C6.6 Environmental Impacts at different stages
It is important that the Environmental Impacts are considered at the various stages throughout the life cycle of the development.
Many people hear that a new development is occurring near to where they live and focus on two areas of concern. Some people seem to focus on the potential detrimental effects of the development when it is finished, such as now having to live next to a power station. Others seem to focus on the detrimental effects of the building work itself, such as noise and increased traffic.
This may also be dependant upon the type of development. A cross-country gas pipeline will not be noticeable once installed but the construction work that is involved to install it may be of concern to some local residents.
It is also extremely important to consider the design stages of the development. It is always preferable to eliminate negative environmental impacts in the first instance. The design stage is an optimal times for this. Designers will be more effective at eliminating negative environmental impacts through good design, than any operational phase bolt-on measure.
You must also consider the decommission stages. What will happen once the development has finished? Many developments have a finite life (such as mine, incinerator or landfill site). It is important to consider the environmental impacts that may occur after the development.