Members of staff at Footprint Ecology have considerable experience of appearing and giving evidence at public enquiries. We have given evidence as expert witnesses to inquiries into both local issues such as works on common land, and also to large inquiries for major housing and industrial developments. This has included advising on statements of case and other matters leading up to the inquiry and advising advocates on ecological issues during inquiries including for cross examination and final submissions. We have prepared proofs of evidence as well as supplementary and rebuttal proofs where required, and attended numerous inquiries to give expert evidence and answer questions under cross examination and from the Inspector.
Our advice and evidence is based on our own extensive experience and a detailed assessment of the proposals and the site and species which could be affected. Our advice and evidence is always soundly based on an assessment of the latest research, which in a number of cases, such as visitor patterns and development pressures on sites and species for example, we have carried out ourselves. We routinely keep up to date on the latest research in the relevant disciplines including obtaining original material such as PhD and Master's theses and research reports, which are added to our extensive library.
Our staff have appeared to give evidence against proposals which it was believed would have a significant adverse effect on European designated sites and species as well as SSSIs. These have included housing developments, industrial units and warehousing, an incinerator and an airport extension. We have also given evidence in support of proposals to manage common land by grazing and fencing. Much of our work in this field is concerned with lowland heathland but has also involved wetlands and woodland. Our clients have included Local Authorities, Wildlife Trusts and Natural England.