Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA and EIS)
Scoping, preparing, and lodging environmental assessments for major infrastructure
Service
Environmental approvals strategy for major infrastructure.
Getting environmental approval for a major project is rarely simple. The process is complex, the stakes are high, and the window to get it right is narrow. Seran designs and leads your approvals strategy from the start. That means a clear pathway to approval, before the first planning document is submitted.
What we do
What this service covers
Regulatory Pathway Design
Identifying which frameworks apply and mapping the steps to approval before work begins
Planning Referrals
State Significant Infrastructure and State Significant Development processes in Victoria and NSW
EPBC Act Referrals
Commonwealth environmental referral and assessment management
EPA Development Licences
Works approvals and development licences for EPA Victoria-regulated activities
Conditions Management
Interpreting approval conditions and setting up the systems to manage your obligations through construction
Agency Engagement
Managing the working relationship between your project team and the regulators who decide your outcome
Sectors we work across
Road and Highway
Water Infrastructure
Energy and Renewables
Our approach
Strategy first. Documentation second.
Most approval problems start the same way. Design is well advanced. The project is committed. Then the environmental consultant is brought in to write up what has already been decided.
That is not a strategy. It is a risk.
We work the other way. We get involved early. We shape the project around the approval pathway. We find issues before they become approval conditions or costly redesigns.
The result: your project moves forward with certainty.
Why Seran
The advantage of every side of the table.
Hilary Chapman has worked on major infrastructure approvals in three roles: as the contractor's environmental lead, as a government consultant, and as an independent auditor. Very few people have held all three. That experience shapes every strategy and every document we produce.
Infrastructure at scale
Hilary has worked on projects comparable to West Gate Tunnel, Snowy 2.0, the Victorian Desalination Project, and WestConnex. That scale of project demands a different level of approvals expertise.
Direct accountability
Hilary manages your approvals process personally. No handoff to a junior team. No one to brief back up the chain.
National coverage
We work across Victorian, NSW, and Commonwealth frameworks: EPA Victoria, the NSW Department of Planning, and the EPBC Act.
FAQ
Common questions
Does my project need a formal EIA?
For major infrastructure, some form of environmental assessment is almost always required. Which process applies depends on your state, project type, and location. The first step is working out which frameworks apply, before any assessment work starts.
How long does the approvals process take?
For a formal EIS process in Victoria or NSW, the assessment phase alone typically takes 12 to 24 months. The biggest factor in how fast your project moves is the quality of the strategy behind it.
What is the EPBC Act and when does it apply?
The EPBC Act is the main Commonwealth environmental law. It applies when a project may significantly affect a matter of national environmental significance, such as threatened species or World Heritage properties. If your project may trigger it, a referral is required before any work begins.
Does Seran work outside Victoria?
Yes. We work nationally across Victorian, NSW, and Commonwealth frameworks. Our base is Melbourne. The projects are wherever the infrastructure is.
Get in touch
Let's talk about your project.
A short conversation is usually enough to understand where we can help.