Pre-Purchase Site Inspections for Ecological Risk

At Anderson Environmental we are often asked by our clients to provide advice early on in the development assessment process. Often this commences even before a client decides to purchase a property and it is generally the larger and more experienced property developers who know the value of getting a thorough  Due Diligence Pre-Purchase Inspection undertaken. Often we are advising client’s on properties in the millions and have recently advised a client on a 10 million dollar property before they decided to purchase. The viability of any project is critical to assess early on in the project planning process.

With the implementation of the new Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 (BC Act 2016) there can be significant offset costs for offsetting the clearance of native vegetation and these costs are significantly higher than they have been previously. In certain cases where there are Critically Endangered Ecological Communities or Critical Habitat for Endangered Species there may be a Significant And Irreversible Impact (SAII) which cannot be offset thus leasing to a significant limitation for any development. In addition consideration must be given to if the site contains mapped areas of Outstanding Biodiversity Values.

So what is the role of a Pre-Purchase Ecological  Inspection ?

Most often a Due Diligence Pre-Purchase Inspection for potential Ecological issues can involve background searches and a scoping site inspection to identify any potential issues. Many clients however request a more detailed assessment of the site by way of a 5-part Test of Significance and/or Biodiversity Development Assessment Report (BDAR). These are more detailed reports which can form part of a Statement of Environmental Effects to support the development application.  The more detailed the assessment, the more accurate the information available for planning.

Project success starts very early on by determining whether a project is a “Go” or “No Go” and Due Diligence early on (often even before the purchase of the property) is critical in such a determination. It is important for working out risks and to provide a sound cost benefit analysis.

As experienced Environmental Consultants with experience since 1992 we assist our clients with a wide range of Ecological Assessments.

Why not give us a call on 1300 302 507 to discuss your next project.