An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) coordinator is an environmental planning specialist who manages the entire EIA process for development projects covered by the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017. They commission and coordinate specialist environmental assessments - covering ecology, noise, air quality, heritage, landscape and more - synthesise the findings into an Environmental Statement (ES), and manage the engagement with the local planning authority and statutory consultees throughout the planning application process.
What they do
- Request EIA screening opinions from the local planning authority
- Prepare EIA scoping reports and agree the scope with the LPA
- Commission and coordinate specialist environmental assessors
- Compile and quality-check the Environmental Statement
- Write the non-technical summary for public consumption
- Manage consultation with statutory consultees (Natural England, EA, Historic England)
- Prepare ES addenda and updated assessments to address LPA queries
- Advise on EIA monitoring and post-permission compliance conditions
- Manage EIA programmes on major infrastructure and mixed-use projects
When you need one
An EIA coordinator is needed as soon as a project may require an Environmental Statement - ideally at pre-application stage to agree the scope and avoid costly delays.
Typical costs (UK, 2025)
| Job type | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| EIA screening assessment | £800 - £2,500 |
| EIA scoping report | £1,500 - £4,000 |
| Environmental Statement coordination | £5,000 - £30,000+ |
| Non-technical summary | £1,000 - £3,000 |
| ES addendum or update | £1,500 - £5,000 |
| Hourly rate | £80 - £140 / hr |
The total cost of an EIA - including all specialist technical studies - typically ranges from £30,000 to £200,000+ for major mixed-use or infrastructure projects. The coordinator's fee is a fraction of the total.
Frequently asked questions
What types of development require an EIA?
Schedule 1 projects (such as nuclear power stations and motorways) always require an EIA. Schedule 2 projects (such as housing over 0.5 ha, commercial development over 1 ha, and wind farms) require an EIA if they are likely to have significant effects on the environment, assessed by a screening opinion from the local planning authority.
What is a non-technical summary?
A non-technical summary is a plain English summary of the Environmental Statement required by the EIA Regulations. It must be accessible to a general audience and cover all the main findings of the environmental assessment, including significant effects and proposed mitigation measures.
What is the EIA scoping process?
Scoping is a formal or informal process of agreeing with the local planning authority what environmental topics need to be assessed and to what level of detail. It prevents unnecessary work on irrelevant topics and ensures the Environmental Statement covers what the LPA needs to assess the planning application.