Sustainability Appraisal of the Doncaster Local Plan 2015 - 2035: Publication Version
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Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council Sustainability Appraisal of the Doncaster Local Plan 2015 - 2035: Publication Version Sustainability Appraisal including Non-Technical Summary Wood Environment & Infrastructure Solutions UK Limited – August 2019 2 © Wood Environment & Infrastructure Solutions UK Limited Report for Copyright and non-disclosure notice Jane Stimpson Planning Policy Manager (Local Plans) The contents and layout of this report are subject to copyright Organisation name owned by Wood (© Wood Environment & Infrastructure Directorate of Regeneration and Environment Doncaster Solutions UK Limited 2018) save to the extent that copyright Metropolitan Borough Council has been legally assigned by us to another party or is used by Civic Office Wood under licence. To the extent that we own the copyright Waterdale in this report, it may not be copied or used without our prior Doncaster written agreement for any purpose other than the purpose DN1 3BU indicated in this report. The methodology (if any) contained in this report is provided to you in confidence and must not be disclosed or copied to third parties without the prior written agreement of Wood. Disclosure of that information may Main contributors constitute an actionable breach of confidence or may Robert Deanwood otherwise prejudice our commercial interests. Any third party Pete Davis who obtains access to this report by any means will, in any Sean Nicholson event, be subject to the Third Party Disclaimer set out below. Russell Buckley Ryan Llewellyn Third party disclaimer Any disclosure of this report to a third party is subject to this Issued by disclaimer. The report was prepared by Wood at the instruction of, and for use by, our client named on the front of the report. It does not in any way constitute advice to any third party who is able to access it by any means. 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Wood Gables House Document revisions Kenilworth Road Leamington Spa No. Details Date Warwickshire CV32 6JX United Kingdom 1 Report to client September Tel +44 (0) 1926 439 000 2018 Doc Ref. 38404R003i2 2 Publication SA Report August 2019 h:\projects\38404 doncaster local plan sa\1 client\reports\publication sa august 2019\doncaster local plan publication version sa report august 2019 final .docx August 2019 Doc Ref. 38404R003i2 iii © Wood Environment & Infrastructure Solutions UK Limited Non-Technical Summary Introduction This Non-Technical Summary (NTS) provides an overview of the Sustainability Appraisal (SA) of the Doncaster Local Plan: Draft Policies and Proposed Sites (the draft Local Plan). The SA is being carried out on behalf of Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council (the Council) by Wood Environment and Infrastructure Solutions UK Ltd (Wood) to help integrate sustainable development into the emerging Local Plan. The following sections of this NTS: Provide an overview of the draft Local Plan; Describe the approach to undertaking the SA of the draft Local Plan; Summarise the findings of the SA of the draft Local Plan; and Set out the next steps in the SA of the Local Plan. What is the draft Local Plan? The Local Plan will set out the vision, objectives, planning policies and site allocations that will guide development in the borough to 2035. The Council is now consulting on the following aspects of the Local Plan: The Local Plan Vision and Objectives; Policies to manage development and development proposals for specific areas; Sites for housing, employment and minerals and the selection methodology; Elements of the evidence base and designations; and Sustainability Appraisal (SA). Further information about the draft Local Plan Publication Version Document is set out in Section 1.3 of the SA Report and is available via the Council’s website. August 2019 Doc Ref. 38404R003i2 iv © Wood Environment & Infrastructure Solutions UK Limited What is Sustainability Appraisal National Planning Policy1 sets out that local plans should be prepared with the objective of contributing to the achievement of sustainable development. Sustainable development is that which seeks to strike a balance between economic, environmental and social factors to enable people to meet their needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It is important that the Doncaster Local Plan contributes to a sustainable future for the plan area. To support this objective, the Council is required to carry out a Sustainability Appraisal (SA) of the Local Plan2. SA is a means of ensuring that the likely social, economic and environmental effects of the Local Plan are identified, described and appraised and also incorporates a process set out under a European Directive3 and related UK regulations4 called Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). Where negative effects are identified, measures are proposed to avoid, minimise or mitigate such effects. Where any positive effects are identified, measures are considered that could enhance such effects. SA is therefore an integral part of the preparation of the Local Plan. There are five key stages in the SA process which are shown in Figure NTS.1. What has happened so far? Figure NTS.1 The SA Process The first stage (Stage A) of the SA process involved consultation on a SA Scoping Report. The Scoping Report5 set out the proposed approach to the appraisal of the Local Plan including a SA Framework and was subject to consultation that ran from July to August 2015. A revised Scoping Report was published in March 2016 and a further round of consultation took place between 7 March 2016 and 18 April 2016. Stage B is an iterative process involving the appraisal and refinement of the Local Plan with the findings presented in interim SA Reports. To date, three SA Reports have been published, the first was the SA of Growth Options in July 2015. The second was the SA of Revised Growth Options in March 2016. The third was the SA of Draft Policies and Proposed Sites in June 2018. This report presents the SA of the Publication Draft Local Plan. At Stage C, a final SA Report will be prepared to accompany the Submission Local Plan prior to consideration by an independent planning inspector (Stage D). Following Examination in Public (EiP), and subject to the consideration of the sustainability effects of any modifications, the Council will adopt the final Local Plan. As soon as reasonably practicable after the 1 Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (2019) National Planning Policy Framework. Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/810197/NPPF_Feb_2019_revised.pdf 2 The requirement for SA of local plans is set out under section 19(5) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. 3 Directive 2001/42/EC on the assessment of the effects of certain plans and programmes on the environment. 4 Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes Regulations 2004 (statutory instrument 2004 No. 1633). 5 Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council (2015) Doncaster Local Plan Sustainability Appraisal: Scoping Report. August 2019 Doc Ref. 38404R003i2 v © Wood Environment & Infrastructure Solutions UK Limited adoption of the Local Plan, the Council will issue a Post Adoption Statement containing the outcome of the SA process. During the period of the Local Plan, the Council will monitor its implementation and any significant social, economic and environmental effects (Stage E). Section 1.6 of the SA Report describes in further detail the requirement for SA of local plans and the SA process including its relationship with the preparation of the Doncaster Local Plan. How has the draft Local Plan been appraised? To support the appraisal of the Local Plan, a SA Framework has been developed. This contains a series of sustainability objectives and guide questions that reflect both the current sustainability issues which may affect (or be affected by) the Local Plan and the objectives contained within other plans and programmes reviewed for their relevance to the SA and Local Plan. The SA objectives are shown in Table 1. Table 1 Sustainability Appraisal Framework Objective Sub-objective How the objective will be achieved 1. Maintain and Local economy Create jobs and new businesses increase Doncaster’s (maintain and Support existing businesses growth/prosperity strengthen) Provide employment opportunities for everyone Increase wealth and diversify its Attract investment and trade economic base Close the ‘output gap’ Improve financial security Provide a supply of available land for all business needs Promote tourism Support home working / e-commerce Improve quality of life Diversify the Provide a skilled workforce. economic base Broaden sectoral mix Less reliance on current high volume sectors More