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application submission to the National Heritage Department for evaluation of the severity of the impact on the heritage resources , mitigation measures and a monitoring plan . Similarly , in all developments involving World Heritage Sites , an HIA is compulsory before planning approval is granted .
The importance of Heritage Impact Assessment In Infrastructure project
As discussed at the beginning of the article , we have seen examples of the negative consequences of infrastructure projects impacting heritage resources and I hope it will serve as an important lesson for all future developments . Heritage resources are not only limited to buildings and monuments ; the term also includes archaeological sites , natural resources such as wetlands , natural forests and geological formations . An HIA is an important tool especially in the early design development stage to inform planners and developers of the location of any potential heritage resources where a linear development will be passing through , be it a railway or highway . This will also complement the EIA , TIA and Social Impact Assessment ( SIA ) studies as HIA hotspots may sometimes be missed .
The HIA process flow chart .
10 VOL 85 JANUARY - MARCH 2021