WILTSHIRE COUNCIL LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK

SOUTH CORE STRATEGY

SUSTAINABILITY APPRAISAL OF REVISION OF PUBLISHED DEVELOPMENT PLAN DOCUMENT

FEBRUARY 2010

1.0 Wiltshire Council has prepared a Sustainability Appraisal of the revisions to the South Wiltshire Core Strategy Proposed Submission Draft. This is in line with the advice provided by Mr Yuille who has been appointed to undertake an impendent examination into the soundness of the Core Strategy and confirmed through the pre-hearing meeting notes.

1.1 The purpose of Sustainability Appraisal (SA) is to promote sustainable development through the integration of environmental, social and economic considerations in the preparation of Local Development Documents (LDDs). This requirement is set out in Section 39 (2) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act, 2004 and Planning Policy Statement 12: Local Development Frameworks, 2004. Local Development Documents must also be subject to Strategic Environmental Assessment3 4 (SEA) and Government advises5 that an integrated approach is adopted so that the SA process incorporates the SEA requirements.

1.2 This addenda to the main Sustainability Appraisal report has been undertaken in accordance with the methodology set out in the SA scoping report and the final SA report prepared for the council by Enfusion. The revisions have been tested against the sustainability objectives set in the SA scoping report.

1.3 The SA of the revisions show that with respect to Core Policy 9 the outcome of amendments to Map 5 in similar as before, although there are potentially more sustainability benefits gained from having less possible development in the southern area close to Ford. The removal of the area to the south of Map 5 adjacent to Ford prevents the expansion of a village that is not identified as sustainable within Core Policy 1, conserves a green open space and safeguards the amenity of existing residents.

1.4 The additional paragraph itself does not allocate development, however it confirms that the strategy for with the allocations at Solstice Park and Kings Gate seek to make Amesbury a more self supporting community and delivery more balanced growth for Amesbury that also incorporates benefits such as affordable house and choice of jobs. The Sites of Solstice Park have been subject to their own SA within Appendix Iv of the Sustainability Appraisal Report of the South Wiltshire Core Strategy Proposed Submission Draft.

APPENDIX VI – SA of revision to published Development Plan Document

Core Policy 53 - Airfield New housing will only be permitted on Old Sarum Airfield only if can deliver the following to the satisfaction of the Local Planning Authority.  A long-term proactive strategy for the enhancement of the Conservation Area including management plan and some public access and visitor/interpretive material on its historic relevance;  A high quality strategic landscape improvement to mitigate impacts of existing intrusive buildings, to soften impacts both out and into the Conservation Area and from Old Sarum SAM;  The completion of a legal agreement (section 106) to agree reasonable controls over flying activity in the interests of the amenity of local residents  Submission and agreement of a development master plan to demonstrate how high quality development can be accommodated in a sympathetic manner which takes opportunities to enhance the historic environment and protects the amenity of existing residents.  Does not compromise flying activity from the airfield.  Explores the potential of providing some community benefit for the Old Sarum residents  Meets all other polices of this Core Strategy and those saved form the Local Plan.

Amendments as a result on Full Council after proposed submission draft consultation:

1. Map 5: Deletion of area of land indicated to the south of Old Sarum Airfield adjacent to Ford.

2. Paragraph 6.41(ii): Insert the word „northern‟ before „airfield perimeter‟.

Assessment of Effects Nature of the sustainability effect (positive/negative, short/medium/long term, cumulative, scale, reversibility, likelihood) 1 Social inclusion for all + Positive impact as associated community facilities will be explored. 2 Ensure that everyone has a + The site will need to meet any affordable housing requirements in line with policy and therefore decent home should have a positive impact. 3 Improve health and well + Provision of housing is related to health and well being. A contribution to a “super surgery” will be being of population sought. Allowing the Council some control over flying activities should improve health and wellbeing of the number of residents of who have consistently complained about the nuisance that noise from by flying activity has had on their amenity. . The revision to not allow housing adjacent to Ford, would safeguard the amenity of existing residents in this area. 4 Improve safety and reduce 0 Neutral impact - although all sites can be subject to Designing out Crime criteria. crime 5 Improve and protect + A school and district centre will be provided near the site . The required management plan coupled accessibility to all services with interpretative material should contribute to improved public access to and interpretation of the and facilities historic significance of the Airfield and its environs. 6 Improve availability and + Site will have to provide required level of green space in line with GI policy and existing local plan accessibility to open space, policies. As part of the scheme a comprehensive landscape master plan will be required to include including greenspace how, where practicable, inappropriate barriers are to be removed to help reunite the original green filed of the airfield. The revision to not allow building adjacent to Ford would further safeguard an area of the open space. 7 Increase energy efficiency + In accordance with RSS policy, 10% of energy will be generated through renewables on or near the of buildings, promote energy site. from renewable sources 8 Reduce waste generation 0 Neutral effect and increase levels of reuse and recycling 9 Improve air quality and + The site is partially adjacent to the Beehive park and ride and opportunities for cycle links and reduce greenhouse gas footpaths to Salisbury centre alongside Old Sarum and Longhedge allocations. . Possible positive emissions impact on reduction in emissions through controlled flying activity. . Contributions to the Salisbury Air Quality Strategy will be required. There may, through a Section 106 Agreement be the opportunity to agree a limit on the level of flying activity and hence aircraft exhaust fumes. 10 Promote sustainable + The site is partially adjacent to the Beehive park and ride and opportunities for cycle links and transport by improving footpaths to Salisbury centre exist. affordable and accessible solutions particularly in rural areas 11 Make efficient use of land, - The site is greenfield. maximise brownfield use 12 Respond to threats proposed ? The plan requires a flood risk assessment to be carried out. Water abstraction is a recognised by flooding, promote water problem for Salisbury which will be resolved by the EA and Natural England. efficiency 13 Improve road safety and + Improvements to the highway network are required to prevent congestion on Castle Road. reduce congestion 14 Maintain and improve river ? Use of SUDs is required to manage surface water runoff. SWT capacity will be assessed. quality 15 Conserve and enhance + The techniques above should preserve river quality and have no adverse impact on biodiversity. The biodiversity and geodiversity site should be assessed for ecological value and landscaping designed to ensure that this is maintained or improved. 16 Conserve and enhance the + A master plan for this development will be required which provides structural landscaping and has District’s landscapes the potential to improve existing views to Old Sarum . Removal of the southern area would have a positive impact on the landscape setting in the area around Ford. 17 Facilitate economic growth o No direct impact & development of new businesses 18 Provide suitable + Infrastructure will be part of the scheme. infrastructure to promote business growth 19 Raise educational 0 No direct impact attainment and workforce skills 20 Harness economic benefits + A proactive strategy for the improvements to the Conservation Area which takes opportunities to that arise from enhance the historic environment can provide improved cultural activities. tourism/cultural activities 21 Maintain and enhance the 0 The proposed local facilities will not be of a scale to undermine the city centre. viability/vitality of existing businesses and town centres 22 Promote development of ? Impact will be dependant on the implementation of design policies. highest standard 23 Protect and maintain CAs, ? The plan seeks enhancement of the conservation area. Archaeological investigation will LBs,SAMs archaeological be required. The impact on the Old Sarum SAM will have to be assessed when the detailed proposals sites are provided. Summary:

The proposed development is in a sustainable location and provides opportunities to enhance walking and cycling links to Salisbury centre. It is also near the Beehive Park and Ride. The site can provide for transport and climate change SA objectives. They provide opportunities for controlling flying activity which can improve quality of life for existing residents as well as providing conservation benefits for the Old Sarum Conservation Area, the listed hangars and views to and from Old Sarum SAM.

The removal of the area to the south of Map 5 adjacent to Ford prevents the expansion of a village that is not identified as sustainable within Core Policy 1, conserves a green open space and safeguards the amenity of existing residents.

There are however, outstanding sustainability issues over water abstraction and the corresponding impact on biodiversity and the potential for impact on the Old Sarum SAM. These will need to be appraised at the master planning stage when detail of the proposals is available. At this stage the site appears to represent a sustainable option, bringing forward cultural improvements, but is dependant on the mitigation proposed at a detailed level.

Mitigation/Enhancement Recommendations:

. The ecological value of the site and the landscaping and GI should maintain or enhance the current biodiversity status.

After paragraph 8.20: Insert „The strategy for Amesbury seeks to make the town a more self-supporting community. The implications of implementing the planning permission at Solstice Park mean that balanced growth will be delivered in Amesbury, alongside the housing at Kings Gate. The development can add diversity in the scale, range and choice of jobs on offer, help to attract further development at Solstice Park by giving confident messages to the market that Solstice Park is a location to invest and help in contributing to the wider economic strategy at the local and wider Regional level.‟

Assessment of Effects Nature of the sustainability effect (positive/negative, short/medium/long term, cumulative, scale, reversibility, likelihood) 1 Social inclusion for all + Positive impact due to increased availability of jobs in close proximity to new and existing dwellings. 2 Ensure that everyone has a 0 Although the paragraph itself will not have an impact the housing to be deliverer at Kings Gate will decent home need to meet affordable housing requirements. 3 Improve health and well + Provision of housing alongside jobs is related to health and well being. being of population 4 Improve safety and reduce 0 Neutral impact - although all sites can be subject to Designing out Crime criteria. crime 5 Improve and protect + A school and district centre will be provided on the Kings Gate site and enable Amesbury to be more accessibility to all services self supporting. However paragraph itself does not allocate development. and facilities 6 Improve availability and + Site will have to provide required level of greenspace in line with GI policy and existing local plan accessibility to open space, policies. However paragraph itself does not allocate development. including greenspace 7 Increase energy efficiency + In accordance with RSS policy, 10% of energy will be generated through renewables on or near the of buildings, promote energy site. However paragraph itself does not allocate development. from renewable sources 8 Reduce waste generation 0 Neutral effect and increase levels of reuse and recycling 9 Improve air quality and - Although locating housing and employment in close proximity can reduce emissions through shorter reduce greenhouse gas travel distances. The journey‟s created through movements to serve employment could result in emissions poorer air quality. However paragraph itself does not allocate development. 10 Promote sustainable + locating housing and employment in close proximity can reduce transport movements and provide transport by improving potential for public transport links to Amesbury town centre and contributing to Amesbury becoming affordable and accessible a more „self supporting‟ community. solutions particularly in rural areas 11 Make efficient use of land, - The sites were formerly greenfield. However paragraph itself does not allocate development. maximise brownfield use 12 Respond to threats proposed ? The plan will require a flood risk assessment to be carried out. Water abstraction is a recognised by flooding, promote water problem for Salisbury which will be resolved by the EA and Natural England. The plan promotes efficiency water efficiency. 13 Improve road safety and 0 Roads in proximity to the two sites have already experienced improvements to reduce congestion. reduce congestion However paragraph itself does not allocate development. 14 Maintain and improve river ? Use of SUDs is required to manage surface water runoff. . SWT improvements already planned. quality Phosphate management plan should maintain or improve river quality. However paragraph itself does not allocate development. 15 Conserve and enhance + The techniques above together with HRA should preserve river quality and have no adverse impact biodiversity and geodiversity on biodiversity. The site should be assessed for ecological value and landscaping designed to ensure that this is maintained or improved. 16 Conserve and enhance the 0 Neutral as the paragraph itself does not allocate development. District’s landscapes 17 Facilitate economic growth + The availability of Solstice Park employment site should facilitate economic growth. However & development of new paragraph itself does not allocate development. businesses 18 Provide suitable + Infrastructure will be part of the scheme. infrastructure to promote business growth 19 Raise educational 0 No direct impact attainment and workforce skills 20 Harness economic benefits 0 No direct impact that arise from tourism/cultural activities 21 Maintain and enhance the 0 The proposed local facilities will not be of a scale to undermine the Town Centre. However viability/vitality of existing paragraph itself does not allocate development. businesses and town centres 22 Promote development of ? Impact will be dependant on the implementation of design policies. However paragraph itself does highest standard not allocate development. 23 Protect and maintain CAs, ? Archaeological investigation will be required due to archaeological significance of while of south LBs,SAMs archaeological Wiltshire area. However paragraph itself does not allocate development. sites Summary: The paragraph itself does not allocate development, however it confirms that the strategy for Amesbury with the allocations at Solstice Park and Kings Gate seek to make Amesbury a more self supporting community and delivery more balanced growth for Amesbury that also incorporates benefits such as affordable house and choice of jobs. The Sites of Solstice Park have been subject to their own SA within Appendix Iv of the Sustainability Appraisal Report of the South Wiltshire Core Strategy Proposed Submission Draft.