SRA specialise in stitching in social impacts to Environmental Impact Analysis. These are important but difficult to measure and thus often neglected yet carry risks of lack of consultation and judicial review to infrastructure development. Current work in this area is informing the consultation process of private developments. Associated with such work and the need for reform of the planning system, Kris Beuret, the Director of SRA is a Council Member of the National Infrastructure Planning Association (www.nip.org.uk).
Work has also been completed for local authorities and the EU to develop Community Indicators for monitoring Local Transport Plans & other sustainable development. The challenge here has been to find measures which are scientifically robust whilst at the same time making sense to local communities. One interesting study recorded differences in attitudes to the environment between different ethnic communities.
Another focus of our work is perceptions of town centres. Working with local authorities, we have fed into refurbishments and partnership working with retailers to develop strategies to update city environments. A particular focus of current work is the way in which planning for the fast growing night time economy is neglected in favour of focusing on daytime needs.
The Impact of HS2. SRA worked with a team led by ERM, Motts and Temple to write the Environment Impact Assessment for the proposed HS2 route from London to Birmingham. We were particularly involved in the social economic, equality and community sections of the assessment including a community impact study of West Euston.
