Samuel Hayes

Consideration of urban green space in impact assessments for health

Abstract This paper explores how health aspects connected with the planning of urban green space are currently supported through two types of impact assessments: health impact assessment (HIA) and environmental assessment, including strategic environmental assessment (SEA) of policies, plans and programmes and environmental impact assessment (EIA) of projects. Seven HIAs and five EIAs/SEAs from the UK, the US, the Netherlands, Austria and Germany are reviewed, using an analytical framework designed on the basis of a literature review. An important finding is that whilst all HIAs follow a problem-/objectives-driven approach, designing guidelines for potential future projects, all EIAs/SEAs use an impact-driven approach, focusing on the impacts of planned and concrete action. HIAs therefore approach policy, plan, programme and project-making exercises from the outside, making suggestions to those working on them to consider certain aspects in the future, rather than working with them on improving things within a decision-making process, as is usually is usually the case with EIAs/SEAs.

FLOOD MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATION IN SUSTAINABILITY APPRAISAL AND STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT IN ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND

The impact of flood events in the UK has drawn attention to limitations associated with traditional flood defence regimes. In recognition of this there has been a significant level of advocacy for a systems based approach which assumes a greater role for spatial planning. This paper considers the extent to which strategic assessment contributes toward the consideration of flooding within spatial planning. The paper draws on four cases from England and Scotland. Specific attention is given to the nature of flood management approaches considered in assessment and the recommendations presented. The research indicates that assessment practice is dominated by probabilistic calculations of flood risk and typically replicates national policy and guidance on flood management. It is argued that there exists potential for assessment to foster more nuanced and tailored consideration of flood management by including multiple perspectives, such as management of the whole system, risk and vulnerability, resilience and adaptation.

Re-Examining the Rationale for Strategic Assessment: An Evaluation of Purpose in Two Systems

Strategic forms of impact assessment have seen increased application around the world since their conception. Expansion has produced considerable variation and this range of tools and processes can create practitioner confusion and blurred boundaries in practice. This research draws on empirical data from England and Scotland to examine different systems to understand how the purposes of strategic assessment are framed and to consider how purposes are translated into practice. Four key purposes of strategic assessment are examined; overcoming EIA shortcomings, strategic thinking, representation of the environment and consideration of sustainability. It is concluded that various scales (international, national, local and individual) influence how strategic assessment purpose is framed. We find that as multiple purposes come together they interact, with regulatory compliance potentially dominating. Strategic assessment is also found to be described as information provider, and excluded or distant from strategic thinking as part of plan formulation.