Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and Sustainability Appraisal (SA)
The most important consideration in the preparation of planning documents that form part of the Local Development Framework (LDF) is sustainable development. The aim of these documents is therefore to promote more sustainable forms of development by considering the potential impacts of the implementation of the policies within them.
Under European law a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is required to be undertaken for certain plans and strategies that are likely to have a significant effect on the environment through the development projects they put forward. The idea behind the SEA (Directive 2001/42/EC, the SEA Directive) is to promote sustainable development through consideration of the environmental impact of plans at the strategic level. The strategic level generally sets the framework for multiple smaller scale projects. Therefore by assessing the potential environmental impact at the strategic stage, the overall effect of these multiple projects can be assessed and any adverse effect avoided. Where adverse effects are unavoidable measures need to be put in place to reduce the impact.
Under UK legislation, a Sustainability Appraisal (SA) must be prepared for a development plan document (DPD). It is similar to SEA, but includes assessment of social and economic concerns alongside environmental concerns. A Sustainability Appraisal is used by planning authorities to assess whether proposed plans and policies meet sustainable development objectives. It is intended to incorporate the requirements of the SEA Directive.
SA should:
· take a long term view of the expected social, economic and environmental effects of a proposed plan;
· check that planning policies are in line with sustainability objectives;
· reflect global, national, regional and local concerns; and
· form an integral part of DPD preparation.
The SA process has five key stages for which three reports are produced. The first stage is the scoping stage where background information is gathered to identify sustainability issues and a framework of sustainability objectives. A Scoping Report is then produced detailing the results of this stage.
The second report to be produced is the Initial Sustainability Appraisal Report which details the results of the appraisal of the draft DPD and compares the options considered in the DPD production process. This appraisal takes place in parallel with the production of the draft DPD and makes recommendations for changes to improve its sustainability.
The Initial Sustainability Appraisal Report is consulted on in tandem with the draft DPD.
The next stage of the Sustainability Appraisal will be to appraise the final version of the DPD once any changes have been made as a result of consultation and the recommendations in the Initial Sustainability Appraisal Report. This will result in a Final Sustainability Appraisal Report being produced which will accompany the submission version of the DPD.
The following pieces of guidance have been used in the preparation of this Scoping Report:
A Practical Guide to the Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive, produced by ODPM in 2005
http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/practicalguidesea
Sustainability Appraisal of Regional Spatial Strategies and Local Development Documents, produced by ODPM in 2005
http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/sustainabilityappraisal
Local Development Frameworks Guide on Sustainability Appraisal, produced by the Planning Advisory Service in 2007
http://www.pas.gov.uk/pas/core/page.do?pageId=51859
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