists and a small number of external collaborators to address the wide scope of environmental issues to be assessed. The result of our practice is to present a single interface to the client which promotes easy and effective communications and a seamless product.

Despite its controversial nature the development was approved by the Local Planning Authority subject to a Section 106 Agreement.
 

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