Matt Davies
Matt Davies specialises in environmental impact assessment (EIA) and environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA). He has 27 years of experience, across a broad range of sectors, including commercial and residential property masterplanning and development, extractive industries, power generation and transmission, renewables, pulp, paper and oil and gas. Matt has led many EIA projects and related commissions throughout the UK and overseas. His advice on ESIA strategy, knowledge of case law and his delivery of complex multi-disciplinary EIAs, in many cases to accompany consent applications for major, sometimes contentious projects, is highly valued by clients seeking to minimize planning delays, limit uncertainty whilst retaining flexibility. He leads on negotiations with stakeholders over EIA scope, conducts stakeholder and community consultation, and advises on development design to mitigate environmental impact. He is experienced in a range of EIA and consenting frameworks including land use planning, electricity generation and transmission, pipelines, ports and harbours. He has acted as an expert witness on numerous matters relating to EIA, has advised government on EIA policy and legal compliance and has published research on post-project EIA. He is currently serving as a member of the Planning Work Group of the Scottish Renewables Forum. Matt holds a BSc (Hons) in Environmental Biology.