Report Strategic Environmental Assessment for the Modbury
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Strategic Environmental Assessment for the Modbury Neighbourhood Plan Environmental Report to accompany the submission version of the Neighbourhood Plan Modbury Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group December 2019 Strategic Environmental Assessment for the Environmental Report to accompany the Modbury Neighbourhood Plan submission version of the Neighbourhood Plan Quality information Prepared by Checked by Verified by Approved by Ryan Putt Nick Chisholm-Batten Alastair Peattie Alastair Peattie Environmental Associate Director Associate Director Associate Director Consultant Revision History Revision Revision date Details Authorized Name Position V2.0 22nd November Initial draft for 22nd November Nick Chisholm- Associate 2019 Neighbourhood 2019 Batten Director Group comment V3.0 10th December Submission 10th December Nick Chisholm- Associate 2019 version 2019 Batten Director Prepared for: Modbury Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group Prepared by: AECOM Infrastructure & Environment UK Limited Plumer House Tailyour Road Crownhill Plymouth PL6 5DH United Kingdom aecom.com © 2019 AECOM Infrastructure & Environment UK Limited. All Rights Reserved. This document has been prepared by AECOM Limited (“AECOM”) for use of Locality (the “Client”) in accordance with generally accepted consultancy principles, the budget for fees and the terms of reference agreed between AECOM and the Client. Any information provided by third parties and referred to herein has not been checked or verified by AECOM, unless otherwise expressly stated in the document. No third party may rely upon this document without the prior and express written agreement of AECOM. Prepared for: Modbury Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group AECOM Strategic Environmental Assessment for the Environmental Report to accompany the Modbury Neighbourhood Plan submission version of the Neighbourhood Plan Table of Contents Non-Technical Summary ..................................................................................... 1. Introduction .............................................................................................. 1 Background ............................................................................................................................................. 1 SEA explained ......................................................................................................................................... 2 Structure of this SEA Environmental Report ........................................................................................... 3 2. Local Plan context and vision for the Modbury Neighbourhood Plan ..... 4 Local Plan context for the Neighbourhood Plan ..................................................................................... 4 Vision, aims and objectives for the Neighbourhood Plan ....................................................................... 5 3. What is the scope of the SEA?................................................................ 6 SEA Scoping Report ............................................................................................................................... 6 Key sustainability issues ......................................................................................................................... 7 SEA Framework .................................................................................................................................... 11 4. What has plan making / SEA involved up to this point? ........................ 14 Introduction............................................................................................................................................ 14 Overview of plan making / SEA work undertaken since 2015 .............................................................. 14 Assessment of reasonable alternatives for development strategies..................................................... 14 Assessment of alternatives for the use of housing in the Neighbourhood Plan area ........................... 30 Preferred approach in the Neighbourhood Plan in light of appraisal findings ....................................... 32 Neighbourhood Plan policies ................................................................................................................ 33 5. What are the appraisal findings at this current stage? .......................... 34 Introduction............................................................................................................................................ 34 Approach to this appraisal..................................................................................................................... 34 Biodiversity and Geodiversity ................................................................................................................ 34 Climate Change .................................................................................................................................... 35 Landscape ............................................................................................................................................. 36 Historic Environment ............................................................................................................................. 37 Land, Soil and Water Resources .......................................................................................................... 38 Population and Community ................................................................................................................... 38 Health and Wellbeing ............................................................................................................................ 40 Transportation ....................................................................................................................................... 41 Conclusions at this current stage .......................................................................................................... 41 6. What are the next steps? ...................................................................... 43 Appendix A Context Review and Baseline ...................................................... 44 Prepared for: Modbury Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group AECOM Strategic Environmental Assessment for the Environmental Report to accompany the Modbury Neighbourhood Plan submission version of the Neighbourhood Plan This page is intentionally blank Prepared for: Modbury Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group AECOM 4 Strategic Environmental Assessment for the Environmental Report to accompany the Modbury Neighbourhood Plan submission version of the Neighbourhood Plan Non-Technical Summary What is Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA)? A strategic environmental assessment (SEA) has been undertaken to inform the Modbury Neighbourhood Plan. This process is required by the SEA Regulations. Neighbourhood Plan groups use SEA to assess Neighbourhood Plans against a set of sustainability objectives developed in consultation with interested parties. The purpose of the assessment is to avoid adverse environmental and socio-economic effects through the Neighbourhood Plan, and identify opportunities to improve the environmental quality of the area covered by the Neighbourhood Plan and the quality of life of residents. What is the Modbury Neighbourhood Plan? The Modbury Neighbourhood Plan is currently being prepared as a Neighbourhood Development Plan under the Localism Act 2011 and the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012. The Neighbourhood Plan is being prepared in the context of the Plymouth and South West Devon Joint Local Plan (JLP). The Neighbourhood Plan was submitted to South Hams District Council in autumn 2019. Purpose of this Environmental Report This Environmental Report, which accompanies the submission version of the Neighbourhood Plan, is the latest document to be produced as part of the SEA process. The first document was the SEA Scoping Report (September 2019), which includes information about the Neighbourhood Plan area’s environment and community. The purpose of this Environmental Report is to: • Identify, describe and evaluate the likely significant effects of the Modbury Neighbourhood Plan and alternatives; and • Provide an opportunity for consultees to offer views on any aspect of the SEA process which has been carried out to date. The Environmental Report contains: • An outline of the contents and main objectives of the Modbury Neighbourhood Plan and its relationship with other relevant policies, plans and programmes; • Relevant aspects of the current and future state of the environment and key sustainability issues; • The SEA Framework of objectives against which the Modbury Neighbourhood Plan has been assessed; • The appraisal of alternative approaches for the Modbury Neighbourhood Plan; • The likely significant environmental effects of the Modbury Neighbourhood Plan; • The measures envisaged to prevent, reduce and as fully as possible offset any significant adverse effects as a result of the Modbury Neighbourhood Plan; and • The next steps for the Modbury Neighbourhood Plan and accompanying SEA process. Assessment of reasonable alternatives for the Modbury Neighbourhood Plan Sites allocated in Modbury through the Plymouth and South West Devon Joint Local Plan The Plymouth and South West Devon JLP, which was adopted in March 2019, allocates three sites in Modbury for housing and employment. These sites are as follows: Prepared for: Modbury Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group AECOM NTS1 Strategic Environmental