Introduction Five - Year Review - December 2002 Introduction Introduction An introduction to the five-year review Overview In March 1997 the eight Suffolk local-planning authorities (Fig 1) jointly produced Suffolk’s Environment…towards sustainable development. Its aims were to ● characterise the environment of Suffolk; ● identify indicators to provide measures of the environmental effect of development plan policies and proposals; and ● provide a baseline for future monitoring. At the time of publication it was recognised that the document merely represented a starting point: “It must be stressed that the publication of the Report is not Waveney the end of the process. It provides a methodology and a District Council Forest Heath basis for the environmental appraisal of planning policy District Council within Suffolk. Therefore, in order for this document to be of 076864 greatest use and to actively contribute to the aims of sustainable development it must be continually referred to Mid - Suffolk and constantly updated.” District Council Suffolk’s Environment envisaged reporting on the full range of Suffolk Coastal District Council indicators every five years with summary monitoring reports, folk County Council LA Ba incorporating an update of the indicators relating to planning St Edmundsbury Borough Councilber gh decisions, being produced annually. The first annual monitoring District Council IBC report was published in early 1999 and since then a further two annual reports have been published in 2000 and 2001 with IBC=Ipswich Borough Council accompanying summary leaflets being widely distributed. Crown Copyright. Suf c Fig 1: The local planning authorities of Suffolk Introduction 2002 marks five years on from the publication of the baseline report and time for a major review and update of Suffolk’s Environment. The publication of this document forms the outcome of that review. What is sustainable development? (Fig 2) Sustainable development components Social progress which recognises the needs Effective protection of the of everyone environment Sustainable development Maintenance of high and Prudent use of natural stable levels of economic resources growth and employment Introduction The “international” definition of sustainable development, set by the World Commission on Environment and Development (1987) is “Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Many other definitions exist, but all incorporate the concept that in planning for a better quality of life, the economic, social and environmental dimensions have to be considered together and that more attention has to be given to the long-term consequences of human decisions and activity. It is only when all long-term consequences are fully taken into account, and reflected in the decision, that sustainable development can be achieved (fig 2). Planning for sustainable development in Suffolk The land use planning system has a key role in assessing the implications of development thereby influencing progress towards a sustainable future. It enables the provision of homes and buildings, investment and jobs, promoting competition whilst at the same time having regard to the environment and amenity. It is frequently the case, in relation to particular development proposals, that several economic, environmental, social and other factors need to be taken into account. This requires a framework that promotes consistent, predictable and prompt decision-making. The role of the planning system in contributing to sustainable development is recognised by the Government in Planning Policy Guidance (PPG) Notes. PPG12: Development Plans (1999) requires all local planning authorities to prepare and keep up to date a development plan containing policies and proposals relating to the development of the whole of their area. The development plans within Suffolk are listed in Fig 3. These plans provide the framework for, amongst other things, the amount and location of new development, identifying the features that should be protected and including measures to improve the quality of the environment. The main aim of the planning system is to balance the social, economic and environmental implications of the development of land. Section 54A of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 requires that an application for planning permission or an appeal to be determined in accordance with the development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. Introduction (Fig 3) Development Plans in Suffolk Suffolk County Structure Plan 2001 Adopted 2001 Babergh Local Plan Adopted June 1995, Issues Report published January 1999 First Deposit Draft published September 2001 Forest Heath Adopted December 1995 Issues Report published May 2001 Ipswich Local Plan Adopted 1997 First Deposit Draft published 2001 Mid Suffolk Local Plan Adopted September 1998, Review Issues Paper May 2002 First Deposit Draft expected Jan 2003 St Edmundsbury Local Plan Adopted 1998 Review Issues Report February 2000 Suffolk Coastal Local Plan Adopted February 2001 (incorporating the First Alteration) Review Issues Paper expected Winter 2002 Waveney Local Plan Adopted November 1996 Draft Review Plan expected Jan 2003 Broads Adopted May 1997 Suffolk Minerals Local Plan Adopted May 1999 Local planning authorities need to keep their plans up to date and to fully appreciate the impact they are having, and are likely to have, upon their area. This is achieved through the Plan, Monitor and Manage approach. Full appraisals of development plan policies and proposals encompassing economic, social and environmental issues are also expected. Introduction The sustainability appraisal of Development Plans Suffolk’s Environment…towards sustainable development was published in response to the Environmental Appraisal of Development Plans: A Good Practice Guide” published in 1993 by the then Department of the Environment. That document advocated three separate, but integrated, elements of appraisal: ● “characterising” the environment: looking at key assets, threats and opportunities in order to provide a baseline and context for considering the environmental effects of policies; ● ensuring the scope of the plan covers the appropriate range of environmental concerns; and ● appraising policies and proposals to establish their environmental effects. The publication of PPG12: Development Plans updated that guidance, with all authorities now expected to appreciate wider sustainability issues in their appraisals. The Suffolk Inter-authority approach to sustainability appraisal The five-year review has revisited and updated the characterisation of Suffolk and sought to achieve the following aims: ● To expand the characterisation of Suffolk’s Environment to encompass all land use sustainability issues, including social and economic issues. Whilst Suffolk’s Environment reported on some economic factors, for example, economic rates of growth, there has been a fuller inclusion of non- environmental issues that have relevance to land use planning, for example, crime levels. ● To review the 136 indicators contained in Suffolk’s Environment. Prior to 1997 little published work existed on the use of indicators. Certainly Suffolk’s Environment preceded many familiar ”indicator “ documents of today, including Quality of Life indicators and governmental Best Value indicators. Much has been learnt about the need for SMART indicators (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-related) and the five year time span has allowed the inter-authority partnership to appreciate which indicators are effective and SMART and which are not. ● To establish a set of sustainable development objectives that can be influenced by the land use planning system. The local authorities within Suffolk do vary in terms of the character of local communities, geography and development pressures. However through analysing the development plans in place within the county and through reviewing Suffolk’s Environment, an early agreement to a set of common sustainable objectives was possible (Fig 4). Having a common set of objectives has facilitated a more focused review of Suffolk’s Environment. ● To take account of newly developed monitoring systems, both locally and nationally, minimising data collection. With the growing number of indicator and data requirements, particularly at various governmental levels, it is of paramount importance to rationalise and maximise the use of data collected. Examples include Best Value Indicators and the Housing Reconciliation Form at central governmental level, and the evolving Regional Policy Guidance at the East of England regional level At a local level the statutory requirement to prepare and monitor Local Transport Plans has enabled a rationalisation of Transport indicators. Introduction ● To involve additional “expert” partners in the development of, and reporting on, new indicators. Partnerships with the Environment Agency and the County’s Archaeological Service have been built upon, whilst a new partnership with Suffolk Wildlife Trust has furthered understanding in relation to biodiversity. A national award winning partnership with the Suffolk East and Suffolk West Federations of Women’s Institutes has enabled the Suffolk authorities to become uniquely aware of how distinctive local landscapes are changing over time. (Fig 4) Objectives for Suffolk’s Environment 1“To plan to meet the housing requirements of the whole community providing housing opportunities