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SESplan STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENT ASSESSMENT: ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT CONTENTS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT 1. NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY 3 1.1 Background 3 1.2 Strategic Environmental Assessment and Sustainable Development 4 2. INTRODUCTION 5 2.1 Purpose of this Environmental Report 5 2.2 Key Facts about SEA 7 2.3 Timeline for MIR & SEA 8 3. PLANNING CONTEXT 9 3.1 Outline and Objectives of Strategic Development Plan 9 3.2 SEA relationship with the Strategic Development Plan 9 3.3 Relationship with other Plans, Programmes & Strategies 11 4. ENVIRONMENTAL CONTEXT 32 4.1 Environmental baseline data 32 4.2 Environmental objectives of SEA 33 5. SUMMARY OF ASSESSMENT FINDINGS FOR STRATEGIC GROWTH AREAS 36 5.1 Assessment findings 36 5.2 Summary of findings 37 5.3 Assessment of secondary, cumulative and synergistic effects 40 6. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS FOR POLICY AREAS 43 6.1 Environmental Implications for Strategic Development Plan Policy Areas 43 6.2 Environmental Implications for Local Plan Policy Areas 44 6. MONITORING 47 7. NEXT STEPS 48 1 APPENDICES Appendix A: Baseline Report Appendix B: Detailed Assessment of Strategic Growth Areas Appendix C: Spatial Assessment of Strategic Growth Areas 2 1. NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY This is the Non Technical Summary of the Environmental Report of the SESplan Draft Main Issues Report. The Environmental Report and the Non Technical summary have been produced by SESplan staff in discussion with the Consultation Authorities. This document is available for consultation from ???. Please send comments to the following address: SESplan 1st Floor, Hopetoun Gate 8b McDonald Road Edinburgh EH7 4LZ Tel 0131 524 5165 Email [email protected] 1.1 Background 1.1.1 A Development Plan Scheme has been produced by SESplan, as required under the Planning etc. (Scotland) Act 2006. The Scheme sets out the programme for preparing the SDP and will be updated annually. It also provides basic information on the content of the SDP itself, and its broader policy context. 1.1.2 The Strategic Development Plan set out a long-term spatial planning strategy that broadly defines where development should be located, and how it should be delivered. The SDP will replace the three existing structure plans for the area: the Edinburgh and Lothians Structure Plan 2015, the Fife Structure Plan 2006-26 and the Scottish Borders Structure Plan 2001-18. 1.1.3 SDPs have an important role to play at the city region level, in terms of addressing strategic and cross boundary planning issues. They cover land use and strategic infrastructure issues that guide the future use of land. They should indicate where development, including regeneration, should happen and where it should not. There is a statutory duty on development plans to contribute to sustainable development. The Planning etc. (Scotland) Act 2006 requires SDPs to set out a vision for their areas, provide a spatial strategy, and to consider development alongside other issues including the principal social, economic, physical and 3 environmental characteristics of the area, land use, population, infrastructure provision and use (including transport, communications, water and energy supplies and drainage) and any anticipated future changes to these matters. 1.1.4 More specifically, the SESplan SDP will: cover an area with a population of 1.2 million and 521,000 households; address forecast population growth; facilitate and provide the steer for the future development and growth across the Edinburgh city region from 2012 to 2032; and focus the development path for SE Scotland through a wide range of challenging issues including the economic downturn and climate change adaptation. 1.2 Strategic Environmental Assessment and Sustainable Development 1.2.1 The Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) aims to assist in promoting sustainable development through the integration of environmental objectives into the plan making process. Sustainable development is intended to enable a better quality of life without compromising the needs of future generations by balancing environmental, social and economic aspirations. 1.2.2 The Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005 provides a new framework for SEA, establishing a methodology that aims to protect the environment and increase opportunities for public participation. This includes an assessment of the environmental effects of Plans, Programmes & Strategies and ensures consultation with Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), Historic Scotland and the public. SESplan has determined that SEA is required as an integral element of the proposed Strategic Development Plan for South East Scotland. 1.2.3 The 2005 Act sets out the requirements for environmental assessment in Part 1 Section 1 (2a-c) i.e.: (2) In this Act, an environmental assessment is- (a) the preparation of an environmental report; (b) the carrying out of consultations; and (c) the taking into account of the environmental report and the result of the consultations in decision-making. 4 2. INTRODUCTION 2.1 Purpose of this Environmental Report 2.1.1 As part of the preparation of Strategic Development Plan, SESplan is carrying out a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). SEA is a systematic method for considering the likely environmental effects of certain plans, programmes and strategies (PPS). SEA aims to: integrate environmental factors into PPS preparation and decision-making; improve PPS and enhance environmental protection; increase public participation in decision making; and facilitate openness and transparency of decision-making. 2.1.2 SEA is required by the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005. The key SEA stages are: Screening determining whether the PPS is likely to have significant environmental effects and whether an SEA is required Scoping deciding on the scope and level of detail of the Environmental Report, and the consultation period for the report – this is done in consultation with Scottish Natural Heritage, Historic Scotland and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency Environmental publishing an Environmental Report on the PPS and its environmental Report effects, and consulting on that report Adoption providing information on: the adopted PPS; how consultation comments have been taken into account; and methods for monitoring the significant environmental effects of the implementation of the PPS Monitoring monitoring significant environmental effects in such a manner so as to also enable the Responsible Authority to identify any unforeseen adverse effects at an early stage and undertake appropriate remedial action. 2.1.3 The purpose of this Environmental Report is to: provide information on South East Scotland Strategic Development Plan; 5 identify, describe and evaluate the likely significant effects of the Strategic Development Plan and its reasonable alternatives; provide an early and effective opportunity for the Consultation Authorities and the public to offer views on any aspect of this Environmental Report. 6 2.2 SEA Report - Key Facts Responsible Authority South East Scotland Strategic Development Plan Authority (SESplan) Title of Plan/Programme Edinburgh and South East Scotland Strategic Development Plan What prompted the plan? Planning etc. (Scotland) Act 2006 Plan subject Strategic Development Plan Period covered by plan 2012 to 2032 Frequency of plan updates Revision and re-submission within 4 years of the approval date. Plan area The SDP covers all of the City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Southern Part of Fife, Midlothian, Scottish Borders Council and West Lothian. Purpose of the plan / plan objectives The SDP will enable and steer future development across the city region. Contact point: SESplan 1st Floor, Hopetoun Gate 8b McDonald Road Edinburgh EH7 4LZ Tel: 0131 524 5165 Email: [email protected] 7 2.3 Timeline for MIR and SEA - Diagram 1 Diagram 1: Timeline Publication of Main Issues Report and supporting documents including SEA Environmental Report May 2010 May 2010 Analysis of Consultation Responses and Preparation of Proposed Plan Update of SEA in line with Plan Publication of Proposed Plan and supporting documents February 2011 Analysis of formal responses Submission of SDP to Scottish Ministers March 2012 Examination of any outstanding objections Preparation of Post Adoption Statement Approval of SDP – 2012 Submission of Post Adoption Statement 8 3. PLANNING CONTEXT 3.1 Outline and Objectives of Strategic Development Plan 3.1.1 A Development Plan Scheme has been produced by SESplan, as required under the Planning etc (Scotland) Act 2006. The Scheme sets out the programme for preparing the SDP and will be updated annually. It also provides basic information on the content of the SDP itself, and its broader policy context. 3.1.2 Section 5 of the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005 makes SEA mandatory for land-use plans. In accordance with this, SESplan has agreed that Strategic Environmental Assessment will be carried out during the preparation of the Strategic Development Plan. 3.1.3 The Strategic Development Plan sets out a long-term spatial planning strategy that broadly defines where development should be located, and how it should be delivered. The SDP will replace the three existing structure plans for the area: the Edinburgh and Lothians Structure Plan 2015, the Fife Structure Plan 2006-26 and the Scottish Borders Structure Plan 2001-18. 3.1.4 SESplan has integrated the SEA process into the Strategic Development Plan process to ensure that all significant environmental issues