Impact Assessment

We carry out a range of assessments focused on understanding the social and economic impact of proposed developments to inform our client’s planning applications.

These assessments are important tools in determining whether the benefits of a scheme justify the social and financial costs.  We have undertaken these assessments for a range of local authorities (Birmingham City Council, Derby City Council, Bath and North East Somerset Council, Durham County Council and Telford and Wrekin Council), universities (University of Kent, University of Sussex, and University of Loughborough) and private sector (Lidl UK, Malvern Hills Science Park, and Highgate Hotels) clients.

Further to this, we have  also supported our clients to calculate the social value of their interventions, using social return on investment (SROI) principals.

The case studies below showcase our impact assessment expertise.

Case Studies

Highgate Hotels, Economic Impact Assessment

Carney Green was commission to undertake an Economic Impact Assessment (EcIA) for Highgate Hotels. The EcIA was for a proposed 200 bed 4 star hotel which also included creative office space. We defined the economic impact of the Proposed Development on Hackney and at a wider London level, taking into account both the construction and operational phases.

Our assessment quantified gross and net economic effects of employment, turnover and GVA. Where appropriate, we used acknowledged economic benchmarks to understand the ratio between turnover and economic value, and the associated likely level of benefit retention at the Hackney and London levels. Our assessment also identified the likely strategic benefits of the development, including local employment, increase in visitor accommodation, and visitor spend. 

Land Trust, Perceptions Survey and Social Value Study

The Land Trust is dedicated to providing free public open space for the benefit of communities. In order to better understand its impact the Land Trust commissioned Carney Green to undertake a social value assessment of the Land Trust’s sites. For this to be achieved, visitors on 12 sites were surveyed and Carney Green applied financial proxies to the survey outputs to calculate monetary benefits for health provision, crime prevention and social amenity value.

We then applied these benefits to the costs of running Land Trust sites to provide the social value ratio of £X benefit (or saving to the public purse) for every £1 spent. This information  (http://thelandtrust.org.uk/charitable-aims/thebenefits/) will be used by the Land Trust for future promotional activity and to support funding bids.

Examples of other similar projects we are currently working on or previously undertaken include: 

  • The delivery of an economic impact assessment for a proposed life sciences development which Birmingham City Council used to support a European funding application.
  • An EcIA of a proposed flood defence scheme for Derby City Council which involved consulting with stakeholders, as well as calculating the turnover, GVA and employment impacts of four different scenarios.
  • A socio-economic assessment for the redevelopment of Sussex University, this was part of the Environmental Statements required as part of the planning application to build new student accommodation and teaching space.
  • An economic assessment which established the impact of Bath Rugby Club on the city of bath and developed a model to measure the impact following potential relocation of the club.