Contents Non-Technical Summary 1 Introduction 4 2 Methodology 6 3 The Core Strategy and Key Sustainability Issues 8 4 Reasonable Alternatives Considered 12 5 Choice of Preferred Options 13 6 Likely Significant Effects of the Core Strategy 14 7 Recommendations 16 8 Implementation, Mitigation and Maximising Benefits 17 9 Monitoring 18 Introduction 10 Objectives and Structure of the SA Report 20 11 Compliance with the SEA Directive & Regulations 22 12 The Local Development Framework 25 13 Derbyshire Dales and High Peak Joint Core Strategy 29 Appraisal Methodology 14 How the Appraisal was carried out 31 15 Appraisal Timetable 35 Sustainability Issues 16 Review of Relevant Plans, Programmes and Policy Objectives 37 17 Baseline Data and Indicators 39 18 Difficulties and Limitations 40 19 The Core Strategy Area and Sustainability Issues 42 20 The SA Framework 50 Derbyshire Dales and High Peak Joint Core Strategy - Sustainability Appraisal Contents 21 Consultation 58 Reasonable Alternatives Considered and Choice of Preferred Options 22 Testing the Core Strategy Objectives 60 23 Appraisal of Alternative Options and Choice of Preferred Options 68 24 Choice of the Preferred Options 70 Sustainability Appraisal of Preferred Options 25 Predicting the Effects of the Preferred Options 80 26 Evaluating the Effects of the Preferred Options 81 27 Cumulative Effects 86 28 Implementation, Mitigation Measures and Maximising Benefits 87 29 Uncertainties and Risks 88 Monitoring Proposals 30 Monitoring Proposals 89 Appendices 1 Review of Relevant Plans, Programmes and Policy Objectives 94 2 Baseline Data and Indicators 107 3 Scoping Report Consultation Responses 113 4 Appraisal of Issues and Options 129 5 Appraisal of Growth Options 143 6 Appraisal of Preferred Options 156 7 Contribution of Sustainability Appraisal Recommendations 597 Derbyshire Dales and High Peak Joint Core Strategy - Sustainability Appraisal Non-Technical Summary Derbyshire Dales and High Peak Joint Core Strategy - Sustainability Appraisal 3 1 Introduction 1.1 Derbyshire Dales District Council and High Peak Borough Council are reviewing their Local Plans, which are to be replaced by two Local Development Frameworks (LDFs), incorporating Development Plan Documents (DPDs) and Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs). The DPDs and SPDs included in each LDF need to be subject to sustainability appraisal (SA), under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. The SAs conducted must also meet the requirements for Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) in accordance with European Directive 2001/42/EC (also known as the SEA Directive). 1.2 This report constitutes the draft SA Report for the Joint Derbyshire Dales and High Peak Core Strategy DPD. It has been produced alongside the emerging Core Strategy DPD, and is being published for consultation at the same time as the Preferred Options for the Core Strategy DPD to provide the public and statutory bodies with an opportunity to express their opinions on the SA Report and to use it as a reference point in commenting on the Core Strategy DPD. The Core Strategy DPD will set out the overall strategy for the two LDFs and key policies against which development proposals will be assessed. 1.3 This SA, incorporating SEA, has been undertaken in line with ODPM Guidance(1)and the relevant sections of the CLG Plan making Manual (2). The objective of the SEA Directive is ‘to provide for a high level of protection of the environment and contribute to the integration of environmental considerations into the preparation and adoption of plans ... with a view to promoting sustainable development’. According to the Government’s guidance, SA includes a wider range of considerations, extending to social and economic impacts of plans, whereas SEA is more focused on environmental impacts. A key output of the SA process is this SA Report which describes the plan being appraised, how the appraisal has been conducted, and the likely significant sustainability effects of implementing the plan. 1.4 Throughout this report the term ‘SA’ refers to Sustainability Appraisal incorporating the requirements of Strategic Environmental Assessment. 1.5 If you, or someone you know, is unable to read any Council publication, these can be provided on request in a range of alternative formats (e.g. large print, audiotape, Braille) and in other languages. This may take a few days notice to arrange. For information on this or other issues, please contact either of the Planning Policy teams at the addresses given below. 1.6 You are invited to respond to this consultation by Thursday 15 July 2010 by using one of the following methods: Online at http://highpeak-consult.limehouse.co.uk/portal/planning/jointcorestrategy Email to an email address given below Post to either postal address given below 1.7 The Councils are particularly interested in comments on the following questions: 1 Sustainability Appraisal of Regional Spatial Strategies and Local Development Documents, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, November 2005 2 Communities and Local Government Plan Making Manual, Planning Advisory Service, www.pas.gov.uk 4 Derbyshire Dales and High Peak Joint Core Strategy - Sustainability Appraisal Introduction 1 Question 1 Have the sustainability impacts of policy options been correctly predicted and evaluated? Question 2 Are there sustainability impacts of policy options that have not been predicted? Question 3 Are there improvements to preferred policy options, or further mitigation measures that should be considered? Question 4 Will the proposals for monitoring the sustainability effects of implementing the Core Strategy DPD be effective? 1.8 Please note that all representations submitted online, by email or by post, will be made available to view on the consultation website. In the interests of data protection, personal contact detail will not be published on the website. High Peak Borough Council Derbyshire Dales District Council Planning Policy and Design Planning and Development Services Regeneration Service Planning Policy Municipal Buildings Town Hall Glossop Matlock Derbyshire SK13 8AF Derbyshire DE4 3NN Tel: 0845 129 7777 Tel: 01629 761241 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Derbyshire Dales and High Peak Joint Core Strategy - Sustainability Appraisal 5 2 Methodology 2.1 The ODPM’s SA guidance specifies a number of stages of work that have to be undertaken to comply with the SEA Directive. The first three stages have been completed and are documented in this SA Report. Stage A – Setting the context and scope 2.2 This stage was completed in March 2009. It involved conducting a review of other plans, strategies and studies relevant to the preparation of the Core Strategy DPD, the development of an appraisal framework including sustainability objectives, the collection of a wide range of data characterising the area and identification of key sustainability issues. The information was published as a series of Topic Papers accompanied by a covering Report. Together, these documents made up the SA Scoping Report. 2.3 The Scoping Report was sent to the SEA ‘Consultation Bodies’ (i.e. English Heritage, Natural England, and The Environment Agency), as well as notifications sent to all those on the two authorities consultation databases for a five week consultation. Changes were then made to the document, including to the objectives of the SA framework, to incorporate stakeholder feedback. Stage B: Developing and Refining Options 2.4 Strategic options for the Core Strategy DPD were identified and appraised against the SA Framework early in the SA process. The findings of this process were included in the Issues and Options paper consulted on alongside the SA Scoping Report. Subsequently, the two Councils identified further growth options for the Core Strategy DPD. These options were appraised in parallel with their preparation and the results are included in a separate report: the accompanying Growth Options to 2026 SA report. Stage C: Appraising the Effects of the Preferred Options 2.5 This stage involved identifying the Preferred Options for the Core Strategy by predicting and assessing the likely significant effects of the reasonable alternatives available, including the potential mitigation measures and measures for maximising beneficial effects. This stage also involved developing proposals for monitoring to establish the means by which the sustainability performance of the plan can be assessed over time. The output from Stages A to C is this SA Report. Stage D: Consultation on preferred options and final SA 2.6 Derbyshire Dales District Council and High Peak Borough Council are seeking views on this SA Report alongside consultation on the Preferred Options Draft Plan, between 3rd June and 15th July 2010. This consultation is designed to comply with the Statement of Community Involvement and requirements of the SEA Directive. Should any significant changes be made to the DPD as a result of public consultation, additional appraisal work will need to be carried out and a revised SA Report prepared to reflect the results. The draft Core Strategy DPD and revised SA Report will then be subject to further consultation in October 2010 before being submitted to the Secretary of State in March 2011. 6 Derbyshire Dales and High Peak Joint Core Strategy - Sustainability Appraisal Methodology 2 Stage E: Monitoring Implementation of the DPD 2.7 This draft SA Report sets out recommendations for monitoring the sustainability effects of the Core Strategy DPD. Recommendations for a process for dealing with adverse or unexpected effects will be included in the final SA Report. Derbyshire Dales and High Peak Joint Core Strategy - Sustainability Appraisal 7 3 The Core Strategy and Key Sustainability Issues Overview 3.1 The Derbyshire Dales and High Peak Joint Core Strategy covers two distinct areas of land on the edge of the Peak District National Park, shown in pink in the map below. The areas covered by the Core Strategy are split into two; to the north the area within High Peak, and to the south the area within Derbyshire Dales.