Wrexham Local Development Plan 2013 - 2028 KPD11c housing open space employment community transport education Sustainability Appraisal Report (Deposit Plan - Focussed Changes) November 2018 This leafl et is available in accessible formats Sustainability Appraisal and Strategic Environmental Assessment of the Wrexham County Borough Council Local Development Plan Sustainability Appraisal Report (Deposit Plan – Focussed Changes) November 2018 The Deposit Plan SA (KPD11 and the Non-Technical Summary KPD11a) have been updated to take account of consultation responses received during consultation on the Deposit plan. Representations made directly on the SA are recorded in Appendix C with the Council’s response and any changes arising. Representations have also been made on the LDP that led to proposed changes to the LDP (Focussed and Minor Editing Changes KPD21), the focussed and minor changes have been assessed under the SA framework and these are recorded in Appendix J). The Council invite representations on this SA (KPD11c and accompanying Non-Technical Summary Deposit Plan – Focussed Changes KPD11d). (For information, due to file sizes the appendices to the SA, including C and J referred to above, are contained within document KPD11e). Please refer to section 1.4 on how to make representations. Contents 1. Summary and outcomes 1.1 Non-technical summary (also a separate document). 1.2 An outline of the plan’s purpose and content and a statement of the likely significant effects of the plan. 1.3 Statement on the difference the SA process has made to date. 1.4 How to comment on the report. 2. Appraisal Methodology 2.1 Approach adopted to integrated assessment 2.2 When the assessment was carried out and who carried out the assessment 2.3 Who was consulted, when and how 2.4 Difficulties encountered in compiling information or carrying out the assessment 2.5 Legislative Requirements 2.6 Stages of Appraisal 3. Background 3.1 Purpose of the Assessment and SA / Environmental Report. 3.2 Plan objectives and outline of contents. 3.3 Compliance with the SEA Regulations. Page 1 of 129 4. Sustainability objectives, baseline and context 4.1 Links to other policies, plans and programmes and sustainability objectives and how these have been taken into account. 4.2 Description of the social, environmental and economic baseline characteristics and the business as usual future baseline. 4.3 Main social, environmental and economic issues and problems identified. 4.4 Limitations of the information, assumptions made etc. 4.5 The assessment framework, including objectives, sub-objectives and indicators. 5. Appraisal of the Plan Vision and Objectives 6. Appraisal of Strategic Options 6.1 Main strategic options considered - how they were identified/rationale. Comparison of the social, environmental and economic effects of the options. 6.2 How consideration of the social, environmental and economic issues determined the choice of the preferred option. 6.3 Which other options were rejected. 6.4 Any proposed mitigation measures. 7. Appraisal of Strategic and Detailed Policies 7.1 Significant social, environmental and economic effects of the policies. 7.2 How social, environmental and economic problems were considered in developing the policies and proposals. 7.3 Proposed mitigation or enhancement measures. 7.4 Uncertainties and risks. 8. Appraisal of Candidate Sites 9. Overall Effects and Mitigation 10. Implementation and Next Steps 10.1 Links to other tiers of plans and programmes and the project level (EIA, design guidance etc.) 10.2 Proposals for monitoring the significant effects identified through the SA. Appendices A. Policy Review B. Baseline C. Consultees Responses D. Appraisal of LDP Vision E. Appraisal of LDP Objectives F. Appraisal of LDP Options (Growth, Spatial and Topic Based Policy Options) G. Appraisal of LDP Strategic and Detailed Policies H. Approach to Integrating LDP/SA Objectives I. Appraisal of Candidate Sites J. Appraisal of Proposed Focussed Changes (Arising from Deposit Plan Consultation) Page 2 of 129 1. Summary and Outcomes 1.1 Non-technical summary 1.1.1 The Sustainability Appraisal (SA) Report tests the sustainability of the Wrexham County Borough Council Deposit Local Development Plan (LDP). An SA of LDPs is required by the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 and the European Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Directive. SA identifies the LDP's likely significant economic, environmental and social effects, and aims to minimise any negative effects and maximise positive ones. 1.1.2 Overall the Deposit Plan would have significant benefits in providing the housing and employment land that the current and future residents of Wrexham County Borough will need. It will help to improve access to good quality jobs, services and infrastructure. Residents' health should improve in response to better housing, access to open space, and walking and cycling facilities. But growth will impact on ecology, landscapes and natural resources. 1.2 An outline of the plan’s purpose and content and a statement of the likely significant effects of the plan. 1.2.1 The Deposit Plan for the LDP sets out: The plan purpose, background, how we have arrived at the Deposit Plan and context of the County Borough; The legislative framework, national, regional and local policy framework within which the Deposit Plan has been prepared; the key issues and drivers that have informed the Deposit Plan, which have been identified through preparation of the SA/SEA Scoping Report and a general review of social, economic and environmental evidence; the Council’s vision for the future development of Wrexham County Borough, its objectives for delivering sustainable development and addressing the key issues and drivers; the plan strategy, level of housing and employment growth, spatial locations for growth with main planning issues and key diagram; high level, strategic policies that seek to deliver the LDP vision, objectives and strategy with further supporting information about related areas of national planning policy, the supporting evidence base, supplementary planning guidance and / or masterplans, relevant monitoring indicators and also the wellbeing goals are provided after each policy reason justification; detailed policies used to asses and make decisions on all planning applications in conjunction with the strategic policies; proposals maps relevant to the detailed policies; a monitoring framework for an ongoing assessment of whether the underlying LDP objectives remain valid or whether the prevailing economic, social, environmental or cultural circumstances have significantly altered since the preparation of the plan; 1.2.2 This report: Summarises and updates the key aspects of the previously published Scoping Report (October 2014)1; Assesses the vision, objectives, strategic options, strategic sites and strategic policies for the Wrexham County Borough Council LDP, and the cumulative effects of the overall LDP; 1 http://www.wrexham.gov.uk/assets/pdfs/planning/ldp2/march_2015/sa_scoping_report_2013-2028.pdf Page 3 of 129 Where the Deposit Plan would have significant negative impacts, identifies possible methods to mitigate adverse impacts; Outlines the process of monitoring the LDP's actual impacts; and Provides appendices providing more detailed information on various aspects of this report. Significant effects of the Deposit Plan 1.2.3 Overall the Deposit Plan would have significant benefits in providing the housing and employment land that the current and future residents of Wrexham County Borough will need. The position of Wrexham as a key settlement of national importance will be strengthened and the LDP will support regeneration of Wrexham town centre. It will help to improve access to good quality jobs, services and infrastructure. Resident’s health should improve in response to better housing, promotion of active travel, access to open space, and walking and cycling facilities. The LDP will deliver development resilient to climate change, avoiding areas at risk from flooding and not causing flooding elsewhere. To reduce carbon emissions the plan supports renewable energy generation and low carbon development and spatially distributes growth to reduce the need to travel. 1.2.4 But growth will impact negatively on the best and most versatile agricultural land and minerals of economic importance (mainly sand and gravel). There will also be negative impacts on assets of local value including ecology, landscapes and historic interest though features of international and national significance will be protected. Increased economic activity with a larger population will lead to increased transport movements, local congestion, increased waste generation and greenhouse gas emissions and also increased air and noise pollution (though a growing population would have the same impacts). 1.2.5 Strategic options to avoid the negative impacts have been considered, different growth options, spatial distributions and strategic sites but opportunities to strategically reduce impacts are very limited. However, the plan contains a number of mitigation measures with policies protecting local ecology, landscapes and historic assets. Mineral policies ensure that prior extraction is considered and that a supply of minerals is maintained during the life of the plan. Growth is focussed in and adjacent to Wrexham the most sustainable town with the largest range of services and other tier 2-3 settlements. This will help reduce the need to travel, encourage