South Somerset Early Review of the Local Plan Sustainability Appraisal (incorporating Strategic Environmental Assessment) Scoping Report May 2017 Contents 1. Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 1 Background ......................................................................................................................................... 1 Early Review of the South Somerset Local Plan .................................................................................. 3 Relationship to Previous Sustainability Appraisal Work for Adopted South Somerset Local Plan (2006 – 2028) ...................................................................................................................................... 3 Purpose and Structure ........................................................................................................................ 4 2. Policy Context ................................................................................................................................. 5 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................ 5 Key Plans and Programmes ................................................................................................................. 5 Key Plans and Programmes – Implications for the Early Review of the Local Plan and Sustainability Appraisal ........................................................................................................................................... 10 Surrounding Development Plans ...................................................................................................... 11 Surrounding Development Plans – Implications for the Early Review of the Local Plan and Sustainability Appraisal ..................................................................................................................... 13 3. Baseline Information ..................................................................................................................... 14 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 14 4. Communities (including Housing) ................................................................................................. 15 5. Economy and Employment ........................................................................................................... 24 6. Health and Equalities .................................................................................................................... 30 7. Transport and Movement ............................................................................................................. 38 Planned Infrastructure Improvements ............................................................................................. 48 8. Air Quality ..................................................................................................................................... 58 9. Energy and Climate Change .......................................................................................................... 60 10. Water: Resources, Quality and Flooding .................................................................................. 65 11. Soil and Land ............................................................................................................................. 71 12. Biodiversity and Geodiversity ................................................................................................... 74 13. Landscape and Townscape ....................................................................................................... 77 14. Historic Environment ................................................................................................................ 82 15. Minerals and Waste .................................................................................................................. 85 16. SA Framework ........................................................................................................................... 92 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 92 17. Next Steps ................................................................................................................................. 96 Subsequent stages for the SA process .............................................................................................. 96 Consultation on the Scoping Report ................................................................................................. 96 1. Introduction Background 1.1 Sustainability Appraisal (SA) is a systematic process that must be carried out during the preparation of the Local Plan. The role of SA is to promote sustainable development, which is commonly defined as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”1 SA assesses the extent to which the Local Plan, when judged against reasonable alternatives, will help to achieve environmental, economic and social objectives.2 1.2 SA is required by the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (Section 19) and the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF, paragraph 165). It incorporates the requirements of the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Regulations,3 which implement the EU SEA Directive.4 Through incorporating these requirements, SA ensures that potential environmental effects are given full consideration alongside social and economic issues. 1.3 The Council has decided to integrate Equalities Impact Assessment (EqIA) into the SA process. While there is no statutory requirement for EqIA, the Council has a duty (under Section 149 of the Equality Act 2010) to give ‘due regard’ to promoting equality of opportunity for all groups with protected characteristics when making policy decisions. ‘Protected characteristics’ are: age; disability; gender reassignment; marriage and civil partnership; pregnancy and maternity; race; religion or belief; sex; sexual orientation. The outcome of this work is reflected in the SA findings. 1.4 SA is an iterative process, integrated into the various stages of plan-making. Stages and tasks may be revisited and updated or revised as a plan develops, in order to reflect latest evidence and consultation responses. The key stages of Local Plan preparation and their relationship with the SA process are shown in the following diagram. 1 Resolution 24/187 of the United Nations General Assembly. 2 Planning Practice Guidance Reference ID: 11-001-20140306. 3 Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes Regulations 2004. 4 European Directive 2001/42/EC. 1 Figure 1.1: Key Stages of Local Plan preparation and relationship with the Sustainability Appraisal process5 1.5 The Council is also required to carry out a Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) in order to assess the impacts of the Local Plan upon European wildlife sites. The findings of the HRA should inform the SA, for example in assessing the impact of options on European sites. However, it is important to note that the HRA process has its own legislative requirements, and its methodology and findings will be reported separately. 5 Planning Practice Guidance Reference ID: 11-013-20140306. 2 Early Review of the South Somerset Local Plan 1.6 The South Somerset Local Plan (2006 – 2028) was adopted in March 2015. The previous intention, once the Local Plan was adopted, was to progress a Site Allocations Development Plan Document to provide additional detail on proposals for the Yeovil Sustainable Urban Extensions and the ‘Directions of Growth’ at the Market Towns. However, the preferred approach set out in the NPPF (paragraph 153) is for a single ‘development plan’ within one document. The Council committed to undertake an ‘early review’ of the Local Plan relating to housing and employment provision in Wincanton then expected to be adopted by March 2018. As explained in the Councils’ latest Local Development Scheme (April 2017), the approach now advocated is to ‘slot-in’ the site-specific work into the early review of the Local Plan. 1.7 In light of these changes in circumstances, the Council believes there is an opportunity to make a transition into the ‘all-in-one’ local plan, and deliver an early review at the same time. 1.8 The Council are currently at the “evidence gathering and engagement” stage of the Early Review of the Local Plan (see Figure 1.1 above). This Plan will address needs for housing and economic development, supporting community facilities and other infrastructure requirements, for the period from 2014 to 2034. The Early Review will consider the settlement strategy, housing and economic growth requirements, site allocations, and a series of topic-based policies that will be used to assess planning applications. Adoption is anticipated to be at the end of 2020. Relationship to Previous Sustainability Appraisal Work for Adopted South Somerset Local Plan (2006 – 2028) 1.9 It is important to recognise at this initial stage that previous SA work on the extant South Somerset Local Plan (2006 – 2028) was produced between June 2012 and November 2015. 1.10 As such, the Council is not starting from scratch in terms of considering the potential “significant effects” of the Local