Tools for Community-Managed Impact Assessment

Abstract

Abstract Community and interest groups have often worked to introduce new impact assessment considerations into planning decisions. Their views represent perspectives and experience that are unique. This article presents a range of social impact assessment techniques that are available and evaluates their usefulness to local groups. The use of such techniques by local groups can serve to enhance their role in both local and regional scale planning and can provide purposeful activity for volunteer lay groups. Twelve techniques are discussed, ranging from simple impact checklists to complex data-based approaches. Five techniques which are relatively simple to use, do not require extensive use of data, and provide new insight into social impacts of proposed projects are identified as most useful to local groups. One technique is a check list procedure; the remainder are discussion-structuring approaches, the most complex of which is Delphi. A project comparisons technique is outlined, which focuses on predicting impacts through use of information about previous, similar projects. Local group members can use this procedure to bring information and experience from outside the community to bear on local impact assessments.