GGH3705 MAY JUNE PORTF0LIO (COMPLETE ANSWERS) Semester 1 2025 - DUE 30 May 2025

A new business complex is planned for development within the town/city where you live. You are given the task of conducting an environmental impact assessment (EIA) for this proposed development. The specifications for the business complex include: • Eight (8) buildings for the following types of businesses: o Medical centre o Financial services o Canteens/restaurants/coffee shops o Legal services o Day-to-day office/boardroom rentals (e.g. Regus or WeWork) o Educational services (such as tutor centre, reading centre) o IT services o Beauty and wellness services (such as spa, gym, salons) • Parking (covered and open) • Petrol station with a motor repair workshop and carwash • Any additional features and/or eco-features which you deem necessary within your town/city INSTRUCTIONS Use the knowledge that you have gained during the course of the semester and write a short, yet comprehensive, environmental impact report related to the proposed development. Your comprehensive report needs to include the following sections: 1. Geographical description • Choose two (2) possible sites for the planned project, and provide the following information for each identified site: o A geographical description of the town/city in which each determined site is located. o The exact location of each site (include a suitable map of acceptable quality). o An evaluation of the site characteristics of each determined site. o A comparison between the two selected sites. The comparison should include and/or make reference to the no-go alternative. • After your analysis of the two selected sites, indicate which will be the recommended proposed site and which will be the alternative site for the project/development. Provide reasons and/or motivations for your selection and recommendation. [15] GGH3705 May/June Portfolio 2025 3 2. General description of the proposed development • Provide a general description and plan of the proposed development. In your answer, you need to address the following: o Elaborate on the proposed development specifications (e.g. size of buildings, spacing, etc.). o Design and discuss the layout of the proposed development, taking both the positive and negative aspects into consideration. o List the primary materials to be used. o Identify and describe at least three (3) additional environmentally friendly or sustainable features that should be considered in the proposed development. o Discuss the need and desirability of the development in relation to the selected site. [10] 3. Specialist studies • Examine the proposed site and project specifications. o Identify three (3) experts/specialists who will need to be consulted and whose reports must be submitted as part of the environmental impact assessment (EIA). o Supply a suitable reason and/or motivation for the selection of each of the experts/specialists you identify. [6] 4. Scale of assessment • Analyse the information provided in the previous sections and indicate whether the proposed project requires a basic or a full EIA. • Argue the chosen scale of the EIA by providing a list of activities – as listed in the NEMA 107 of 1998: EIA Regulations’ listing notices of 2017 – that the project will trigger. [5] 5. Environmental legislation • Determine and discuss the applicable existing environmental legislation and policies (individual Acts and policies), specific required licences, and permits that should be considered pertaining to the chosen development and the proposed location. [5] GGH3705 May/June Portfolio 2025 4 6. Stakeholder involvement • Analyse the involvement of stakeholders in the EIA process from scoping to the final decision/granting of environmental authorisation. Your answer needs to address the following key aspects: o List the stakeholders involved in the project and explain how they would be identified. o State which of the stakeholders are involved in each step of the EIA process and what their contribution is to these processes. o Explain the public participation interventions that can be incorporated into the EIA process and evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of each. o Create a site notice/flyer for the public participation process. • Briefly argue how the use of social media can enhance the involvement of stakeholders and/or interested and affected parties in the EIA process. In your answer identify possible platforms and their specific features/functionality, and state the advantages and disadvantages of each. [24] (15) (9) 7. Impacts and mitigations • Refer to the table given below, and in your answer do the following: o Predict and discuss at least five (5) possible project-specific environmental impacts. Prioritise your answer according to scale and/or magnitude of the impact. o Predict and discuss at least five (5) possible project-specific social impacts. Prioritise your answer according to scale and/or magnitude of the impact. o Predict and discuss at least five (5) possible project-specific human health impacts. Prioritise your answer according to scale and/or magnitude of the impact. o Suggest and prioritise possible solutions/mitigation measures for at least ten (10) of the identified environmental, social, and human health impacts of the proposed development.