Essex Local Flood Risk Management Strategy Strategic Environmental Assessment Consultation Environmental Report Annex A: Plans and Programmes Annex B: Baseline Information Annex C: Sustainability Framework Prepared by the Project Team, Place Services April 2012 Strategic Environmental Assessment Consultation Environmental Report Annex A: Plans and Programmes The information contained in this document can be made available in alternative formats: large print, braille, audio tape or on disk. We can also translate this document into other languages. CONTENTS 1 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background ................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Identifying Other Relevant Policies, Plans and Programmes ........................ 1 2 List of Relevant Plans and Programmes .............................................................. 2 3 Review of Plans and Programmes ....................................................................... 5 Table 1: Relevant Plans and Programmes .................................................................. 2 Table 2: Review of International Plans and Programmes ............................................ 5 Table 3: Review of National Plans and Programmes .................................................. 5 Table 4: Review of Sub-national Plans and Programmes ......................................... 10 Table 5: Review of Local Plans and Programmes ..................................................... 11 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background In July 2011 Essex County Council’s Strategic Development Group commissioned Essex County Council’s Strategic Environmental Assessment Team, now re-branded within the Project Team in Place Services, to undertake a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) on the proposed Local Flood Risk Management Strategy for Essex. Place Services continues to act as consultants for this work, therefore the content of the SEA should not be interpreted or otherwise represented as the formal view of Essex County Council. This document is Annex A to the Consultation Environmental Report for the SEA of the Essex Flood Risk Management Strategy (hereafter referred to as the EFRMS). It includes a comprehensive description of those relevant plans and programmes. 1.2 Identifying Other Relevant Policies, Plans and Programmes The EFRMS must comply with existing policies, plans and programmes at international, national and sub-national levels, and strengthen and support local plans and strategies. It is therefore important to identify and review those policies, plans and programmes and environmental protection objectives which are relevant to both the EFRMS and the SEA at an early stage. This allows any inconsistencies or constraints within the EFRMS to be addressed and also to help develop the SEA framework. The relationships between the EFRMS and various policies, plans, programmes and sustainability objectives are analysed to; identify any external social, environmental or economic objectives that should be reflected in the SEA process; identify external factors that may have influenced the preparation of the plan; and determine whether the policies or objectives in other plans and programmes might lead to cumulative or synergistic effects when combined with these elements in the plan. Engaging in this process enables the EFRMS to take advantage of any potential synergies and to attend to any inconsistencies and constraints. The plans and programmes have been categorised by a hierarchy of influence from international to sub-national to local however, it must be noted that no list of plans and programmes can be definitive. 1 2 LIST OF RELEVANT PLANS AND PROGRAMMES The following table offers a reference to the plans and programmes relevant to the EFRMS. TABLE 1: RELEVANT PLANS AND PROGRAMMES International Plans and Programmes EU Floods Directive - Directive 2007/60/EC on the assessment and management of flood risks, 2007 EU Water Framework Directive - Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a framework for the Community action in the field of water policy, 2000 National Plans and Programmes Flood and Water Management Act 2011 Flood Risk Regulations, 2009 National Planning Policy Framework (March 2012) The National Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy for England (May 2011) Selecting and reviewing Flood Risk Areas for local sources of flooding - Guidance to Lead Local Flood Authorities (2010) Future Water, The Government’s water strategy for England, 2008 Water for People and the Environment; Water Resources Strategy for England and Wales, 2009 Making Space for Water – Taking forward a new Government strategy for flood and coastal erosion risk management in England (2005) Directing the Flow: Priorities for Future Water Policy, 2002 The Impact of Flooding on Urban and Rural Communities, 2005 Land Drainage Act, 1991, (as Amended 2004) Civil Contingencies Act, 2004 Water Act, 2003 National Standards for sustainable drainage systems: Designing, constructing, operating and maintaining drainage for surface runoff (December 2011) Sub-national Plans and Programmes TE2100 Flood Risk Management Plan (draft 2009) 2 Essex and South Suffolk Shoreline Management Plan (October 2010) River Basin Management Plan Anglian River Basin District (December 2009) River Basin Management Plan Thames River Basin District (December 2009) Local Plans and Programmes North Essex Catchment Flood Management Plan (December 2009) South Essex Catchment Flood Management Plan (December 2009) Thames Catchment Flood Management Plan (December 2009) Essex County Council Preliminary Flood Risk Assessment (January 2011) Essex County Council Level 1 Minerals and Waste Strategic Flood Risk Assessment – Revised (July 2011) Essex Local Transport Plan 2011 2011 Essex Biodiversity Action Plan Basildon District Local Plan Saved Policies (September 2007) Braintree District LDF Core Strategy (September 2011) Adopted Brentwood Replacement Local Plan (August 2005) + Saved Policy Direction August 2008 Castle Point Local Plan Saved Policies (September 2007) Chelmsford Core Strategy and Development Control Policies DPD (February 2008) Colchester Local Development Framework Core Strategy (December 2008) Epping Forest Combined Local Plan (1998) and Alterations (2006) Policy Document (February 2008) Adopted Replacement Harlow Local Plan (July 2006) + Saved Policy Direction Maldon District Replacement Local Plan And Saved Policies (November 2008) Rochford Core Strategy (December 2011) Tendring District Local Plan (December 2007) Uttlesford Adopted Local Plan (January 2005) + Saved Policy Direction (December 2007) Basildon Borough Council -Level 1 Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (June 2011) Brentwood Level 1 Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (January 2011) Braintree District Council, Chelmsford Borough Council, Colchester Borough Council, Maldon District Council - Mid Essex Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (October 2007) 3 Castle Point Borough Council Strategic Flood Risk Assessment – Levels 1 and 2 (November 2010) Epping Forest District Council and Harlow Council Strategic Flood Risk Assessment Level 1 (April 2011) Rochford District Council Strategic Flood Risk Assessment Level 1 and 2 (February 2011) Tendring District Council Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (March 2009) Uttlesford Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (March 2008) 4 3 REVIEW OF PLANS AND PROGRAMMES TABLE 2: REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL PLANS AND PROGRAMMES International Main Aims and Objectives Relevance to the Plans and EFRMS Programmes EU Floods The Directive requires Member States to The EFRMS will Directive - Directive assess if all water courses and coast lines are complement the 2007/60/EC on the at risk from flooding; to map the flood extent requirements of the assessment and and assets and humans at risk in these areas; Directive. management of and to take adequate and coordinated flood risks, 2007 measures to reduce this flood risk. It is being carried out in coordination with the Water Framework Directive. Its aim is to reduce and manage the risks that floods pose to human health, the environment, cultural heritage and economic activity. EU Water Prevents deterioration of aquatic ecosystems The Strategy will need Framework and associated wetland by setting out a to consider the Directive - Directive timetable until 2027 to achieve good requirements of the 2000/60/EC of the ecological status or potential. The Water WFD and ensure that it European Framework Directive requires Member States does not compromise Parliament and of to manage the effects on the ecological its objectives, and it the Council quality of water which result from changes to contributes to achieving establishing a the physical characteristics of water bodies. It its aims. framework for the requires action in those cases where these Community action “hydro-morphological” pressures are having in the field of water an ecological impact which will interfere with policy, 2000 our ability to achieve Water Framework Directive objectives. The Strategy should promote sustainable management of the water environment by carefully considering current land use and future climate scenarios, to minimise the effects of flooding and drought events and to facilitate long term improvements in water quality, including the protection of groundwater near landfill sites and minimise agricultural runoff. TABLE 3: REVIEW OF NATIONAL