Strategic Environmental Assessment for the Cramlington Neighbourhood
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Strategic Environmental Assessment for the Cramlington Neighbourhood Plan Environmental Report January 2019 SEA for the Cramlington Neighbourhood Plan Environmental Report Quality information Prepared by Checked by Approved by Paul Copeland Ian McCluskey Associate Director Senior Planner Principal Consultant Nick Chisolm-Batten Revision History Revision Revision date Details Authorized Name Position V1 November 2017 Draft for client Paul Copeland Senior Consultant comment V2 June 2018 Updated SA Ian McCluskey Principal Report Consultant V3 August 2018 Final SA Report Ian McCluskey Principal following review Consultant by Locality V4 March 2019 Further changes to Ian McCluskey Principal reflect Plan Consultant amendments Prepared for: Cramlington Town Council Prepared by: AECOM Infrastructure & Environment UK Limited Bridgewater House Manchester M1 6LT T: +44-0161-907-3500 aecom.com © 2019 AECOM Infrastructure & Environment UK Limited. All Rights Reserved. This document has been prepared by AECOM Infrastructure & Environment UK Limited (“AECOM”) for sole use of our client (the “Client”) in accordance with generally accepted consultancy principles, the budget for fees and the terms of reference agreed between AECOM and the Client. Any information provided by third parties and referred to herein has not been checked or verified by AECOM, unless otherwise expressly stated in the document. No third party may rely upon this document without the prior and express written agreement of AECOM. AECOM SEA for the Cramlington Neighbourhood Plan Environmental Report Table of Contents Non-Technical Summary ......................................................................................................................................... 1 What is strategic environmental assessment? ............................................................................................ 1 What is the Cramlington Neighbourhood Plan? .......................................................................................... 1 Purpose of this Environmental Report ........................................................................................................ 1 Assessment of alternative approaches for the Cramlington Neighbourhood Plan ..................................... 2 Assessment of the current version of the Cramlington Neighbourhood Plan ............................................. 3 Next steps .................................................................................................................................................... 5 1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Background ...................................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 SEA explained ................................................................................................................................... 2 1.3 Structure of this Environmental Report ........................................................................................... 3 2. Local Plan context and vision for the Cramlington Neighbourhood Plan .................................................... 4 2.1 Local Plan context for the Cramlington Neighbourhood Plan .......................................................... 4 2.2 Vision for the Cramlington Neighbourhood Plan ............................................................................. 5 3. The Scope of the SEA ................................................................................................................................... 5 3.1 SEA Scoping Report .......................................................................................................................... 5 3.2 Key sustainability issues ................................................................................................................... 6 3.2.1 Biodiversity ....................................................................................................................................... 6 3.2.2 Climate Change (including risk of flooding)...................................................................................... 6 3.2.3 Landscape and Historic Environment ............................................................................................... 7 3.2.4 Land, Soil, Air and Water Resources ................................................................................................. 7 3.2.5 Housing, Population and Community .............................................................................................. 7 3.2.6 Health and Wellbeing ....................................................................................................................... 8 3.2.7 Transportation and accessibility ....................................................................................................... 8 3.3 SEA Framework ................................................................................................................................ 8 4. What has plan making / SEA involved to this point? ................................................................................. 13 4.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 13 4.2 Overview of plan making / SEA work undertaken since 2014 ........................................................ 13 4.3 Assessment of reasonable alternatives for the Neighbourhood Plan ............................................ 13 4.4 Appraisal of reasonable alternatives .............................................................................................. 13 4.5 Development of Neighbourhood Plan policies .............................................................................. 18 5. What are the appraisal findings at this current stage? .............................................................................. 19 5.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 19 5.2 SEA of proposed Sites ..................................................................................................................... 19 5.3 Approach to the policy appraisal.................................................................................................... 24 5.4 Biodiversity and geodiversity ......................................................................................................... 24 5.5 Climate change ............................................................................................................................... 25 5.6 Landscape and historic environment ............................................................................................. 27 5.7 Land, soil and water resources ....................................................................................................... 29 5.8 Population and community ............................................................................................................ 29 5.9 Health and wellbeing ..................................................................................................................... 30 5.10 Transportation ................................................................................................................................ 31 5.11 Conclusions at this current stage ................................................................................................... 33 6. What are the next steps? .......................................................................................................................... 34 Appendix A – Contextual Review and Baseline Position Appendix B – Site Assessment Proformas Appendix C – Settlement Boundary Options Assessment Appendix D – Response to comments from Dysart Developments AECOM SEA for the Cramlington Neighbourhood Plan Environmental Report Figure 1.1 Cramlington Neighbourhood Plan Area. AECOM SEA for the Cramlington Neighbourhood Plan Environmental Report Non-Technical Summary What is strategic environmental assessment? A strategic environmental assessment has been undertaken to inform the Cramlington Neighbourhood Plan. This process is required by the SEA Regulations. Neighbourhood Plan groups use SEA to assess Neighbourhood Plans against a set of sustainability objectives developed in consultation with interested parties. The purpose of the assessment is to avoid adverse environmental and socio-economic effects through the Neighbourhood Plan, and identify opportunities to improve the environmental quality of the area covered by the Neighbourhood Plan and the quality of life of residents. What is the Cramlington Neighbourhood Plan? The Cramlington Neighbourhood Plan will set out a vision, strategy and range of policies for the Cramlington Neighbourhood Area for the period to 2033. The Cramlington Neighbourhood Plan will also support the strategic development needs of the Northumberland Local Plan, and the government agenda for planning as established in the National Planning Policy Framework. These relate to a range of topics, including, but not limited to, landscape and townscape character, the quality of life of residents, and the protection and enhancement of the environment. Purpose of the Environmental Report The Environmental Report, which accompanies the current consultation on