Leicester and Leicestershire Strategic Growth Plan (Final Report) Sustainability Appraisal Report September, 2018 REVISION SCHEDULE Rev Date Details Prepared by Reviewed by Approved by 1 September Interim SA Report for Leicester and Ian McCluskey Ian McCluskey Alan Houghton 2017 Leicestershire Strategic Planning Group Principal Sustainability Principal Sustainability Regional Director (Alternatives assessment findings) Consultant Consultant Matthew Stopforth Planning Consultant 2 January, Draft SA Report Ian McCluskey Mark Fessey Alan Houghton 2018 Principal Sustainability Principal Consultant Regional Director Consultant 3 February 2nd, Final SA Report Ian McCluskey Mark Fessey Alan Houghton 2018 Principal Sustainability Principal Consultant Regional Director Consultant 4 September Updated SA Report for Strategic Planning Ian McCluskey Ian McCluskey Frank Hayes 12th Group review Principal Sustainability Principal Sustainability Associate Director 2018 Consultant Consultant 5 September Final SA Report Ian McCluskey Ian McCluskey Frank Hayes 26th Principal Sustainability Principal Sustainability Associate Director Consultant Consultant Table of contents 1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 1 2 Scoping .............................................................................................................................................. 8 3 Description of the options ................................................................................................................ 13 4 Methodology for appraising strategic options .................................................................................. 24 5 Appraisal Findings ............................................................................................................................ 27 6 Alternatives appraisal: Summary of effects ...................................................................................... 91 7 Appraisal of the Plan ........................................................................................................................ 99 8 Next Steps ..................................................................................................................................... 125 Appendix A: Scoping Report Leicester and Leicestershire draft Strategic Growth Plan: SA Report 1 Introduction 1.1 Background 1.1.1 AECOM are independent consultants with specialisms in environmental and sustainability assessment. We have been commissioned by The Leicester and Leicestershire Councils and the Local Enterprise Partnership to prepare a Sustainability Appraisal/Strategic Environmental Assessment (SA/SEA) and Habitat Regulations Assessment (HRA) for the Leicester and Leicestershire Strategic Growth Plan. 1.1.2 The Strategic Growth Plan will set out a broad framework for development across the whole of the County of Leicestershire, and the City of Leicester, focusing on the period up to 2050. Local Plans will be the primary delivery mechanism for the Strategic Growth Plan (‘the Plan’), and this is where the key decisions will be made about the specific development opportunities that will help to deliver the Plan. 1.1.3 The SA/SEA has addressed key elements of the Plan including: • Scale of growth for housing and employment land; • Spatial distribution of growth; • Major infrastructure requirements; and • Environmental protection. 1.1.4 This document is an SA Report that describes the processes that have been undertaken as part of the SA/SEA Process. 1.2 Summary of the SEA/SA process 1.2.1 Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is a statutory process that must be carried out when a plan, policy or programme is considered likely to have significant effects on the environment. 1.2.2 In the case of the Strategic Growth Plan (which sets the framework for future Local Plans) an SEA is determined to be necessary. However, to ensure that social and economic factors are also taken into consideration, it has been considered beneficial to undertake a sustainability appraisal (SA), which covers a wider range of factors including social and economic factors. 1.2.3 Sustainability Appraisal (SA) is a process for helping to ensure that plans, policies and programmes achieve an appropriate balance between environmental, economic and social objectives. The process that is followed incorporates the requirements of an SEA. 1 | Page Leicester and Leicestershire draft Strategic Growth Plan: SA Report 1.2.4 SA should help to identify the sustainability implications of different plan approaches and recommend ways to reduce any negative effects and to increase the positive outcomes. 1.2.5 SA is also a tool for communicating the likely effects of a Plan (and any reasonable alternatives), explaining the decisions taken with regards to the approach decided upon, and encouraging engagement from key stakeholders such as local communities, businesses and plan- makers. 1.2.6 Although SA can be applied flexibly, it contains legal requirements under the ‘Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes Regulations 2004’ (which were prepared in order to transpose into national law the EU Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Directive). 1.2.7 The regulations set out prescribed processes that must be followed. In particular the Regulations require that a report is published for consultation alongside the draft plan that ‘identifies, describes and evaluates’ the likely significant effects of implementing ‘the plan, and reasonable alternatives’. The SA/SEA report must then be taken into account, alongside consultation responses when finalising the plan. 1.2.8 Though the Strategic Growth Plan is not a statutory document, it has the potential to have significant effects upon the environment, communities and economy. Therefore, it is considered necessary and beneficial to undertake a sustainability appraisal that meets the requirements of the SEA Regulations. 1.2.9 SA/SEA can be viewed as a four-stage process that produces a number of statutory and non-statutory outputs. As illustrated in Figure 1.1 below, ‘Scoping’ is a mandatory process under the SEA Directive, but the publication of a scoping report is a voluntary (but useful) output. 1.2.10 Figure 1.1 shows that we are at the latter stages of the process. A final Plan has been prepared, and this SA Report, documents the process and findings of the SA. However, in the context of the SEA Regulations, the plan is only ‘final’ once it has been approved (or Adopted for statutory Local plans for example). At this stage, an SEA statement is prepared. 2 | Page Leicester and Leicestershire draft Strategic Growth Plan: SA Report SA/SEA as a four stage process Figure1.1: We are here 3 | Page Leicester and Leicestershire draft Strategic Growth Plan: SA Report 1.3 Schedule of compliance Schedule 2 requirements Evidence Presented in full within the updated Scoping Report attached at Appendix A. An outline of the contents and main objectives of the plan or programme, and of its relationship with other relevant plans and programmes. Section 1.5 presents the Plan area. Section 7 outlines the main objectives and principles of the Plan. Presented in full within the updated Scoping Report attached at The relevant aspects of the current state of the environment and the likely Appendix A. evolution thereof without implementation of the plan or programme. Summarised within the appraisal tables throughout Section 6 Presented in full within the updated Scoping Report attached at The environmental characteristics of areas likely to be significantly affected. Appendix A. Summarised within the appraisal tables throughout Section 6 Any existing environmental problems which are relevant to the plan or programme including, in particular, those relating to any areas of a particular Presented in full within the updated Scoping Report attached at environmental importance, such as areas designated pursuant to Council Appendix A. Directive 79/409/EEC on the conservation of wild birds(a) and the Habitats Summarised within the appraisal tables throughout Section 6 Directive. The environmental protection objectives, established at international, Community or Member State level, which are relevant to the plan or Presented in full within the updated Scoping Report attached at programme and the way those objectives and any environmental Appendix A. considerations have been taken into account during its preparation. 4 | Page Leicester and Leicestershire draft Strategic Growth Plan: SA Report Schedule 2 requirements Evidence The effects associated with the reasonable alternatives are The likely significant effects on the environment, including short, medium and presented in section 6. long-term effects, permanent and temporary effects, positive and negative effects, and secondary, cumulative and synergistic effects. The effects associated with the draft Plan are presented in Section 7, including cumulative effects. The measures envisaged to prevent, reduce and as fully as possible offset any Recommendations are presented for each sustainability topic significant adverse effects on the environment of implementing the plan or within Section 7. programme. Section 3 sets out the rationale for selecting alternatives. Section 4 sets out the appraisal methodologies including An outline of the reasons for selecting the alternatives dealt with, and a difficulties. description of how the assessment was undertaken including any difficulties (such