Sustainability Appraisal of the Chiltern and South Bucks Local Plan
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Sustainability Appraisal of the Chiltern and South Bucks District Local Plan SA Scoping Document November 2015 LEPUS CONSULTING LANDSCAPE, ECOLOGY, PLANNING & URBAN SUSTAINABILITY Sustainability Appraisal of the Chiltern and South Bucks District Local Plan Scoping Report LC-216 Document Control Box Client Chiltern District Council & South Bucks District Council Report Title Sustainability Appraisal of the Chiltern & South Bucks Local Plan Number 1 Status Final Filename LC-216_Scoping_4_271115SS.docx Date November 2015 Author RMC Reviewed SBS Approved NJD Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v1.0 About this report & notes for readers Lepus Consulting Ltd (Lepus) has prepared this draft report for between October and November 2015 and is subject to and the use of Chiltern and South Bucks District Councils. There are a limited by the information available during this time. number of limitations, which should be borne in mind when considering the results and conclusions of this report. No party should alter or change this report whatsoever without written This report has been produced to assess the sustainability effects permission from Lepus. of the Local Plan and meets the requirements of the SEA Directive. It is not intended to be a substitute for Environmental © Lepus Consulting Ltd Impact Assessment (EIA) or Appropriate Assessment (AA). SA is a tool for predicting potential significant effects. The actual For further information on the differences between the products effects may be different from those identified. Prediction of please see: effects is made using an evidence-based approach and http://www.rspb.org.uk/Images/environmentalassessment_tcm incorporates a judgement. 9- 257008.pdf The assessments above are based on the best available Client comments can be sent to Lepus using the following information, including that provided to Lepus by the Council and address. information that is publicly available. No attempt to verify these secondary data sources has been made and they have assumed 1 Bath Street, to be accurate as published. Cheltenham Gloucestershire Every attempt has been made to predict effects as accurately as possible using the available information. Many effects will GL50 1YE depend on the size and location of development, building design Telephone: 01242 525222 and construction, proximity to sensitive receptors such as wildlife sites, conservation areas, flood risk areas and watercourses, and E-mail: [email protected] the range of uses taking place. This scoping report was prepared www.lepusconsulting.com Front cover: Orange-tip butterfly Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v1.0 SA of the Chiltern and South Bucks Local Plan November, 2015 LC-216_Scoping_4_271115SS.docx Contents 1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 This report ................................................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Chiltern District ....................................................................................................................... 1 1.3 South Bucks District ............................................................................................................. 3 1.4 Sustainability Appraisal ...................................................................................................... 3 1.5 The SA Process ...................................................................................................................... 3 1.6 An integrated approach to Sustainability Appraisal and Strategic Environmental Assessment ......................................................................................................... 4 1.7 Best Practice Guidance ....................................................................................................... 4 1.8 The Chiltern and South Bucks Local Plan .................................................................... 5 2 Presenting the Sustainability Information ........................................................................... 6 2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 6 2.2 Policy, plan and programme review .............................................................................. 9 2.3 Baseline data collection ...................................................................................................... 9 2.4 Key sustainability issues ................................................................................................... 10 3 Accessibility and Transport ...................................................................................................... 11 3.1 Summary of policy and plan review .............................................................................. 11 3.2 South Bucks District: Baseline data .............................................................................. 12 3.3 Chiltern District: Baseline data ........................................................................................ 17 4 Air Quality ...................................................................................................................................... 22 4.1 Summary of policy and plan review ............................................................................ 22 4.2 Baseline data ......................................................................................................................... 22 5 Biodiversity and Geodiversity ............................................................................................... 26 5.1 Summary of policy and plan review ............................................................................ 26 5.2 Baseline data: ........................................................................................................................ 27 6 Climate Change ........................................................................................................................... 38 6.1 Summary of policy and plan review ............................................................................ 38 6.2 Baseline data ......................................................................................................................... 39 7 Economic Factors ...................................................................................................................... 50 7.1 Summary of policy and plan review ........................................................................... 50 7.2 Baseline data ........................................................................................................................ 50 8 Health .............................................................................................................................................. 55 8.1 Summary of policy and plan review ............................................................................ 55 8.2 Baseline data ......................................................................................................................... 55 9 Historic Environment ................................................................................................................ 62 9.1 Summary of policy and plan review ............................................................................ 62 9.2 Summary of baseline data ............................................................................................... 62 10 Housing ........................................................................................................................................... 73 10.1 Summary of policy and plan review .......................................................................... 73 10.2 Baseline data ...................................................................................................................... 73 11 Landscape and townscape ..................................................................................................... 76 11.1 Summary of policy and plan review .......................................................................... 76 11.2 Baseline data: Chiltern .................................................................................................... 76 © Lepus Consulting for Chiltern District Council and South Bucks District Council i SA of the Chiltern and South Bucks Local Plan November, 2015 LC-216_Scoping_4_271115SS.docx 12 Material Assets ............................................................................................................................ 87 12.1 Summary of policy and plan review .......................................................................... 87 12.2 Baseline data ...................................................................................................................... 87 13 Population and Quality of life ............................................................................................... 94 13.1 Summary of policy and plan review ......................................................................... 94 13.2 Baseline data: Chiltern District ................................................................................... 94 14 Water and Soil ...........................................................................................................................