Site screening
Solar Environmental Constraint Screening
Structure desktop environmental screening for protected areas, habitats, species, water, landscape and cumulative effects.
Why this workflow matters
Environmental screening identifies likely survey, permitting and layout implications. It should combine mapped designations with local context and clearly distinguish statutory status from indicative sensitivity.
Questions to answer
- Which statutory or non-statutory designations are relevant?
- Which habitats, species or receptors may require surveys?
- Could grid and access routes create separate impacts?
- What seasonal programme constraints apply?
Recommended workflow
- 1Define site and associated-infrastructure study areas.
- 2Review designations, habitat context, water and landscape receptors.
- 3Identify survey requirements and seasonal windows.
- 4Translate findings into layout constraints, programme actions and specialist scopes.
Evidence to collect
- ✓ Designation boundaries and citations
- ✓ Habitat and land-cover information
- ✓ Species records and survey evidence
- ✓ Landscape, water and cumulative-development context
Decision-ready outputs
- → Environmental constraints plan
- → Survey and consultation schedule
- → Preliminary mitigation hierarchy