7.—(1) An environmental impact assessment means a process consisting of—
(a)the preparation of an EIA report in accordance with regulation 17 by a person (the “developer”) applying for a section 36 or 37 consent, or a section 36 variation, for EIA development and the provision by the developer to the relevant authority of the EIA report and any further environmental information;
(b)the compliance with the obligations under regulations 22 to 31 that apply in each individual case by the developer and the other persons on whom those obligations are imposed;
(c)the examination by the relevant authority of—
(i)the EIA report;
(ii)any further environmental information; and
(iii)any additional environmental information;.
(d)the reasoned conclusion by the relevant authority on the significant effects of the development on the environment, taking into account the results of—
(i)the examination referred to in sub-paragraph (c); and
(ii)where appropriate, the relevant authority’s own supplementary examination; and
(e)the inclusion of the relevant authority’s reasoned conclusion in the decision notice required by regulation 33.
(2) The environmental impact assessment must identify, describe and assess in an appropriate manner, in light of each individual case, the direct and indirect significant effects of the development on the following factors—
(a)population and human health;
(b)biodiversity (for example, fauna and flora), with particular attention to habitats and species protected under the Habitats Directive or the Wild Birds Directive;
(c)land (for example, land take), soil (for example, organic matter, erosion, compaction, sealing), water (for example, hydromorphological changes, quantity and quality), air and climate (for example, greenhouse gas emissions, impacts relevant to adaptation);
(d)material assets, cultural heritage (including architectural and archaeological aspect) and the landscape;
(e)the interaction between the factors referred to in sub-paragraphs (a) to (d).
(3) The effects to be identified, described and assessed under paragraph (2) must include—
(a)the operational effects of the development, where the development will have operational effects;
(b)the expected effects arising from the vulnerability of the development to the risks of major accidents and disasters that are relevant to the development.
(4) The relevant authority must ensure that it has, or has access to, sufficient expertise for the purpose of conducting the examination referred to in paragraph (1)(c) or any supplementary examination.
(5) When granting an application referred to in paragraph (1)(a), the relevant authority must be satisfied that the reasoned conclusion referred to in paragraph (1)(d) is up to date.