SEA of Revocation of North East Regional Strategy
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Appendix D - SEA of Revocation of North East Regional Strategy Score + + + 0 - - - ? Key: Significant Minor positive effect No overall effect Minor negative Significant Score uncertain Positive effect effect negative effect NB: where more than one symbol is presented in a box it indicates that the SEA has found more than one score for the category. Where the scores are both positive and negative, the boxes are deliberately not coloured. S – short term (less than 0.75 year), M – medium term (between 0.75 and 5 years) and L – long term (>5 years) RS Policy: 1 North East Renaissance Alternative Commentary Air Soil Water and fauna Landscape Population & human Health Material assets Climatic factors Cultural Heritage Biodiversity, flora S M L S M L S M L S M L S M L S M L S M L S M L S M L Retention + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + Likely Significant Effects of Retention + + + Policy 1 – Urban Renaissance identifies four key themes which support the central theme through the RSS of achieving and maintaining a high quality of life for all, both now and in the future. It forms one of the key policies which set the overarching framework for the remainder of the plan. The theme of urban renaissance is a core element of the RES, which identifies the need for business to as the key driver for growth, increasing prosperity through supporting enterprise and up-skilling of the workforce and conserving, enhancing and capitalising on the Region’s diverse natural and built environment. This policy, if properly implemented, should have positive impacts across the SEA 1 Appendix D November 2012 Appendix D - SEA of Revocation of North East Regional Strategy Alternative Commentary Air Soil Water and fauna Landscape Population & human Health Material assets Climatic factors Cultural Heritage Biodiversity, flora S M L S M L S M L S M L S M L S M L S M L S M L S M L themes. The focus on economic growth and sustainable communities should deliver considerable population and human health benefits by the provision of delivering housing and employment opportunities to all, including the most deprived communities, and encouraging the creation of a well-designed and pleasant living and working environment. It will also deliver sound environmental benefits through strong protection for the region’s biodiversity and cultural heritage, as well as the sustainable use of land. The commitment to improve connectivity and accessibility should promote more sustainable transport patterns and reduce congestion in the region. The policy has been appraised significantly positive for both health and population. Mitigation Measures None proposed. Assumptions This assessment assumes that these policies are implemented in full to mitigate the environmental impacts assorted with development. Uncertainty The scale of the effects will depend on the volume, nature and location of the development across the plan period and beyond. 2 Appendix D November 2012 Appendix D - SEA of Revocation of North East Regional Strategy Alternative Commentary Air Soil Water and fauna Landscape Population & human Health Material assets Climatic factors Cultural Heritage Biodiversity, flora S M L S M L S M L S M L S M L S M L S M L S M L S M L Revocation + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + Likely Significant Effects of Revocation + + + The National Planning Policy Framework sets out a range of closely related principles, governing sustainable development, which will, when the regional strategy is abolished, stand in their stead. A core principle of the NPPF is for planning to drive and support sustainable economic development. The NPPF framework core principles (paragraph 17) expects that planning should proactively drive and support sustainable economic development and address environmental issues. All of the themes set out in the policy run throughout the NPPF so it should be read as a whole. These considerations will continue to inform the preparation of local plans and development management. The Government’s Economic White Paper (published October 2010) sets out its vision for local growth, shifting power away from central government to local communities, citizens and independent providers. This means recognising that where drivers of growth are local, decisions should be made locally. The Plan for Growth document (included in the Budget 2011) confirms the Government’s commitment to ensuring that the planning system supports growth. Moreover since this policy was developed Local Economic Partnerships (LEPs) have developed their own area of focus, based on Function Economic Market Areas (FEMAs). Local plans will continue to be subject to sustainability appraisal, including consideration of the natural and built environment, which will assess how sustainable development has been integrated into plans, and the impact of policy options. It is considered that the positive effects of revocation will remain the same as they were for retention. 3 Appendix D November 2012 Appendix D - SEA of Revocation of North East Regional Strategy Alternative Commentary Air Soil Water and fauna Landscape Population & human Health Material assets Climatic factors Cultural Heritage Biodiversity, flora S M L S M L S M L S M L S M L S M L S M L S M L S M L Mitigation Measures No mitigation measures have been identified. Assumptions It is assumed that local planning authorities will operate in accordance with their statutory duties on environmental protection in terms of meeting air and water quality standards and affording the appropriate level of protection to designated habitats, protected species, heritage assets and landscapes, sustainable development and climate change including managing flood risk in plan-making and that they have due regard to the policies in the NPPF in plan making and development management decisions. Uncertainty The scale of the effects will depend on the volume, nature and location of the development across the plan period and beyond. 4 Appendix D November 2012 Appendix D - SEA of Revocation of North East Regional Strategy RS Policy: 2 Sustainable Development Air Alternative Soil Commentary Water and fauna Landscape Population & human Health Material assets Climatic factors Cultural Heritage Biodiversity, flora S M L S M L S M L S M L S M L S M L S M L S M L S M L Retention + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + Likely Significant Effects of Retention + + + + + Policy 2 – Sustainable Development sets out a number of general principles around Sustainable Development, encompassing environmental, social and economic objectives. This policy seeks to embed sustainable development – applying the guiding principles behind the UK Sustainable Development Strategy 2005 and the Integrated Regional Framework - at the heart of plan policies and decision-making in the region, although it does not contain any spatially specific policy. This policy seeks to identify areas and networks of Green Infrastructure to enable improved accessibility to a healthy environment whilst protecting sites of international biodiversity value. Indirectly this will have significant positive benefits on soils. Like Policy 1, there should be significant benefits across SEA themes. This policy recognises key principles that will deliver economic growth in a manner which help ensure protection of the environment and take into account wider social issues. The policy is reflected within the RES which identifies the need to raise education attainment and improve the skills of the existing workforce to increase and 5 Appendix D November 2012 Appendix D - SEA of Revocation of North East Regional Strategy Air Alternative Soil Commentary Water and fauna Landscape Population & human Health Material assets Climatic factors Cultural Heritage Biodiversity, flora S M L S M L S M L S M L S M L S M L S M L S M L S M L diversify the regions business stock. Mitigation Measures None proposed Assumptions This assessment assumes that these policies are implemented in full to mitigate the environmental impacts assorted with development. Uncertainty The scale of the effects will depend on the volume, nature and location of development across the region over the Plan period beyond. Revocation + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + Likely Significant Effects of Revocation + + + + + Local planning authorities have a statutory duty under Section 39(3) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 to work towards the aim of achieving sustainable development and high quality design. Paragraph 6 of the NPPF identifies that it is the purpose of the planning system is to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development. It makes specific reference to the five “guiding principles” of sustainable development set out in the UK Sustainable Development Strategy Securing the future. These are: living within the planet’s environmental limits; ensuring a strong, healthy and just society; achieving a sustainable economy; promoting good governance; and using sound science responsibly. The policies in paragraphs 18 to 219, taken as a whole, constitute the Government’s view of what sustainable development in England means in practice for the planning system. Paragraph 7 states that there are three 6 Appendix D November 2012 Appendix D - SEA of Revocation of North East Regional Strategy Air Alternative Soil Commentary Water and fauna Landscape Population & human Health Material assets Climatic factors Cultural Heritage Biodiversity, flora S M L S M L S M L S M L S M L S M L S M L S M L S M L dimensions to sustainable development: economic, social and environmental. The NPPF contains a presumption in favour of sustainable development (paragraphs 11 to 16) which is stated as being the golden thread running through both plan-making and decision making Policy 2 contains three objectives (Environmental, Social and Economic) which include a series of criteria which need to be delivered through planning proposals and development plans. • Environmental Objectives. Part 2.1 of the policy identifies a series of objectives which include ensuring good air quality, protecting and enhancing biodiversity, preventing development in the floodplain and to protect and enhance cultural heritage.