Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report

207 Pages·2016·2.09 MB·English

Contents
Section 1
Introduction
1.1 Requirement for SA and SEA 4
1.2 City Plan Part 2 6
1.3 Purpose of the SA Scoping Report 6
1.4 SEA Regulations Requirements 7
1.4 Layout of the Scoping Report 8
Section 2
Consultation
2.1 Introduction 10
2.2 Consultation Questions 10
2.3 How to Comment 11
Section 3
Topic Chapters
3.0 Introduction 12
3.1 Biodiversity & Geodiversity 13
3.2 Water Quality and Resources 25
3.3 Soil, Waste and Land Resources 33
3.4 Air Quality and Transportation 41
3.5 Climate Change and Flooding 59
3.6 Cultural Heritage, Landscape and Open Space 71
3.7 Population, Human Health & Inequalities 87
3.8 Housing & Community 106
3.9 Local Economy, Employment, Skills and Education 120
Section 4
SA Framework & Methodology
4.1 Introduction 140
4.2 SA Framework – Policies 140
4.3 Methodology 144
4.4 SA Framework - Sites 145
Section 5
Next Steps
5.1 Consultation period 153
Appendices
A – Plans, Policies and Guidance 154
B – Baseline Information and Indicators 193
C – Copy of Consultation Response Form 204
D - Maps 208
2
List of Maps

1. Special Area of Conservation
2. Sites of Special Scientific Interest
3. Local Nature Reserves (declared)
4. Local Nature Reserves (proposed)
5. Sites of Nature Conservation Importance
6. Groundwater Source Protection Zones
7. Road Noise Mapping – daytime
8. Tidal flood risk
9. Surface Water Flood Risk 1 in 30 year event
10. Surface Water Food Risk 1 in 200 year event
11. Conservation Areas
12. South Downs National Park

List of Figures

1. Stages of SA/SEA and plan-making
2. Map of Biosphere Region
3. Groundwater Levels at Ladies Mile 2014-2016
4. Brighton, Hove and Portslade AQMA 2013
5. Rottingdean AMQA 2013
6. Nitrogen Dioxide levels 1997-2013
7. Groundwater Levels at Ladies Mile Jan to April 2014
8. Surface Water Flood Risk Hotspots
9. Population by 5 year age bands (Census 2011)
10. Index for Multiple Deprivation 2015 – all domains
11. Net housing completions 2010-2015
12. Affordable housing completions 2010-2015
13. Gains and losses in employment floorspace 2014/2015
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Section 1 Introduction

1.1 Requirement for Sustainability Appraisal and Strategic Environmental
Assessment

1.11 The Planning & Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 requires that a Sustainability
Appraisal (SA) is carried out for all Development Plan Documents (DPD). As
the City Plan Part 2 sets a framework for development consent of projects that
are likely to have significant environmental effects, a Strategic Environmental
Assessment (SEA), as required by European Directive EC/2001/42 and the
relevant Regulations 1 is also necessary. The National Planning Policy
Framework (NPPF) also states that an SA, incorporating the requirements of
the SEA Directive, is integral to the plan making process2.

1.12 SA is a systematic and iterative process that attempts to predict and assess
the economic, environmental and social effects that may arise from a plan,
with a view to avoiding and mitigating adverse impacts and maximising
positive impacts where appropriate. It plays an important role in
demonstrating that a DPD is contributing towards sustainable development
through the integration of environmental, social and economic considerations
into the DPD.

1.13 SEA introduces a systematic assessment of the environmental effects of
plans or programmes, including land use plans. Its objective is “to provide a
high level of protection of the environment and to contribute to the integration
of environmental considerations into the preparation and adoption of plans
and programmes, with a view to promoting sustainable development, by
ensuring that, in accordance with the Directive, and environmental
assessment is carried out on certain plans which are likely to have significant
effects of the environment.” It also requires the consideration of reasonable
alternatives, to help demonstrate that the final plan is the most sustainable
approach.

1.14 Although the requirements of SA and SEA are distinct, a single joint appraisal
incorporating SA and SEA requirements can be carried out, in accordance
with National Planning Practice Guidance 3, ensuring that all issues are
considered. The stages of SA/SEA and relevant stages of plan-making are
illustrated in Figure 1.

1 The Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes Regulations 2004
2 NPPF paragraph 165
3 NPPG
4
Figure 1 Stages of SA/SEA and plan-making
(Taken from NPPG paragraph 013)

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1.2 City Plan Part Two

1.21 Brighton & Hove City Council is the local planning authority responsible for
preparing the development plan for the city. The development plan currently
consists of the City Plan Part One (adopted March 2016) and saved policies
from the Local Plan (2005). The City Plan Part One sets the overall strategy
for the development and growth of Brighton & Hove up to 2030, identifies
broad locations for development and allocates strategic sites. The City Plan
Part One also sets some policies that guide decisions on planning
applications.

1.22 The City Plan Part Two will allocate non-strategic sites for various uses, such
as housing, employment and community uses and will also include more
detailed policies that will be used for the determination of planning
applications. Once adopted, the City Plan Part Two will replace the saved
policies from the Local Plan 2005, and together with the City Plan Part One,
will form the Development Plan for the city.

1.3 Purpose of the Scoping Report

1.31 A Scoping Report was originally produced in 2005 for the emerging Core
Strategy, which was then replaced by the City Plan. This Scoping Report has
been updated so that the baseline information, evidence and analysis are
considered to be as up to date as possible in order to inform the plan
production process of the City Plan Part Two.

1.32 Scoping is the process of deciding the scope and level of detail of an SA,
including the relevant background and issues, the assessment methods to be
used and the structure and contents of the SA Report. Documenting this
process, the Scoping Report sets out the scope of, and methodology for the
SA and summarises the tasks and outcomes of the first stage of the SA
process.

1.33 The Scoping Report is considered as Stage A in the SA process as shown in
Figure 1. It involves the development of the SA objectives which form a
framework for undertaking the appraisals, as well as setting out an informed
evidence base, sustainability context and identification of sustainability issues.
The Scoping Report is then made available for consultation with stakeholders.

1.34 Stage A can be broken down into the following 5 key tasks:

• A1 – Context: Identifying other relevant policies, plans and programmes
and sustainability objectives to document how the plan is affected by
outside measures.
• A2 – Baseline Information: Collecting data and baseline information to
provide an evidence base for sustainability issues, effects, prediction
and monitoring.
• A3 – Sustainability Problems: Identifying sustainability issues and
problems from the context and baseline review to help focus the
Sustainability Appraisal
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• A4 – SA Framework: Developing the SA Framework consisting of
objectives based on the issues identified during the context and baseline
review to provide a means by which the sustainability of the plan can be
appraised.
• A5 - Consultation: Consulting on the scope of the SA to ensure the
appraisal covers the key sustainability issues.

1.4 Strategic Environmental Assessment Regulations Requirements

The Scoping Report must also meet the requirements of Regulation 12 (5) and
Schedule 2 of the Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes Regulations
2004 (SEA Regulations). The following table shows the links between the Stages 1-
5 of SA and Requirements 1-5 of Schedule 2 of the SEA Regulations where relevant.

Table 1: Link between SA and SEA Requirements

Regulation SEA Requirements Stage of SA / SA
Requirement
Schedule 2 An outline of the contents, main A1 – Context Review
(1) objectives of the plan or programme and
its relationship with other relevant plans
of programmes
Schedule 2 The relevant aspects of the current state A2 – Baseline Information
(2) of the environment and the likely
evolution thereof without implementation
of the plan or programme
Schedule 2 The environmental characteristics of A2 – Baseline Information
(3) areas likely to be significantly affected
Schedule 2 Any existing environmental problems A3 – Sustainability
(4) which are relevant to the plan or Problems
programme including in particular those
relating to any areas of environmental
importance, such as those designated
under Directives 79/409/EEC (wild birds)
and 92/43/EEC (habitats
Schedule 2 The environmental protection objectives, A1 – Context Review
(5) established at international, community
or Member State level, which are
relevant to the plan or programme and
the way those objectives and any
environmental considerations have been
taken into account during its preparation
12 (5) When deciding on the scope and level of A5 - Consultation
detail of the information that must be
included in the report, the responsible
body must consult the consultation
bodies.

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1.42 Schedule 2 of the Regulations also sets out the following issues that need to
be considered:
a) Biodiversity
b) Population
c) Human Health
d) Fauna
e) Flora
f) Soil
g) Water
h) Air
i) Climatic Factors
j) Material Assets
k) Cultural Heritage
l) Landscape

1.5 Layout of the Scoping Report

1.51 This Scoping Report has been broken up into themed topic chapters covering
various issues. The topic chapters incorporate the issues listed in (a) to (l)
above as required by Schedule 2 of the SEA Regulations, as well as any
other relevant socio or economic sustainability topics as required by the SA
process. The topic chapters and relevant SEA issues are shown in the
following table. There are many areas of cross-over however issues have
been separated into main themes where possible.

Table 2: Sustainability topic chapters and relevant SEA issues

Topic Title SEA issues addressed
Chapter
1 Biodiversity & Geodiversity a) Biodiversity
d) Fauna
e) Flora
f) Soil
2 Water Quality and Resources g) Water

3 Soil, Waste and Land Resources f) Soil
j) Material Assets
4 Air Quality and Transportation h) Air

5 Climate Change and Flooding i) Climatic Factors

6 Cultural Heritage, Landscape and k) Cultural heritage
Open Space l) Landscape
7 Population, Human Health & b) Population
Inequalities c) Human health
8 Housing & Community b) Population
j) Material assets
9 Local Economy, Employment, b) Population
Skills and Education j) Material assets
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1.52 Each topic chapter is presented in a similar way and contains the following
information in order to ensure the regulatory requirements for both SEA and
SA are met:

• Introduction
• Context review
• Current baseline
• Likely future baseline
• Key sustainability issues
• Data limitations
• Suggested Sustainability Objectives and Decision-Making Criteria for a)
policies and b) sites

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Section 2 Consultation

2.1 Introduction

2.11 The SEA Regulations requires statutory environmental bodies to be consulted
at Stage A5 on the scope of the environmental report and again during public
consultation at Stage D1 on the plan and report. In accordance with
Regulation 4 (1) of the SEA Regulations, Historic England, the Environment
Agency and Natural England are the statutory Environmental Consultation
Bodies for England. In addition, the Scoping Report will be made widely
available, in accordance with the adopted Brighton & Hove Statement of
Community Involvement, to allow others to comment.4

2.2 Consultation Questions

2.21 Please see the “How to Comment” section 2.3 for details on how to submit
your comments and Appendix C for a copy of the formal consultation
response form.

2.22 The following consultation questions are included within the formal
consultation response form and should be used to guide a response.
Questions should be completed for each topic chapter that you are
commenting on:

1) Context Review and Appendix A
Are there any other documents that should be referred to as part of the
Context Review?

2) Baseline Data, Indicators and Appendix B
Is there any other baseline data, which is readily available, that would
be useful for the baseline or for monitoring purposes?

3) Sustainability Issues
Does the Sustainability Issues section adequately address the main
issues?

Sustainability Appraisal Framework
4) Do the proposed Sustainability Appraisal objectives cover the main
issues and form an adequate appraisal framework for the policies and
site allocations?

5) Will the proposed Decision Making Criteria for the policies help to
produce a meaningful assessment of the emerging policies?

4 BH Statement of Community Involvement 2015
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