Sea Environmental Report – Cover Note - Part 1
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Strategic Environmental Assessment / Measadh Àrainneachd Ro-innleachdail ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT Outer Hebrides Local Development Plan / Plana Leasachaidh Ionadail nan Eilean Siar December 2015 SEA ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT – COVER NOTE - PART 1 To: [email protected] SEA Gateway Scottish Executive Area 1 H (Bridge) Victoria Quay Edinburgh EH6 6QQ PART 2 An Environmental Report is attached for [name of PPS]: Outer Hebrides Local Development Plan The Responsible Authority is: Comhairle nan Eilean Siar PART 3 Contact name Isla Macarthur Job Title Planning Officer Development Plan and Marine Planning Team Contact address Comhairle nan Eilean Siar Stornoway Isle of Lewis HS1 2BW Contact tel no 0845 600 7090 [email protected] Contact email PART 4 Signature Date 21 December 2015 1 CONTENTS Page 1. NON TECHNICAL SUMMARY 4 Introduction and Purpose of Strategic Environmental Assessment 4 How to comment on the Environmental Report 4 Summary of SEA and Local Development Plan Stages 5 SEA Process 6 Likely Evolution of the Environment in the absence of the LDP 6 Summary of the Likely Significant Effects of the LDP 7 2. ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT - INTRODUCTION 8 Purpose of the Environmental Report 8 Local Development Plan Key Facts 9 SEA Activities to Date 10 3. OUTER HEBRIDES LOCAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN AND ITS CONTEXT 11 Outline of the Plan 11 Objectives of the Plan 11 Relationship with other Plans, Programmes and Environmental Objectives 11 Relevant Aspects of Current State of the Environment 12 Environmental Baseline 13 Gaps in Baseline Information 22 Significant Environmental Issues 22 Likely Evolution of the Environment in the absence of the LDP 26 4. ASSESSMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS & PROPOSED MITIGATION 27 SEA Methodology 27 Alternatives Considered 33 Assessment Outcomes 33 Key Findings and Proposed Mitigation Measures 35 5. MONITORING 39 Next Steps 39 6. HABITATS REGULATIONS APPRAISAL 40 Legislative context 40 Adopted LDP and Natura 40 Early HRA Screening at MIR 43 2 APPENDICES Appendix A Links to other Plans, Programmes & Strategies & SEA Objectives 44 Appendix B Outer Hebrides Environmental Description 50 Appendix C Example Local Development Plan Site Assessment and SEA Checklist 61 Appendix D Summary of Key Findings and Proposed Mitigation Measures (2011) for elements of the Adopted LDP to be retained 92 Appendix E Summary of SEA Assessment Scores for Proposal Sites 96 Appendix F SEA Assessment Sheets – Main Issues and Related (available separately) Appendix G SEA Assessment Sheets – Sites (available separately) NB: (Appendix F and G are available by contacting the Planning Service) LIST OF DIAGRAMS Diagram 1 Map: Outer Hebrides Context 12 Diagram 2 Map: International Environmental Designations 17 Diagram 3 Map: National Environmental Designations 17 Diagram 4 Map: Historic Environment 18 Diagram 5 Map: Landscape Character Assessment Areas 18 Diagram 6 Map: Outer Hebrides Saline Lagoons 19 Diagram 7 Map: Native Woodland Distribution 19 Diagram 8 Map: Carbon Rich Soils, Deep Peat and Priority Peatland Habitat 20 Diagram 9 Map: Wild Land 21 LIST OF TABLES Table 1 Summary of LDP & SEA Activities 5 Table 2 OHLDP Key Facts 9 9 Table 3 Summary of SEA Activities 10 Table 4 Summary of Environmental Baseline 14 Table 5 Significant Environmental Issues relevant to the LDP 23 Table 6 SEA Environmental Objectives and Criteria 28 Table 7 Example Revised SEA Assessment Sheet 30 Table 8 Summary of Assessment Outcomes 34 Table 9 Natura 2000 sites in the Outer Hebrides 41 Table 10 Elements of emerging LDP likely to be scoped out of Appropriate Assessment 43 Table 11 Elements of LDP scoped in to Appropriate Assessment 43 3 1. NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY 1.1 Introduction and Purpose of SEA 1.1.1 This Environmental Report (ER) is part of the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of the Outer Hebrides Local Development Plan (LDP). The non-technical summary of the ER can be read on its own or as part of the full SEA Environmental Report. It explains what SEA is; why it has been done; what effects the absence of the LDP would be likely to have on the environment; and the main findings of the assessment. 1.1.2 Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is a requirement of Scottish legislation to implement a European Directive. The European Union SEA Directive 2001/24/EC was transposed into Scots law in 2004 by the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005. The objective of the Directive is: “to provide for a high level of protection of the environment and to contribute to the integration of environmental considerations into the preparation of and adoption of plans and programmes with a view to promoting sustainable development”*1. 1.1.3 The legislation places a responsibility on public agencies to assess the environmental impacts of certain plans and programmes and is a way of ensuring that environmental issues are carefully considered during preparation of a Plan. 1.2 How to comment on the Environmental Report 1.2.1 Comhairle nan Eilean Siar is carrying out a SEA of the Outer Hebrides Local Development Plan in accordance with the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005. 1.2.2 The Environmental Report (ER) of the Local Development Plan SEA is available for public comment along with the Main Issues Report (current stage of LDP) and other associated documents. It can also be accessed on the Comhairle’s web page at: www.cne- siar.gov.uk/planningservice/localdevplan.asp and is available to view in hard copy at deposit locations throughout the islands. 1.2.3 Comments on the Environmental Report should be sent by 26 February 2016 to: 1.2.4 email: [email protected] or 1.2.5 Comhairle nan Eilean Siar Council Offices Development Plan and Marine Planning Team Development Department Stornoway Isle of Lewis HS1 2BW 1 * Directive 2001/42/EC: Article 1 4 1.3 Summary of SEA & Local Development Plan Stages 1.3.1 To be effective, the SEA process has to run in parallel with preparation of the plan to which it relates. The various stages of the SEA and Outer Hebrides Local Development Plan(OHLDP) process are set out below: Table 1: Summary of OH-LDP and SEA Activities Local Development Plan Consultation and Engagement Strategic Environmental Indicative including statutory periods Assessment (SEA) & Programme Consultation Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) SEA Consultation Development Plan Scheme Publicise and submit to Scottish Assess baseline environmental info April 2015 & Participation Statement Ministers Scoping Report prepared revise submitted to SEA Gateway annually Submit Scoping (5WKS) Mar 2015 Main Issues Report (MIR) Call for sites and issues Consider responses received from Gather information CA’s; refine methodology. Monitoring of Engage key agencies and Environmentally appraise MIR; early March - Plans/Strategies stakeholders HRA screening. Preparation of Sept 2015 Stakeholder Engagement Environmental Report (ER) Publicise and Notify Publicise and Notify Publish MIR & Monitoring Submit to Scottish Ministers Dec-Feb Statement for Consultation MIR Consult (10 WKS) ER Consult (10 WKS) 2016 Proposed LDP Engage key agencies/ Appraise Plan and Revise ER Dec - June Assess MIR consultation stakeholders and members Prepare HRA report 2016 outcomes and prepare Proposed LDP Publicise and notify site Publicise and Notify Advertise and Consult. owners/neighbours/MIR Reps Prepare EQIA July-Aug Prepare Action Prog Prop Plan Consult (8 WKS MIN) Revised-ER Consult (8 WKS MIN) 2016 Consideration of Reps and Consider responses Sept- Feb17 Submission to Ministers Consider representations Prepare Summary of Unresolved Issues & Statement of Conformity with Participation Statement Feb 2017 (for unresolved reps if any) Submit Plan to Ministers Submit HRA Record Submit to ministers: Proposed LDP, Statement of Conformity, Reps; Participation Statement Publicise submission of Plan Publicise examination Examination of Plan Examination Report published Reporter refers to SEA ER/ HRA Feb-June Ministers appoint reporter (may take up to 6-9 months) 2017 Consideration of Environmentally appraise Plan as July-Sept Recommendations modified and carry out appropriate 2017 Consider assessment if required. recommendations and prepares mods, proposed Ministers publish revised ER and Plan as modified & HRA record if required. Statement of Explanation for not accepting recommendations LDP Adoption Sept-Oct Publish Mods and 2017 Proposed Plan as modified Send Ministers the Publicise Intention to Adopt Proposed Plan as modified Submit to Minister Nov 2017 (within 3mths Exam report) (28 days later) Adopt Plan & Advertise intent to Adopt Publicise Ongoing and Review Engage as necessary On-going Sept 2017> Prepare Action Programme Publish Action Programme within (AP) 3 months of adoption Publish post adoption SEA statement / submit to Gateway 5 1.4 SEA process 1.4.1 The environmental baseline for the Plan area has been established using information already available to the Comhairle along with additional information gathered from a variety of sources including the Key Agencies. A number of gaps in information have been highlighted and the Comhairle is working with other appropriate agencies to address this. Assessment of the Plan has also been considered within the framework of other relevant international, national and local plans and policies. 1.4.2 The major environmental issues affecting the Plan area were identified in the Scoping Report. These include: . Impact of land use activities on the natural environment . Increasing demand for use of