REPORT
Leicester Transport Plan 4 Strategic Environmental Assessment
Environmental Report
Client: Leicester City Council
Reference: PC2203-RHD-ZZ-XX-RP-Z-0002 Status: S0/P01.03 Date: 27 May 2021
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Document title: Leicester Transport Plan 4 Strategic Environmental Assessment
Document short title: LTP4 SEA ER Reference: PC2203-RHD-ZZ-XX-RP-Z-0002 Status: P01.03/S0 Date: 27 May 2021 Project name: LTP4 Project number: PC2203 Author(s): Laura Covington
Drafted by: Kitty Taylor
Checked by: Laura Covington
Date: 23/04/2021
Approved by: Peter Thornton
Date: 26/04/2021
Classification Open
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Table of Contents
1 Introduction 1 1.1 Background 1 1.2 The Need for the Leicester Local Transport Plan 1 1.3 Aims and Objectives of the LTP4 3 1.4 Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) 3 1.5 Consultation and Scoping 6
2 Assessment Framework and Methodology 7 2.1 SEA Objectives 7 2.2 Impact Prediction 13 2.3 Impact Significance 13 2.4 Relevant Plans, Policies and Strategies 21 2.5 Issues Identified as Priorities through Regulatory and Plan Review 21
3 The LTP4 22 3.1 Introduction 22 3.2 Development of the Leicester LTP4 22 3.3 Study Area 22 3.4 Strategies and Schemes 22 3.5 Consideration of Alternatives 28
4 The Scope of the SEA 29 4.1 Introduction 29 4.2 Population, Communities and Human Health 29 4.3 Historic Environment 32 4.4 Soils 34 4.5 Water 34 4.6 Air Quality and Climatic Factors 36 4.7 Landscape 37 4.8 Critical Infrastructure 38 4.9 Biodiversity, Flora and Fauna 39
5 Assessment and Evaluation of Impacts 44 5.1 Populations, Communities and Human Health 44 5.2 Historic Environment 47 5.3 Soils 47
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5.4 Water 48 5.5 Air and Climatic Factors 48 5.6 Landscape 49 5.7 Critical Infrastructure 49 5.8 Biodiversity, Flora and Fauna 50
6 Cumulative and In-Combination Impacts 50 6.1 Introduction 50 6.2 Strategy Level (In-Combination Effects) 51 6.3 LTP4 Level (Cumulative Effects) 51
7 Conclusion and Next Steps 52 7.1 Conclusion 52 7.2 Next Steps 53
8 Abbreviations and Acronyms 54
9 References 56 Appendix A: Consultation responses 60 Appendix B: Water Framework Directive (WFD) Assessment 65 Appendix C: List of legislation, policy and guidance relevant to the LTP4 67 Appendix D: Figures 74 Appendix E: Assessment Tables 75
Table of Tables Table 1.1 Schedule of Strategic Environmental Assessment Requirements 4 Table 1.2 Scoping of Environmental Issues 6 Table 2.1 SEA Framework 9 Table 2.2 Impact significance 16 Table 2.3 Assessment matrix colour coding and symbology 16 Table 2.4 Scoring criteria 17 Table 2.5 Key strategic priorities from other plans and programmes 21 Table 3.1 Summary of the Leicester LTP4 Strategies and Schemes 24 Table 3.2 Consideration of alternatives for achieving a local public transport transformation 29 Table 3.3 Consideration of alternatives for managing demand for car use over the urban area 29 Table 4.1 List of Local Wildlife Sites in Leicester City Council UA 40 Table 4.2 Local Nature Reserves in Leicester 41 Table 4.3 Protected species found in Leicester as listed in Biodiversity in Leicester Supplementary Planning Guidance (2003) 42
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Table 4.4 Bird species observed at birding sites in Leicester 43
Table of Figures
Figure 1.1 SEA Process 5 Figure 2.1 The Source-Pathway-Receptor approach as applied in this SEA 13
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1 Introduction
1.1 Background Leicester City Council are in the process of drafting their fourth Local Transport Plan (LTP4) to cover the period from 2021to 2036, which follows on from, and replaces, the LTP3 which covered the period 2011 to 2026. The LTP4 is being developed alongside the emerging draft Leicester Local Plan 2020-2036 which provides the overall strategic and spatial vision for the future of the greater Leicester area. The new plan also takes into account Leicester’s Climate Emergency Strategy (2020-23), Leicester’ Air Quality Action Plan (2015-26) and the draft Local Plan (2020-2036). The draft Local Plan includes a requirement to build 29,104 dwellings and an estimated 45 hectares (ha) of employment land in order to support the city’s economic and population growth. The LTP4 will therefore identify a strategy that supports jobs and housing growth as well setting out an approach to future transport provision that aims to be carbon neutral, healthy and well connected.
The development of the LTP4 follows a successful bid to the Transforming Cities Fund (TCF) of approximately £70 million which will provide funding to carry out changes over the next four years. It will contain a plan to deliver infrastructure and other measures such as the policy context for Workplace Parking Levy, taking into account:
• The ongoing coronavirus pandemic, which will lead to significant ongoing change and challenges both to the economy and in people’s daily lives; and • Commitments made by the council in relation to climate change. This document presents the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) that has been undertaken for Leicester City Council’s LTP4. It has been carried out in line with the requirements of the European Union European Commission (EC) Directive 2001/42/EC (SEA Directive). This document also incorporates a Water Framework Directive (WFD) Assessment. Collectively these form the Leicester LTP4 SEA.
1.2 The Need for the Leicester Local Transport Plan Leicester City Council is required to produce a LTP for Leicester City under the Local Transport Act of 2008. LTPs are required under the Act to perform the following functions:
• Outline the current baseline with regard to transport, accessibility and pollution; • Set out challenging but achievable objectives; and • Set out the programme for achieving these objectives. The recent successful bid to the Government’s TCF and other funding through the Connecting Leicester vision and programme alongside the increased emphasis on good quality, clean and healthy transport options has brought forward the need for a new plan to be developed.
The draft Leicester City Local Plan for 2020 to 2036, which this LTP4 supports, has been developed in the context of the Leicester and Leicestershire Strategic Growth Plan (SGP) (2018) which presents the long- term strategy for future development in the region and proposes strategic development locations. The SGP identifies the Strategic Regeneration Area and A46 Priority Growth Corridor to the south and east of Leicester City as areas to focus future development with major infrastructure improvements needed to accommodate this growth. It will be delivered through Local Plan documents including the draft Leicester City Local Plan (2021-2036) which is currently in development.
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The Leicester and Leicestershire Strategic Transport Priorities (LLSTP) (2018) document supports the principles of the SGP by setting out the long-term approach to transport improvements for the City of Leicester and Leicestershire over the next 30 years through a range of programmes and packages. Key priorities of the LLSTP are:
• Investment in city transport infrastructure to support improved accessibility to and within the city – principally through the ‘hub and spoke’ plan for bus corridors, park and ride and cycling/walking corridor improvements; • Rail and bus station enhancements in the city centre to improve it as a travel hub; • A new A46 link road to the south and east of Leicester, connecting the M1 to the southwest and the A46 to the northeast, creating a new priority growth corridor (subject to extensive consultation and development); and • New railway lines and services between Leicester, Coventry and Birmingham and a link to HS2. One of the aims of the LTP4 is to deliver the goals of the LLSTP that apply to the City of Leicester, taking into account the ways in which the coronavirus pandemic has changed people’s daily lives. This includes more people choosing to walk or cycle, changes to retailing, an increase in people working from home and technology increasingly being used in different ways in work and in life.
The LTP4 will focus initially on building new infrastructure for improving public transport, walking and cycling with the emphasis then changing to prioritising greater use of cleaner and healthier transport across the renewed and improved networks. Although the plan covers the area within the Leicester City Council Unitary Authority (UA) area, it also recognises that many journeys will begin or end outside the City boundaries and therefore there is a need to consider transport across the whole Leicester Urban Area.
The Leicester City Council UA area covers nearly 7,500 ha with a population of about 355,000 and is the focus of this LTP. The wider Leicester Urban Area includes the settlements of Thurmaston, Birstall, Glenfield, Leicester Forest East, Braunstone Town, Syston, Anstey, Glen Parva, Oadby, Wigston and Scraptoft. The LTP4 will have an influence over the Urban Area and beyond.
Other relevant documents are:
• Leicester Climate Emergency Action Plan (Leicester City Council, 2020a) and consultation documents which contain consideration of many of the overarching themes included in the LTP4; • Leicester Climate Emergency Strategy 2020-23 (Leicester City Council, 2020b) which presents a vision for the changes necessary for the city and the council to become carbon neutral and adapt to a changing climate; • Leicester Air Quality Action Plan 2015-2026 which contains actions over the period to 2026 to significantly reduce air pollution to a lower level than required by law in order to provide better health for the people of Leicester; and • Leicester City Council’s COVID-19 Transport Recovery Plan (Leicester City Council, 2020c) which outlines the council’s response to the Government’s COVID-19 Recovery Strategy and transport recovery plans following the principles of Safety, Sustainability and Social Equity.
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1.3 Aims and Objectives of the LTP4 The transport vision for Leicester is for a carbon neutral, growing, healthy and connected city with clean air supporting a high quality of life and travel experience. The pathway to deliver this vision which will guide future decisions on transport in the city includes commitments to:
• A travel hierarchy that prioritises reducing the need to travel, cycling, walking and zero emission transport; • Support and encourage individuals to make responsible transport decisions contributing to improved health and environmental outcomes; • Ensure accessibility for all, so that everyone can easily and safely travel around the city for whatever reason, working to eliminate barriers to use of transport, for example for young people not in employment and people with disabilities including neuro-diverse conditions (such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia and dyspraxia); • Make the most of technological advances in transport; • Investigate the potential of Workplace Parking Levy alongside other funding opportunities such as the Better Bus Fund; • Build on the successful Connecting Leicester and Transforming Cities programmes; and • Consolidate work to accelerate cycling and walking improvements delivered through the COVID- 19 Transport Recovery Plan. The plan will also have an influence over the wider travel to work area, incorporating parts of the county of Leicestershire as well as the urban area of Leicester.
1.4 Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) SEA is required for plans and projects that fall within the requirements of the European Commission (EC) Directive 2001/42/EC on ‘the assessment of the effects of certain plans and programmes on the environment’ (the SEA Directive). It is transposed into English legislation by the Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes Regulations 2004 (the ‘SEA Regulations’).
The key aim of the SEA is to ensure that environmental assessment is fully integrated into high-level decision making. It applies to plans and programmes prepared for energy, industry and transport among other types of projects which are subject to preparation and/or adoption by an authority at national, regional or local level. The SEA process is shown in Figure 1.1.
The SEA has been fully integrated into the development of the LTP4 to ensure that environmental considerations are taken into account and show how the SEA has influenced the LTP4 process. Where possible opportunities for environmental enhancement are identified in the SEA as well as measures to mitigate any potential adverse effects of the LTP4. It also proposes a monitoring framework that is appropriate for a strategy of this nature.
A proportionate and methodical approach was adopted in agreeing the scope of the SEA for the LTP4, particularly as environmental effects are not fully evident in this early stage of the strategy’s development. The SEA process is iterative, whereby the assessment can be revisited and updated accordingly as the LTP4 develops. Consultation with the statutory (and non‐statutory) consultees has further enabled redefining the SEA methodology and scope.
The SEA directive requires that the likely significant environmental effects are assessed, including issues such as biodiversity, population, human health, fauna, flora, soil, water, air, climatic factors, material assets,
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cultural heritage (including architectural and archaeological heritage), landscape and the interrelationships between all of the above factors. For the purposes of this document, and the ongoing assessment, these topics have been grouped where appropriate into eight broad areas. These are:
• Population, communities and human health; • Historic environment; • Soils; • Water; • Air quality and climatic factors; • Landscape • Critical infrastructure and material assets; and • Biodiversity, flora and fauna Table 1.1 sets out where the specific SEA requirements have been addressed within this report.
Table 1.1 Schedule of Strategic Environmental Assessment Requirements Requirements of the Directive Where Covered
Preparation of an environmental report in which the likely significant effects on the environment of implementing the plan or programme, and reasonable alternatives taking into account the objectives and geographical scope of the plan or programme, are identified, described and evaluated. The information to be given is:
a) An outline of the contents, main objectives of the plan or programme and relationship with Section 3 other relevant plans and programmes.
b) The relevant aspects of the current state of the environment and the likely evolution Section 4 without implementation of the plan or programme.
c) The environmental characteristics of areas likely to be significantly affected. Section 3 and 4
d) Any existing environmental problems which are relevant to the plan or programme including, in particular, those relating to any areas of a particular environmental importance, Section 4 such as areas designated pursuant to Directive 79/409/EEC and 92/43/EEC.
e) The environmental protection objectives established at international, community or national level which is relevant to the programme and the way those objectives and any Section 2 and Appendix C environmental considerations have been taken into account during its preparation.
f) The likely significant effects on the environment, including short, medium and long term; permanent and temporary; positive and negative; secondary, cumulative and synergistic effects on issues such as: biodiversity, population, human health, fauna, flora, soil, water, air, Section 5 and 6 climatic factors, material assets, cultural heritage including architectural and archaeological heritage, landscape and the interrelationship between the above factors.
g) The measures envisaged to prevent, reduce and, as fully as possible, offset any Section 5 significant adverse effects on the environment of implementing the plan or programme.
h) An outline of the reasons for selecting the alternatives dealt with and a description of how the assessment was undertaken including any difficulties (such as technical deficiencies or Section 3 lack of know-how) encountered in compiling the required information.
i) A description of measures envisaged concerning mitigation and monitoring where Section 5 applicable (in accordance with Regulation 17).
j) A non-technical summary of the information provided under the above headings. A stand-alone report
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Stage A: Setting the • A1: Identifying other relevant plans, programmes context and and environmental protection objectives; • A2: Collecting baseline information; objectives, • A3: Identify environmental problems; establishing the • A4: Developing SEA objectives baseline and deciding on the scope. A5: Consulting on the scope of the SEA
• B1: Testing the plan or programme objectives against the SEA objectives; Stage B: Developing • B2: Developing strategic objectives; and refining • B3: Predicting effects of the draft plan or alternatives and programme including alternatives; • B4: Evaluating the effects of the draft plan or assessing effects. programme including alternatives • B5: Considering ways of mitigating adverse effects • B6: Proposing measures to monitor the environmental effects of the plan or programme implementation.
Stage C: Preparing the environmental report.
Stage D: Consulting on the draft plan or • D1: Consulting on the draft plan or programme and programme and the environmental report; Environmental • D2: Assessing the significant changes; Report. • D3: Decision making and providing information.
Stage E: Monitoring implementation of • E1: Developing aims and methods for monitoring the plan or • E2: Responding to adverse effects programme.
Figure 1.1 SEA Process
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1.5 Consultation and Scoping A Scoping Report (Royal HaskoningDHV, 2020) was issued to statutory consultees, including the Environment Agency, Historic England and Natural England in March 2021. The consultation period lasted six weeks, and responses received during this period have been incorporated into this document. Appendix A presents the consultation responses received on the Scoping Report, including reference to where relevant information has been taken into account within the SEA process and/or within this document.
The aim of the Scoping Report was to present the SEA stages and tasks along with the purpose of each respective stage in order to ensure effective consultation on the scope of the assessment. The scoping process is intended to ensure that the SEA focuses only on those issues which are considered to be potentially significant. Through the scoping process, informed by consultation, it was concluded that material assets were not likely to be significantly impacted by the LTP4 and were therefore scoped out as requiring further assessment. Table 1.2 details the conclusions drawn for each SEA topic.
The Environmental Report (ER) (this document) is the final output of the SEA process.
Table 1.2 Scoping of Environmental Issues Scoped In for SEA topic Sub section further stages Reason (Y/N)
Local community Y The LTP4 has the potential to benefit local communities by Health Y improving access to key services and also provide health and safety benefits. Encouraging people to walk or cycle will provide Population, Economy Y health benefits, whilst providing appropriate infrastructure will communities and improve safety. human health Tourism and recreation Y
Transport Y Increasing public transport use and reducing reliance on cars should lead to a reduction in congestion and noise pollution. Noise Y
LTP4 options may impact on the rich heritage of the area with known and potentially unknown archaeological and historic Historic features. Historic environment Y environment There is potential for improvements to the setting of conservation areas and heritage assets due to a reduction in congestion.
One site of national geological interest (SSSI) is contained within the study area.
Construction to deliver infrastructure projects such as new park Soil Geology and soils Y and ride sites could adversely affect local soil quality.
Local soil quality could be improved due to reduced emissions resulting in a reduction in air-borne pollution settling and affecting soil quality.
Contaminated land Y LTP4 options may impact on areas of potential contamination.
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Scoped In for SEA topic Sub section further stages Reason (Y/N)
Strategic options have the potential to affect the status/potential of the WFD designated water bodies within the study area. WFD water bodies Y Groundwater impacts will also be considered under a WFD Compliance Assessment.
Water1 Licensed abstraction The construction of new infrastructure for LTP4 options may affect Y and discharge consents abstraction.
LTP4 options may alter surface water runoff and surface flows but Flood Risk Y could also provide opportunities to increase the prevalence of SuDS therefore reducing flood risk.
Air quality Y The LTP4 has the potential to affect air quality as a result of Air quality and decreases or changes in traffic flow. These impacts could also climatic factors Climate change Y affect climatic factors.
Landscape character Y Strategic options have the potential to impact on landscape Landscape character and visual amenity. Visual amenity Y
Transport links and other infrastructure in the study area are central to the functionality of this UA. LTP4 actions may have Critical Material assets N significant impacts on these. Other material assets and community infrastructure and infrastructure are considered within the Population, Communities material assets and Human health, Soils, Water, Landscape and Biodiversity, Flora and Fauna sections. Critical infrastructure Y
Designated sites and LTP4 options may directly or indirectly impact on habitats and Biodiversity, flora Y features associated species as a result of land loss, disturbance and and fauna Terrestrial ecology Y damage.
2 Assessment Framework and Methodology
2.1 SEA Objectives The SEA objectives indicators and targets provide a means by which the environmental issues and outcomes of strategic options can be assessed. They serve a different purpose from the objectives of the LTP4 (outlined in Section 1), although they may overlap in some cases. The SEA objectives will help to form part of the assessment framework for the LTP4 options and will effectively be used to help show whether the objectives of the LTP4 are beneficial for the environment, to compare the environmental effects of alternatives, or to suggest improvements.
The performance of the LTP4 options will be assessed against the SEA objectives using a set of assessment criteria which will highlight any likely significant effects of the strategy on pre-identified environmental features.
The proposed SEA objectives, indicators and targets for each of the ‘scoped in’ topics are shown in Table 2.1. As discussed above, these are based on those identified in SEA Regulations. The SEA objectives are derived from current knowledge and understanding of the immediate and wider study area as a result of
1 All WFD elements are considered under WFD water bodies (combining elements considered in baselines for Soils, Water and Biodiversity, Flora and Fauna).
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previous studies, consultation, and a review of already established environmental objectives in law, policy, strategies, plans and programmes (e.g. SEAs and Sustainability Appraisals of local plans).
Each objective will be considered against a series of quantitative or qualitative indicators. Where appropriate a number of issues are addressed within a single objective.
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Table 2.1 SEA Framework Assessment criteria: will Criterion SEA ‘topic’ SEA objective implementing the proposed Indicators Target Number option … ?
• Traffic flows through existing communities • Reduction in community • Number of safe pedestrian and cycle Reduce transport related severance. 1 crossing community severance. • Reduction in the numbers of • Numbers of passengers using public Improve accessibility to people using cars. jobs, facilities and transport services and increase Increase in the accessibility of transport choice Improve access to facilities, • Number of public transport services facilities across Leicester and its particularly for disadvantaged 2 supported or enhanced. demographic with the aim of all groups, the elderly, mobility • Number of people using public transport. neighbourhoods being within 15 impaired and those without a car. minutes of local services.
Reduction in number of people killed Guard against increased risks to Reduce risks to life, • Total number of people Killed or Seriously or seriously injured, and number of 3 health and welfare, including public safety and wellbeing Injured on roads in the Authority (all ages). slight injuries from the levels set in Population, risk. 2018. communities and human health Increase opportunities and amenity of active travel modes for health Increase opportunities and amenity benefits. Protect and promote the of active travel modes for health • Numbers using pedestrian and cycle routes Increase in numbers using physical and mental 4 benefits. Ensure access to health • Length of safe/improved pedestrian and pedestrian and cycle routes. Improve wellbeing and safety of facilities by a wide range of cycle routes. conditions for pedestrians and the population sustainable modes of travel. cyclists and increase in length of safe/improved pedestrian and cycle routes.
Ensure the continued resilience of Protect and enhance the the local economy, including • Working age people with access to Increase the number of working age local and wider economy, 5 tourism elements and minority employment by public transport (and other people with access to employment and features which sectors, and the UA’s contribution specified modes). by public transport. support it to the wider regional economy.
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Assessment criteria: will Criterion SEA ‘topic’ SEA objective implementing the proposed Indicators Target Number option … ?
• Number and area of local recreation and To maintain or, where possible, amenity facilities protected/affected under Protect formal and informal enhance accessibility to the strategic option. recreational and amenity features recreational and amenity features in 6 • Qualitative assessment of improvement to and increase accessibility to these the study area. accessibility. features. An increase in the number of cycling • Annualised Index of number of cycling trips trips in the city centre. in the city centre.
Protect and enhance the site and setting of nationally-designated • Percentage of designated heritage features 7 heritage and identified locally- within study area at risk from option. Protect and enhance the important heritage features. No adverse effects on heritage Historic historic environment and features. • Number of HER records protected/affected environment historic landscape Provide suitable protection to Enhance heritage assets or their by options. character undesignated, unidentified and setting. 8 • Qualitative assessment of potential impacts potential assets, including historic undesignated, unidentified and potential landscapes. assets.
Protect and enhance Protect and enhance nationally- No decline in the condition of the geological interest 9 designated sites of geological • Area of designated site protected/affected. nationally designated geological features interest. sites.
Protect and conserve soil No decline in the condition of Soils 10 Protect and conserve soil quality. • Area of agricultural or amenity land lost. quality agricultural land.
Avoid and reduce Avoid the release of contaminants • Number of current and historic quarries and potential contamination 11 No contamination issues. into the environment. landfills within option area. issues
No deterioration in the status of Maintain water ecological Support the achievement or water bodies • Status of water body. potential and improve maintenance of good status or No activity prevents achievement of Water 12 • Number (proportion) of feasible WFD water where appropriate (or potential for water bodies, with ‘good’ status/potential in any water body measures supported / achieved. feasible) equivalent standards beyond 2027. body Maximise delivery of measures.
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Assessment criteria: will Criterion SEA ‘topic’ SEA objective implementing the proposed Indicators Target Number option … ?
Quantifiable reduction in air Reduce the impacts of transport on • Improvement in AQMAs and other Improve air quality 13 pollutants. air quality. monitoring sources. Reduction in AQMA size.
• Reduction in amount of Leicester City Council resources (across all departments) Climate change /long term resilience Air and climatic Reduce vulnerability to the spent on dealing with transport related to be considered in the design of all factors Act to limit climate predicted effects of climate change issues. schemes and projects in the change impacts and in a flexible way where future • Increase in numbers of hybrid buses/taxis implementation of the LTP4. 14 vulnerability to future management can be altered in the • Reduction in average journey times Quantifiable reduction in congestion, change light of updated information on • Increase in length of cycle paths in the study improved accessibility and an likely impacts. area increase in walking and cycling in • Length of pedestrianised roadways. order to reduce CO2 emissions. . • Modal shift to sustainable transport modes.
Protect and contribute to the Protect and enhance • Sensitivity of landscape character and No adverse effects on landscape Landscape 15 enhancement of the landscape landscape / character potential for significant change. character or features. character.
• Percentage of Principal Roads with negative residual life. • Percentage of Non-Principal Roads with Maintain the condition of all Protect and enhance the condition negative residual life. 16 categories of road and footway, as of critical road infrastructure. • Percentage of the Unclassified Road set out in the National Indicators. Critical Network with negative residual life. infrastructure Protect critical • Percentage of the Footway Network with and material infrastructure assets negative residual life. assets Ensure that critical infrastructure is not adversely affected by strategic Protect the material, or function, of • Number of assets protected/affected under option. 17 other critical infrastructural assets. strategic option. Aim to improve resilience of critical infrastructure where possible as part of measures suggested.
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Assessment criteria: will Criterion SEA ‘topic’ SEA objective implementing the proposed Indicators Target Number option … ?
• Area of site protected/affected by strategic option. Protect and enhance locally- No decline in condition of locally- 18 • Area of BAP habitat protected/affected by designated sites and their features. designated features. Protect and where strategic option. possible enhance, Biodiversity, flora • Number of BAP targets contributed to. biodiversity features (e.g. and fauna designated sites, habitats and species) No decline in overall condition of Protect and where possible habitats and species. • Sensitivity of receptors and potential for 19 enhance terrestrial and aquatic To lead to no net loss and, where significant change. ecology. possible, a net gain in available habitat.
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2.2 Impact Prediction For any particular environmental receptor, impact prediction estimates the change from a baseline resulting from implementation of a particular policy, using a source-pathway-receptor approach as shown in Figure 2.1.
Source of Receptors of Impacts environmental Pathways in the environment effects (can be direct or indirect)
Figure 2.1 The Source-Pathway-Receptor approach as applied in this SEA
The SEA Directive requires that the nature of the impact be considered (i.e. impact magnitude, whether beneficial or adverse, permanent or temporary, short /medium or long-term) and also that indirect, synergistic and cumulative impacts are also considered.
Assessments will be undertaken using professional judgement and consultation together with use of a range of existing datasets.
2.3 Impact Significance The SEA Directive requires that predicted impacts are evaluated for significance to facilitate targeting of mitigation and monitoring measures. One measure of impact significance is the product of impact magnitude and receptor sensitivity. These issues are further described below.
2.3.1 Magnitude of the Impact This is the scale of change which the impact may cause compared to the baseline and how this change relates to accepted thresholds and standards. In determining the magnitude of the predicted effect, the following questions are considered:
• Is the effect permanent/temporary? • Is the effect positive/negative? • Is the effect probable/improbable? • Is the effect frequent/rare? • Is the effect direct/indirect? • Is the effect secondary? and • Will there be secondary, cumulative, and/or synergistic effects?
2.3.2 Sensitivity of the Receptor This is a measure of the adaptability and resilience of an environmental parameter to an identified impact. The sensitivity of the receptor is determined using expert judgement and knowledge of the key issues involved as identified in Section 3.
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2.3.3 Assessing Secondary, Cumulative and Synergistic Effects Many environmental issues result from the accumulation of multiple small and often indirect effects. These effects are difficult to address on a project level through Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) unlike at an SEA level where they are more effectively identified and managed. These effects are defined below (adapted from Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM), 2005):
• Secondary or indirect effects – Effects that are not a direct result of the strategic options but occur away from the original effect or as a result of a complex pathway.
• Cumulative effects – These can arise where several developments each have insignificant effects but together have a significant effect, or where several individual effects of the strategic options (e.g. dust, noise and visual) have a combined effect. We have integrated the assessment of these effects into the main assessment, and this document has also assessed the cumulative effects arising from plans and programmes which are identified as potentially occurring ‘in combination’ with the LTP4.
2.3.4 Incorporating HRA and WFD Compliance Elements into the SEA
2.3.4.1 HRA Due to scope of the LTP4, the size of the area it covers, and therefore the potential it could have to impact on national site networks, the requirement for a Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) must be considered. This is stipulated under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 (as amended) which also requires that measures must be taken to maintain or restore natural habitats and wild species at a favourable conservation statis, introducing robust protection for those habitats and species of international or national importance.
The issues covered in a HRA are inter-related with those covered in a SEA, therefore a combined assessment is customary. A screening exercise was carried out at the SEA scoping stage to identify designated sites within the National Site Network with the potential to be impacted by the schemes associated with the LTP4. This concluded that there are no designated sites within the National Site Network that could be affected by the LTP4 through changes in water quality, air quality, habitat loss, temporary disturbance or any other means due to the distance between the study area and the nearest National Site Network sites. The closest Special Area of Conservation (SAC) lies approximately 20km away and the closest Special Protection Area (SPA) is 23km away, neither of which is hydrologically connected to Leicester. No changes relating to the LTP4 will occur in the impact risk zone (IRZ) of either designated site, and therefore Appropriate Assessment is not required and is not considered further within this report.
Natural England, the Government’s advisor on the natural environment in England, is a statutory advisor to relevant authorities under the Habitats Regulations. Their consultation response to the Scoping Report is included in Appendix A and confirms that this approach is acceptable.
2.3.4.2 WFD A Water Framework Directive (WFD) compliance assessment has been undertaken iteratively and is integrated into the options development and environmental assessment process. The need for all schemes to comply with the WFD means that the requirement of the WFD is considered at each stage of options development and refinement. It is useful, for the purposes of integrated assessment, to also reflect these findings in the SEA. Although the determination of impact significance varies between the WFD and the SEA, the ‘translation’ has taken place as below. It should be noted that the WFD assessment is only at the
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initial screening stage. In order to undertake a detailed assessment, further understanding of what each strategy entails is required to fully assess the potential impacts of each respective LTP4 strategy.
The Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) obliges EU Member States to ensure that new schemes do not adversely impact upon the quality of the aquatic environment. The directive was transposed into law in England and Wales by the Water Environment (Water Framework Directive) (England and Wales) Regulations 2017 and indicates that the requirements of the WFD must be considered at all stages of the planning and development process.
This means that developers who are planning to undertake activities that have the potential to impact upon the water environment (including rivers, lakes, estuaries, coastal waters and groundwater) must demonstrate that their proposals will not cause adverse impacts (“deterioration of status”) or prevent good status being achieved in the future. The WFD compliance assessment process follows a four-stage approach:
1. Initial screening: Identification of the scheme activities that have the potential to impact upon the water environment, and of the water bodies that they could potentially affect.
2. Scoping assessment: Initial consideration of potential mechanisms for impact on the biological, hydromorphological, physico-chemical and chemical quality elements and the likelihood of deterioration occurring.
3. Compliance assessment: Detailed assessment of the impacts of each activity on the quality elements of each water body affected and whether they would be sufficient to cause deterioration (within class and between class) in water body status.
4. Mitigation and monitoring requirements: Identification of the mitigation measures and monitoring that are required to ensure that water body status is not adversely affected.
The WFD assessment determines whether options have the potential to conflict with WFD objectives for those water bodies which have been identified within the study area. This means options must include:
• No changes that will cause surface water failures in meeting Good Ecological Status or Potential at the water body level on a non-temporary basis or result in the deterioration of surface water Ecological Status or Potential at the water body level on a non-temporary basis; and
• No changes which will permanently prevent or compromise the WFD environmental objectives being met in other water bodies.
A requirement of the WFD is that there is no deterioration to water bodies and that improvements are made (i.e. measures implemented) where possible. The translation of the iterative WFD assessments into the SEA depends on the degree to which a strategic option contributes to meeting the above objectives, and to delivering the identified measures. Failures are scored negatively (depending on the degree to which additional mitigation may ensure compliance), and compliance with the WFD is scored neutrally; positive scores are reserved for options which contribute to water body improvement or the delivery of measures. Further qualification of the significance of the impacts (that is minor/moderate/major) are based on professional judgement and are described in the final assessment tables. In all instances a precautionary approach has been taken.
Assessment of the options has taken account of impacts over the full LTP4 period (approximately 16 years). Although water body objectives for achieving Good Ecological Status or Potential currently extend only to
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2027, it is assumed that the 2027 target condition represents a minimum to be achieved over the longer term. The WFD Compliance Assessment is included in Appendix B.
2.3.5 Overall Significance The considerations above are brought together into an overall impact assessment. An assessment for each objective has been undertaken, as shown in Appendix E. The overall results have been reached through a qualitative assessment informed by data, understanding, professional judgement and external engagement. They have been determined according to the magnitude/sensitivity table illustrated in Table 2.2. Table 2.3 indicates the colour coding and symbology which has been applied throughout the SEA.
Table 2.2 Impact significance Magnitude Value / Sensitivity High Medium Low Negligible
High Major + or - Moderate + or - Minor + or - Minor + or -
Medium Moderate + or - Moderate + or - Minor + or - Negligible
Low Minor + or - Minor + or - Negligible Negligible
Negligible Minor + or - Negligible Negligible Negligible
Table 2.3 Assessment matrix colour coding and symbology Symbology/Colouring Significance
++ Action is likely to result in a significant positive effect on the receptor
Action is likely to have a positive or minor positive effect on the receptor environment (depending on + scheme specifics at implementation).
0 Action is likely to have a neutral or negligible effect on the environment
Action is likely to have a negative or minor negative effect on the environment (depending on scheme - specifics at implementation).
-- Action is likely to have a significant negative effect on the environment.
/ Objective/receptor not relevant
Table 2.4 presents the scoring criteria which have been applied to the assessment. The scoring criteria have been amended following the consultation period on the Scoping Report. Changes as a result of consultation feedback are shown as bold text in Table 2.4.
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Table 2.4 Scoring criteria
Assessment Criteria How the Significance of Effects will be Established
SEA topic: Population, communities and human health
Objective: Improve accessibility to jobs, facilities and services
Minor positive scores would be provided for options that protect current community related transport features. Where the option would contribute significantly to enhancing the provision of local facilities, a moderate or major positive impact will be determined. Reduce transport related community severance A major negative score would be provided if the option would actively lead to the loss of such facilities. The magnitude of the impact will also be influenced by the scale of any losses.
Improve access to facilities, particularly for Major scores (either positive or negative) would be provided where the effect of policy would be to either enhance or reduce disadvantaged groups, the elderly, mobility impaired access. Minor or moderate positive scores would be provided where the option maintains the existing level. The scores will also and those without a car be influenced by the scale of any losses.
Objective: Reduce risks to life, safety and wellbeing
Where the option would reduce the risk to health and welfare a positive score will be determined. The magnitude of the impact Guard against increased risks to health and welfare, will be dependent on the level to which the risk is reduced, but a minor positive score will be determined for the option should it including public risk maintain the existing level of risk. A negative score will be determined should the option result in an increased risk to health and welfare.
Objective: Protect and promote everyone’s physical and mental wellbeing and safety
Where the option would increase opportunities, a positive score will be determined. The magnitude of the impact will be Increase opportunities and amenity of active travel dependent on the level to which the risk is reduced, but a minor positive score will be determined for the option should it maintain modes for health benefits the existing level. A negative score will be determined should the option result in a reduction of existing opportunities.
Objective: Protect and enhance the local and wider economy, and features which support it
Where the option would protect current economic assets or contribute significantly to enhancing conditions which support the Ensure the continued resilience of the local economy, economy (through enabling additional infrastructure), a positive impact will be determined. The magnitude of this positive impact in particular tourism elements but also minority will be dependent on the scale of the impact. sectors, and the UA’s contribution to the wider Where the local economy is likely to be jeopardised by the option a negative score would be provided. A major negative score regional economy would be provided if the option would actively lead to the loss.
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Assessment Criteria How the Significance of Effects will be Established
Where the option would protect a recreational or amenity feature, a positive impact will be determined. Should the option contribute significantly to enhancing conditions which enhance local amenities (not necessarily through infrastructure or Protect and enhance formal and informal recreational facilities), a major positive impact will be determined. Where such conditions are likely to be jeopardised by the option a negative and amenity features score would be provided. A major negative score would be provided if the option would actively lead to the loss. The magnitude of the impact will also be influenced by the scale of any losses.
SEA topic: Historic environment
Objective: Protect and enhance the historic environment and historic landscape character
Where the option would lead to the loss of designated heritage assets, a major negative score would be provided (depending on the nature of the loss). A major or moderate negative score would be provided if the option would actively lead to the Protect and enhance the site and setting of nationally- loss as loss of heritage assets cannot be mitigated for. Minor positive scores would be provided for policy that protects designated heritage and identified locally-important assets as a continuation of management, or where the balance of protection and loss is considered to justify this. Major positive heritage features scores would be provided where management specifically protects or enhances heritage assets and locally listed and non- designated assets which are afforded the same significance as nationally designated assets.
Where the option would lead to the loss of areas where heritage assets are considered likely (as advised by the City Provide suitable protection to locally listed and non- Archaeologist), a negative score would be provided. A major or moderate negative score would be provided if the option designated, unidentified and potential assets, would actively lead to the loss. Minor positive scores would be provided for options that protect assets as a continuation of including historic landscapes management, or where the balance of protection and loss is considered to justify this. Major positive scores would be provided where management specifically protects heritage assets.
SEA topic: Soil
Objective: Protect and enhance geological interest features
If the option would lead to an adverse effect on a designated site, then a negative score would be provided. A positive score Protect and enhance nationally-designated sites of would be provided where the option will prevent an adverse effect from occurring through maintaining conditions. A change in geological interest approach to avoid an adverse effect to a site would provide a major positive score.
Objective: Protect and conserve soil quality
Major scores (either positive or negative) would be provided where the effect of the option will either enhance or reduce existing Protect and conserve soil quality soil quality. Minor positive scores would be provided where the option maintains existing conditions.
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Assessment Criteria How the Significance of Effects will be Established
Objective: Avoid and reduce potential contamination issues
If the option would lead to an adverse effect on a contaminated area, then a negative score would be provided. A positive score Avoid the release of contaminants into the would be provided where the option will prevent an adverse effect from occurring through maintaining conditions. A change in environment approach to avoid an adverse effect to a site would provide a major positive score.
SEA topic: Water
Objective: Maintain water quality elements and improve where appropriate (or feasible)
Where relevant, a WFD assessment considering all water body elements will be translated into the SEA by considering the degree to which the options contributes to meeting the relevant WFD objectives, and to delivering identified measures. The assessment is thereby based on the weight of evidence from the WFD assessment. Non-compliance will be scored negatively Support the achievement or maintenance of good (depending on the degree to which additional mitigation may ensure compliance), and compliance with the WFD will be scored status for water bodies, with equivalent standards neutrally; positive scores will be reserved for options which contribute to water body improvement or the delivery of measures. beyond 2027. Further qualification of the significance of the impacts (that is minor/moderate/major) will be based on professional judgement, informed by the scale and nature of the impact. These considerations will also be described in the final assessment tables. In all instances a precautionary approach will be taken.
SEA topic: Air and Climatic factors
Objective: Improve air quality
If the option would lead to an adverse effect on air quality, then a negative score would be provided. A positive score would be Reduce the impacts of transport on air quality provided where the option will prevent an adverse effect from occurring through maintaining conditions. A change in approach to improve existing conditions would provide a major positive score.
Objective: Act to limit climate change impacts and vulnerability to future change
Reduce vulnerability to the predicted effects of climate Where the option contributes to the resilience of the UA to climate impacts, a positive impact will be recorded (scale will depend change in a flexible way where future management upon professional consideration). Where the options result in increasing the vulnerability of the study area to climate change can be altered in the light of updated information on negative scores will be recorded depending on whether the impacts are likely over the medium (to 2050) or long term (to 2100). likely impacts Negative scores will also reflect where simple opportunities to contribute to enhanced resilience are not taken up.
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Assessment Criteria How the Significance of Effects will be Established
Receptor: Landscape
Objective: Protect and enhance landscape character and visual amenity
A negative score will be determined should the option impact the landscape character or visual amenity. A positive score will be Protect and contribute to the enhancement of the determined for the option which protects or enhances the existing features. The degree to which positive and negative impacts landscape character and visual amenity will result from the option(s) will be determined though professional judgement. A precautionary approach will be adopted.
SEA receptor: Critical infrastructure
Objective: Protect critical infrastructure assets
Protect the material, or function, of critical Major scores (either positive or negative) would be provided where the effect of the option will either enhance or reduce critical infrastructural assets infrastructure assets. Minor positive scores would be provided where the option maintains the current conditions.
SEA receptor: Biodiversity, flora and fauna
Objective: Protect and where possible enhance biodiversity features
Negative scores would represent options which lead to a loss of locally designated habitat (the actual determination of major, moderate or minor is based on the extent of loss, considered within the context of the overall extent of habitat in the system and Protect and enhance locally-designated sites and the quality of the habitat covered by the designation). For LNRs / CWSs, the same principles as for internationally-designated their features sites apply, but the magnitude of impact will be related to the scale of loss and the importance of the habitat within wider ecological networks.
If the option would lead to an adverse effect on a habitat or species, then a major negative score would be provided. Minor or Protect and where possible enhance terrestrial and moderate positive scores would be provided where the option will prevent an adverse effect from occurring. A change in aquatic ecology management approach to avoid an adverse effect or an increase in habitat extent would provide a major positive score. The magnitude of the impact will be dependent on the scale of loss.
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2.4 Relevant Plans, Policies and Strategies The LTP4 is informed by a wide variety of legislation, policy and guidance at the international, national, regional and local scale. This legislative, policy and guidance framework provides the context to the LTP4 and sets key requirements of the LTP4. It also defines the requirements of this SEA Environmental Report.
Appendix B provides a full inventory of international, national, regional and local legislation, policy and guidance relevant to the LTP4 and includes a summary of how each item is relevant to the LTP4 SEA. As a wide range of legislation, policy and guidance documents exist at different levels, from international to local, those most relevant to the LTP4 have been identified for inclusion in Appendix B. For example, international agreements have not been described where their aims are achieved by more targeted national legislation. These documents define the issues that the LTP4 should address by either setting the higher level policy which the LTP4 must comply with and / or containing a significant constraint or opportunity that must be considered in the development of the LTP4.
It is acknowledged that much of the legislation, policy and guidance listed in Appendix B will be replaced or updated during the lifetime of the LTP4. However, the long-term visions within existing legislation, policy and guidance provide the best current guide to constraints and opportunities within the study area.
2.5 Issues Identified as Priorities through Regulatory and Plan Review The LTP4 has the potential to support the objectives of a number of the plans, policies and programmes listed in Appendix B. A neutral effect on some objectives is also anticipated. A number of key priorities for the LTP4 have been identified through review of the plans and programmes detailed above and are indicated in Table 2.5 below.
Table 2.5 Key strategic priorities from other plans and programmes SEA topic Key Priorities
Population, communities and Maintain the stability of the local communities; ensure the continued resilience and growth of the human health local economy; maintain and enhance infrastructure; manage and protect future resources.
Historic environment Protect Leicester’s heritage assets and the setting of heritage assets as a key feature of the area.
Soil Maintain the condition and availability of resources, now and in the future.
Support the achievement or maintenance of ‘good status (or potential)’ for surface water and groundwater bodies, with equivalent standards beyond 2027. Water Achieve significant reductions in the number water pollution incidents. Manage flood risk and mitigate the effects of flood and drought.
Significantly reduce air pollution to a lower level than required by law in order to provide better Air Quality health for the people of Leicester in line with the objectives of the Air Quality Action Plan (2015- 2026).R.
Reduce vulnerability to the predicted effects of climate change and undertake measures to reduce the overall carbon impact through decarbonisation of transport. Leicester City Council is aiming for a carbon neutral city by 2030 or sooner and has a Transport Recovery Plan (2020) in place to Climate change meet the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. This will assist in meeting the challenge set by the Department for Transport’s Decarbonising Transport: Setting the Challenge. This includes accelerating the decarbonisation of transport and highlights the importance of people’s choices about travel and transport.
Landscape Highlight and enhance the local landscape character features.
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SEA topic Key Priorities
Maintain the functionality and connectivity of the critical and local infrastructure network, including Critical infrastructure and water, transport and flood defences. A new A46 link road (which lies outside of the study area) and material assets improved travel within the city centre. Also, rail station improvements for HS2 links and Midland Mainline electrification.
Protect and enhance important conservation sites, and nationally and locally protected habitats Biodiversity, flora and fauna and species.
3 The LTP4
3.1 Introduction This section describes the development of the LTP4 to date and how the SEA has interacted with this process. It also outlines the proposed strategies and individual schemes which make up the LTP4 and the nature of the assessment undertaken for each of these strategies.
3.2 Development of the Leicester LTP4 The SEA process will contribute to the continued development and refinement of the LTP4 alongside consultation being undertaken with respect to the LTP4 with both statutory consultees as part of the SEA process and through a public consultation in relation to the draft strategies. The LTP4 as presented in this section represents the most up to date format of the LTP4 (as per 26th April 2021).
Appendix A presents the consultation responses received on the LTP4 Scoping Report, including reference to where relevant information has been taken into account within the SEA and this document.
3.3 Study Area The SEA of the LTP4 has been undertaken for the whole of the Leicester City Council Unitary Authority (UA) area, as shown in Appendix D, Figure 3.1. This area is herein referred to as the ‘study area’. The plan will also have an influence over the wider travel to work area, incorporating parts of the county of Leicestershire as well as the urban area of Leicester. Consultation with Leicester City Council’s Transport Planning department has also identified Bradgate Country Park (also a Special Site of Scientific Interest (SSSI)), located approximately 1.6km to the northwest of Leicester, as an area of importance and value to local people. Consideration has therefore been made within this SEA ER for the movement of people between Bradgate Country Park and the City of Leicester.
3.4 Strategies and Schemes
3.4.1 Description of LTP4 Strategies The Leicester LTP4 is based around three Key Themes, each of which includes the transport schemes and initiatives that will help to reach the objectives. These constitute the strategies and schemes which are listed in Table 3.1 below. These themes and strategies incorporate, and build on, guiding principles and policies which will inform decisions on transport and options for achieving its objectives. During revisions of the LTP4, the schemes within the Key Themes were rearranged and are therefore presented in a different format to that shown during scoping. However, there are no changes in the intentions of the plan and the changes have not affected the outcomes of the SEA assessment tables. The nine guiding principles and policies are summarised below:
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1. The City Council will follow a travel hierarchy that prioritises reducing the need to travel, active transport and zero emission mass transit when making decisions, and uses a combination of improved infrastructure, incentives and regulation to ensure the hierarchy is maintained.
2. The City Council will support and encourage individuals to make responsible transport decisions contributing to improved health and environmental outcomes. 3. The City Council will prioritise accessibility for all. 4. The City Council will promote a ‘Leicester Bus Plan’ as a key part of its commitment to delivering quality mass public transport in the city 5. The City Council will act to maximise the contribution of transport to city centre recovery and growth 6. The City Council will make the most of technological advances in transport. 7. The City Council will investigate the potential for Workplace Parking Levy alongside other funding sources. 8. The Local Transport Plan will build on the successful Connecting Leicester and Transforming Cities Fund programmes. 9. The City Council will accelerate cycling and walking improvements following the good examples delivered through the COVID-19 Transport Recovery Plan. The four wider objectives of the LTP4 have been determined from policy analysis and the requirement to overcome specific challenges. These objectives are:
• Climate Emergency: requiring a fast progression to transport that minimises emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs);
• Growing City: requiring a step change in mass transit options to give residents and visitors good quality alternatives to the car;
• Healthy People: requiring significantly better walking and cycling options and improved air quality to create a safer and cleaner environment; and
• Connected City: requiring improved choice and efficiency of transport options as well as encouraging behaviour change and managing parking.
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Table 3.1 Summary of the Leicester LTP4 Strategies and Schemes Key Themes / Strategies Schemes
Connected commuter corridors for buses, cycling and walking The first phase is currently being implemented and is due for completion in 2024 includes: • Infrastructure improvements along radial routes serving growth areas to the north and west of the city, with bus priority and other facilities and dedicated commuter cycle routes. • Extensions to the Connecting Leicester programme in the city centre – improving the public realm for walking and cycling. • Public transport ticketing improvements including integrated digital ticketing. • Work on the second phase from 2024 will extend connected commuter corridors and associated initiatives to the whole city. Connected Corridors and Hubs This was developed for the TCF as the ‘Hub and Spoke’ plan and is being ‘Greenlines’ electric bus network implemented with funding from this This scheme comprises new cross-city electric bus services, created in partnership with bus operators to serve key destinations on the edges of and the Building Better Fund. The the City such as Park and Ride sites, employment sites and residential areas. The project also includes a new city centre orbital electric link bus focus for this theme is firstly providing and proposed improvements to orbital bus services using the outer ring road. . The buses will be fast, frequent, include good quality waiting areas, direct, fast and quality public improved ticketing and clear information about services. transport, cycling and walking corridors for people travelling into and This will provide a high quality, cost effective, green, fast and flexible approach to mass transit in the city and will be implemented through the TCF out of the city principally for work programme. It will be implemented in phases commencing in in the first LTP period to 2024. purposes. The second focus is providing high quality and integrate High quality integrated transport hubs transport hubs to move people quickly and efficiently between different City Centre bus station and interchange enhancement sustainable transport modes, for An ongoing programme of work is underway to improve the two main city centre bus stations which serve city, park and ride, regional inter-city / example bus and rail to walking and airport links and national services. These are the Haymarket Bus Station and St. Margaret’s Bus Station. The city centre electric bus link will cycling. This Theme aims to make a connect both bus stations and the rail station which lies to the east of the city centre. strategic change in the provision of alternatives to cars across the urban Transformed Leicester Rail Station area. Leicester rail station requires a complete upgrade to include better passenger facilities, a more welcoming entrance and improved platforms. Proposed scheme includes: • Covered Porte Cochere to be converted into a large public space outside the station with commercial uses included. • Moving station entrance to Station Street. • Better walking and cycling routes and interchange facilities. • Enabling new development including offices and hotel. • New car park, bus and taxi pick-up and drop-off facilities • Replacement platform overbridge from the car park to assist with accessibility
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Key Themes / Strategies Schemes
• Potentially a new multi-storey car park.
Connected walking and cycling networks (including micro-mobility options) As part of the connected corridors proposal, plans are underway for links between adjacent neighbourhoods and to the city centre to build on work carried out under the Connected Leicester streets and spaces programme.
Ensure that improvements contribute to healthy living objectives and take into account the full range of accessibility considerations for all groups through the use of the Leicester Street Design Guide and the application of the Healthy Streets Checklist.
Connected City Centre Neighbourhood The council’s city centre economic plan has a specific aim to create a strong city centre neighbourhood where people will live and work with good local access to services and leisure activities. Key priorities include: Connected Healthy • Continued expansion of city centre pedestrian priority zone Neighbourhoods • Improved cycling and walking links and related public realm enhancements across the ring road, connecting the city centre to existing and This continues the successful new neighbourhoods; Connecting Leicester public realm • Introduction of the TCF funded city centre electric bikeshare scheme with consideration of future expansion. improvements in the city centre and • Commencement of the TCF funded city centre electric link bus connecting transport hubs, shopping, leisure and business areas, DMU expands the same principles to campus and Leicester Royal Infirmary neighbourhoods. Leicester already • New developments to provide facilities and connections promoting cycling and walking makes use of the TfL Healthy Streets checklist and this will continue to be Connected Local Neighbourhoods used to identify what needs to be Local Neighbourhoods across the city should be well connected to other parts of the city as well as providing accessible, safe and convenient done. The exact nature of the means to move around within the neighbourhood. proposals will depend on local
consultation. Actions are proposed to continue the council’s investment in supporting accessibility in local areas including local cycle and walking route improvements. Community and workplace facilities, including vital secure bike storage and parking, will be encouraged through the planning process using incentives and grants.
Micro-mobility includes electric bikes and electric scooters and may in future include other low-cost single person modes of transport. These will be encouraged, subject to safeguarding measures safety regulations for pedestrians, as they offer acceptable alternative forms of sustainable transport for some people.
Good local bus network This is important in enabling people to access local facilities and to link to Greenlines buses. They are particularly important for older people living alone, or some people with disabilities, without access to a car. Models include:
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Key Themes / Strategies Schemes
• Demand-responsive buses which vary routes depending on requests. • Council subsidised buses on local routes. • Buses funded by hospitals or other services that require patient attendance at appointments.
Fewer and cleaner vehicles in neighbourhoods Travel behavioural change and education programmes promoting cycling, walking and bus travel have been delivered to local schools, community groups, employers and residents over a number of years.
• Programmes of physical street improvements and behavioural change work are planned to continue, targeting areas with most opportunity to make significant change. • Encouraging uptake of zero emission vehicles will form an important aim in the work to deliver clean and healthy neighbourhoods. A pilot scheme to introduce on-street charging in terrace streets is being delivered in 2021 to be reviewed for potential rollout in other areas. • The council will support car clubs or a similar offering such as shared electric cars and bike/micro-mobility hire.
Parking management and coordination The council operates on and off street parking services in and around the city centre, alongside other private operators. They also operate a park and ride service that encourages people to make the last part of their journey by bus. Current provision will be managed through: • Reviewing parking tariffs to ensure these are fit for purpose to encourage sustainable travel but at the same time recognise for some they will need to use car parking spaces until appropriate alternatives are available Managing demand for car use • Continuing to improve the quality of car parking provision in terms of the car parks themselves and using technology to deliver an improved This includes measures to encourage and efficient user experience. people to leave the car at home and • Working with other car parking operators to coordinate parking tariffs where possible and supporting improved car parking facilities and use other alternative forms of services transport, asking people to consider • Continuing to improve park and ride services through new and improved sites. ‘responsible travel’ options instead of • Improving on-street parking across the city including Residents’ Parking Zones automatic use of the car, especially • Including policies within the local plan to control new parking proposals for both freestanding parking provision and parking provision for new for short trips. This aims to improve development, including promoting alternatives to car use that don’t require car parking choice, remove barriers and provide • Encouraging the redevelopment of existing car parks for other uses where these are no longer required and taking enforcement to shut incentives to use public and active unauthorised car parks transport. Workplace Parking Levy The City Council is committed to investigating the potential introduction of a workplace parking levy for the city to encourage car commuters to consider other modes of transport and to provide a sustained funding source to implement the sustainable. Extensive feasibility work and impact assessment as part of a full business case is underway and initial proposals on an emerging scheme approach.
Behaviour change programmes
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Key Themes / Strategies Schemes
These will aim to continue to make people aware of public and active travel options and offer easy access to those options such as through shared and hired electric cars and bikes. These programmes would be based in neighbourhoods, employment areas and schools and could include grants, free bikes and discounted fares for selected groups of people such as ‘key workers’.
Smart transport This scheme involves using technology to improve the way that existing road space is used to help manage traffic flows safely and effectively to avoid making congestion worse. The use of smart signals and traffic control systems will be key to regulating transport in the city in the future and will increasingly be used as tools to support sustainable transport provision. These technologies can be used to give priority for buses and cyclists, for example at junctions, and can manage road space to reduce the build up of traffic at congestion hot spots thereby minimising pollution.
It is recognised that an extensive electric vehicle (EV) charging network will be required to meet local and national targets, and some electric charging points have been secured in public car parks and park and ride sites and also on-street parking in trial areas. The long term solution will comprise a combination of “at home charging”, publicly available charging (on-street, in car parks / retail and hospitality venues and upgraded filling stations), or workplace based charging. There are challenges associated with identifying the most effective and appropriate charging infrastructure due to factors outside the council’s control; including uncertainty around future technologies, the ability of the electricity grid to support fast chargers in all areas of the city and inter-operability of different charging systems and suppliers. These challenges are being considered in the current development of an EV Charging Strategy for Leicester which will complement the LTP4.
A partnership with taxi operators will encourage electric taxis and private hire vehicles, especially to support the city centre night-time economy and to link in with the Greenlines services.
Network management Management and maintenance of the transport network is key to delivery of the LTP over the plan period. The regulation and use of available road space effectively will determine the success of sustainable transport strategies. The transition from cars to bus and cycle-only lanes will need to be phase in over time.
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The development of the strategies within the LTP4 also builds on those laid out in the Leicester and Leicestershire SGP (2018) and the Leicester and Leicestershire Strategic Transport Priorities (LLSTP) and incorporate Description of Local Transport Plan 4 Strategies. Some schemes and plans are already underway as part of the Connecting Leicester vision which has gained funding from the TCF and Getting Building Funds. These projects include:
• Smart ticketing on buses; • A bus corridor scheme; • Improvements to Haymarket Bus Station; • Real time bus information displays; and • Retrofitting of buses with clean engine technology. St Margaret’s Bus Station is also due to be modernised using funding from the TCF and Getting Building Fund. Progress will be monitored up to 2024 using targets already defined for the TCF programme, a major component of which is the Hub and Spoke package. Those from 2024 to 2036 will be determined at a later date.
3.4.2 Description of LTP4 Major Schemes The Key Themes, strategies and outline schemes listed in Table 3.1 above are largely subject to further refinement and planning in order to develop projects for implementation. This is due to some uncertainties in funding as well as potential changes in the social, economic, political and economic landscape of the city (the COVID-19 pandemic already provides ongoing uncertainty). However, some projects are already planned or have begun under the TCF, therefore providing some major schemes and a definite programme for delivery up to 2024. These are listed in the Implementation Plan for the LTP4 which is included in Appendix F. A major part of this programme consists of the first phase of the ‘Connected Corridors and Hubs’ theme, together with necessary elements from other programmes.
Some of the projects are costlier than others and will require funding partnerships or will be delivered alongside Leicestershire County Council and bus operators. The main source of funding will, however, be from central Government.
The potential Workplace Parking Levy (WPL) constitutes a potential major scheme in itself. It is a local charging mechanism that charges employers for certain workplace parking places. It is up to the employer whether they pass the cost of the levy on to employee car commuters. WPL contributes both by acting as a demand management mechanism (as the levy charge encourages employers to review and manage their on-site parking and also encourages car commuters to consider other modes of transport) and as a source of funding for public transport and active travel alternatives to the car.
All major schemes will be subject to Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) during scheme development as appropriate. Smaller schemes will be subject to proportional assessment of landscape, heritage and ecology, and as such their environmental impacts are not considered within this report. This ER instead focusses on the environmental impact associated with the Strategies outlined in Table 3.1.
3.5 Consideration of Alternatives During the development of the LTP4 a consideration of high level alternatives was undertaken for the best method of achieving a local public transport transformation (Table 3.2) and the best way to manage the demand for car use over the whole urban area (Table 3.3). This enabled identification of the most appropriate strategies for Leicester City Council UA, and Option 1 was taken forward in both cases.
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Table 3.2 Consideration of alternatives for achieving a local public transport transformation Option Comments
Improve existing bus routes and services and This option was considered to offer the best potential because it is 1 create selected exemplary bus services in flexible, can be made affordable, can be scaled up and is deliverable partnership with existing bus operators quickly. It also minimises disruption for all transport users.
Although it could contribute well to objectives, this option was considered Create a completely new mass transit network undeliverable as it would be unaffordable, the timescale would be too 2 such as trams or guided busway. long and disruption to existing bus services and roads would be too great.
This was not considered practical in view of the urgency of wider 3 Continue as now objectives such as the Climate Emergency, health and growth requirements.
Table 3.3 Consideration of alternatives for managing demand for car use over the urban area Option Comments
This option was considered to offer best benefit as although it does not Workplace Parking Levy as part of an overall 1 offer greatest contribution to objectives, it is proven to be deliverable, parking strategy. effective and practical.
Although this option performs well against transport policy objectives it 2 Road User Charging (RUC) could also threaten the city centre, be too disruptive to residents and too difficult to implement fairly.
This was not considered practical in view of the urgency of wider 3 Continue as now objectives such as the Climate Emergency, health and growth requirements.
4 The Scope of the SEA
4.1 Introduction The following sections summarise the baseline conditions within the study area for the environmental receptors relevant to the LTP4, including their features, characteristics, general trends and key issues. Although the categories of environmental receptors include those set out in SEA guidance, they are not limited to these and all issues which are considered important within the study area (shown in Appendix D Figure 3.1) are included.
Information on the environmental receptors within the full LTP4 study area is provided. Where specific strategies are in respect to particular sub-areas and/or specific receptors within the study area, this is made clear in the sections below. All sources are included in Section 9 References.
The SEA Directive requires that information is provided on “… the relevant aspects of the current state of the environment and the likely evolution thereof without implementation of the plan”. Therefore, each section considers the likely future baseline without the LTP4.
4.2 Population, Communities and Human Health
4.2.1 Local community In 2018, Leicester City UA area had a population of approximately 355,218 according to the most recent Office for National Statistics (ONS) mid-year population estimate. The population of the city is relatively
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young compared to the English average, with student populations and inward migration being contributing factors to this (Leicester City Council, 2020d). In the academic year 2019 to 2020, Leicester University enrolled 16,180 students, and De Montfort University enrolled 29,000 making a total of 45,180 new students entering the city in a single year (HESA, 2021). Leicester is also a diverse city with one of the largest ethnic minority populations in England. Approximately 51% of residents are from black and minority ethnic backgrounds (according to the 2011 census), most of these from South Asian backgrounds. The population of Leicester is expected to grow by 21% between 2011 and 2036 with a 24% increase in households. At the same time, the number of elderly people (age 80+) is also increasing.
The Leicester and Leicestershire Strategic Growth Plan2 identifies the associated housing requirement for this projected population growth by establishing a new objectively assessed need (OAN) for housing for Leicester for 2020-2036 of 2,341 dwellings per annum (39,797 homes over the 17 year plan period. Net completions in Leicester have been consistently lower than required to meet this target. Of those that have been completed between 2010/11 and 2015/16, 1238 (18%) were affordable homes out of 6,756 housing completions. Leicester City UA is the 32nd most deprived local authority out of 317 according to the English indices of deprivation 2019 which shows an improvement from being the 21st most deprived local authority in 2015 (MHCLG, 2019b). However, six areas in the city are ranked within the most deprived 1% in England and these have remained unchanged since 2015 (MHCLG, 2019a). These areas are concentrated in outer estates to the west, inner city areas to the north east and the old inner city areas directly abutting the city centre. Issues where Leicester is among the 10% most deprived are income, education, income deprivation affecting children (43% of 0 to 15 year olds reside in the most deprived 20% of areas nationally) and income deprivation affecting older people.
Educational attainment is low, with 28% of residents having no qualifications (GB average 22%). Leicester is the 8th most deprived city in the country in terms of education deprivation, with the two most deprived areas for education being the outer estates on the west edge of the city. The proportion of the working age population in employment dipped to 61% in 2011 but has steadily risen to reach 74% by September 2020 (NOMIS, 2021). Unemployment figures (5.5% in 2020) have consistently been higher than both the Great British and regional East Midlands percentage, but the gap has significantly lowered in recent years. Unemployment levels are lower in the suburbs to the south east of the city, and high in the inner city and the estates on the edge of the city.
4.2.2 Health Life expectancy at birth in Leicester is in the lowest 20% of districts nationally, with women living an average of 1.4 years less than the national average and men 2.2 years less. The main causes of death are cardiovascular disease (28%), cancer (25%), and respiratory disease (13%). In addition, one in four households in the city includes someone with a disability or long term illness. The traditionally more affluent areas of south east Leicester have a higher life expectancy than the lower inner city areas and outer estates in the west of the city. The most deprived areas have a life expectancy that is 8 years lower in men and 6.6 years lower in women compared to the least deprived areas. Although life expectancy is improving, this is not happening as quickly as it is nationally.
4.2.3 Economy The City of Leicester plays a significant role in providing employment for the wider Leicestershire area. The economy has a strong manufacturing base (29% of jobs compared with 15.3% nationally) and a high proportion of people employed in the public sector. The service sector and managerial/professional occupations are, however, under-represented compared to the national average. Wage levels are almost
2 Leicester and Leicestershire Strategic Growth Plan https://consultations.leicester.gov.uk/sec/draft-local- plan/supporting_documents/SGP%20Final.pdf
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one quarter lower than the national average and are amongst the lowest in the country. The impact of Brexit is not yet clear but, combined with the Coronavirus pandemic, it could lead to an economic downturn that could affect future employment and the economy in Leicester.
The stock of business premises in Leicester is old, with 90% built before 1990 and over 80% of these being industrial. It has been assessed, by the HEDNA report in 2017, that the need for employment land between 2011 and 2031 is 53-57ha. 12ha have already been completed and 5ha have been committed, leaving a shortfall of about 40ha.
4.2.4 Tourism and recreation Cultural assets in the City of Leicester centre on the City Centre, incorporating St George’s Cultural Quarter, the Jewry Wall Museum, Leicester Castle, the New Walk Museum, Haymarket Theatre and the Old Town and its associated heritage assets (discussed in Section 4.3.1). St George’s Cultural Quarter has transformed the former textile and shoe hub into a thriving area for the arts and includes Curve which is one of the country’s leading producing theatres. Other tourism and recreation assets include the bars, cafés, and other entertainment venues in the city centre such as the Haymarket Theatre and Gallery and independent shops and historic character in the Old Town. Outside the city centre is the National Space Centre, Belgrave Hall Gardens and Abbey Park.
There are also a variety of sporting and recreational facilities including seven leisure centres, numerous playing fields and Athletics Stadium and The Leicestershire Golf Club and Humberstone Heights Golf Course. The King Power Stadium is the home of Leicester City Football Club and Welford Road rugby ground which can seat 26,000, is the home of the Leicester Tigers Rugby club.
Bradgate Country Park which lies approximately 1.6km to the northwest of the city is highly valued by the people of Leicester and is frequently visited. It covers approximately 340ha and includes open park and moorland, a medieval deer park, the historical ruins of Bradgate House and amenity features such as a café and gift shop.
4.2.5 Transport Imbalances between job availability within the city and the skills of city residents lead to substantial commuting in and out of the administrative area of Leicester. Although 96% of the population live with 400m of a bus stop, car use is still extremely popular, and Leicester is one of the worst cities in the UK in terms of congestion and traffic jams (12th in the United Kingdom in 2020) with congestion currently costing local businesses £16.5 million per year (Tom Tom Traffic Index, 2020). The vast majority of traffic on Leicester’s main roads comprises cars and light good vehicles. The car vehicle traffic by vehicle kilometres has increased slightly in last ten years from 2009 (1,172 vehicle kilometres) to 2019 (1,269 vehicle kilometres) and the existing road network is at or near capacity (Department for Transport, 2020b). Many Leicester residents and workers feel that they must use cars because alternatives are either not available or are unsatisfactory, unsafe or too expensive.
The City Centre is ringed by the A594 inner ring road, from which roads including A607, A47, A6, A5199, A426, A50.radiate out to the outer ring road (A563). Extending out from the outer ring road are the A6, A47, A5199, A50, A426 and A607. The M1 passes north to south directly to the west of the City and the M69 motorway joins the M1 and the A563 directly to the southwest near Aylestone Meadows Local Nature Reserve (LNR). In terms of road safety in Leicester, 32.9 people per 100,000 of the population were killed or seriously injured on Leicester’s roads per year compared to 41.6 in the East Midlands region and 42.6 in England between 2016 and 2018 (Public Health England, 2021a).
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The ongoing Connecting Leicester programme is linked to the successful bid by the council to the government’s Transforming Cities Fund. This £70 million package of work focusses on major sustainable transport improvements. The Connected Leicester Hub and Spoke Plan forms the Strategic Outline Business Case for the Transforming Cities Fund Tranche 2 submitted to the Department for Transport in November 2019 and outlines planned the programme of integrated public and sustainable transport schemes in Central Leicestershire (Leicester City Council, 2019). Proposals include:
• City Centre Hubs and Links through two high quality rail and bus transport hubs linked together by bus, cycling and walking routes to transform the commuter experience. • Park and Ride Hubs and Links whereby the frequency of bus services on park and ride services will be improved and electric buses will be provided. • Radial corridors will be created with prioritised bus lanes and cycling and walking routes to provide sustainable transport corridor linking the city centre with regeneration areas and the Waterside Enterprise Zone. Substantial recent investment has included new cycling and walking infrastructure around the city centre (Public Rights of Way and National Cycle Routes are shown in Appendix D Figure 4.1) and bus infrastructure at the Haymarket as well as a bus corridor scheme on the A426, amounting to over £100 million since 2011.
Following the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Leicester City Council put together a COVID-19 Transport Recovery Plan in May 2020 (Leicester City Council, 2020c). This recognises the opportunity for the changes in public behaviour brought about by the pandemic to be harnessed and therefore lead to permanent changes in people’s everyday travel behaviour and thereby encourage sustainable transport choices rather than a return to car-dominated travel patterns. The plan outlines objectives including an emphasis on safety, sustainability (in response to the climate emergency) and social equity.
4.2.6 Noise Exposure to environmental noise can cause disturbance and interfere with daily activities, leading to annoyance and increased stress levels. There is increasing evidence that long term exposure to high levels of noise can cause direct health effects such as heart attacks and other health issues. According to data presented by Public Health England (PHE), Leicester City Council receives a higher rate of complaints about noise (7.8 complaints per 1,000 of the population per year) compared to other cities in the East Midlands Region such as Nottingham and Derby (Public Health England, 2021b).
In addition, the percentage of the population exposed to road, rail and air transport noise of 65 decibels (dB) during the daytime is slightly lower than the English average at 5% compared to 5.5%. The percentage of the population exposed to noise of 55dB from the same sources during the night-time is also slightly lower than the English average at 7% compared to 8.5% nationally (Public Health England, 2021b).
4.3 Historic Environment
4.3.1 Historic baseline and designated features There are ten Scheduled Monuments including the Jewry Wall and Leicester Castle and 402 Listed Buildings with the study area, as shown in Appendix D Figure 4.2. There are also 386 local heritage assets which include buildings and structures, parks and gardens and archaeological sites. There are six Grade II Registered Historic Parks and Gardens, and 24 designated Conservation Areas covering approximately 322 ha of the total area of the city (equating to 4.4%) shown in Appendix D Figure 4.3 but no listed battlefields (Leicester City Council, 2016).
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There is a clearly defined historic centre of Leicester which is defined as the Archaeological Alert Area to indicate where development is most likely to have an impact upon archaeological remains. Heritage assets of particular interest include Leicester Cathedral and Leicester Guildhall which is one of the oldest buildings in Leicester still in use, built in about 1390. There are also various locks on the Grand Union Canal where it passes through Leicester. Eighteen historical sites in Leicester are identifiable on the Heritage at Risk Map as currently being listed on Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register, which identifies those sites that are most at risk of being lost as a result of neglect, decay or inappropriate development (Historic England, 2020a; 2021).
The Leicester City Historic Environment Record (HER) maintains a record on a wide variety of designated and non-designated archaeological and heritage sites and assets, artefacts and features within the city boundary. Over 2,700 individual sites and locations, with over 120,000 individual artefacts, are recorded on the HER. These sites and artefacts have local, regional and national significance and include:
• Mesolithic and Neolithic flint finds, that are also linked to multi-period sites (finds include animal remains, bone, flint, pottery and daub); • Bronze Age finds, the majority of which provide evidence of agriculture, domestic habitation and religious ritual (including animal remains, flint, pottery, and landscape wide boundary divisions); • Extensive Iron Age and Roman settlements, villas and industrial activity found in the wider Leicester city environs, where finds include cauldrons, coin hoards and domestic items; • Significant evidence of settlement continuity from the Late Iron Age/Early Roman period and urbanisation of Leicester as an important provincial and administrative centre, including a forum/basilica, wealthy townhouses, shops, a probable theatre, late Mithraeum, a large bathhouse complex (Jewry Wall Scheduled Monument), industrial activity and evidence of the town wall and extra-mural cemeteries; • Medieval sites and buildings found throughout the city, including surviving ridge and furrow, parish churches, former monastic sites (Leicester Abbey), merchant’s cellars, the Castle and Magazine Gate, and the site of the Franciscan friary (Greyfriars) where Richard III was originally buried; • Leicester’s more recent and industrial heritage as reflected in the number of locally and nationally designated buildings and structures (such as King William’s Bridge to the market place bollards), totalling some 800 properties, as well as World War II and Cold War installations. Given the rich and long history of the area and the urban expansion of Leicester from its historic core to include the ancient villages of Aylestone, Knighton, Braunstone, Evington, Humberstone and Belgrave there exists the potential for the discovery of unknown buried heritage assets within the city.
4.3.2 Historic landscape character (HLC) HLC is a process by which the landscape in England has been classified, recorded and mapped according to its historic development and land use. In England this uses a standard methodology developed by Historic England and local planning authority archaeological services, which adheres to the European Landscape Convention on the protection, management and planning of European landscapes. The output of the process is to produce a representative cartography of the broad historic uses of an area. This resource can then be used in planning decisions to guide preservation and enhancement, and to inform on the likelihood that currently unidentified heritage assets will be discovered in particular sites.
Leicester contains many examples of broad industrial HLC features due to its history of engineering and metal working and the textile, boot and shoe industries. Older industrial buildings (many of which are included in the historical assets register) can represent important components of industrial heritage.
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Leicester also contains some historic parks and gardens which represent landscapes of high archaeological potential and are integral elements of the English urban landscape.
4.4 Soils
4.4.1 Geology and Soils The bedrock underlying the study area comprises sedimentary rock including mudstone, siltstone, limestone and sandstone of the Lias group to the east, and Triassic sedimentary bedrock to the west. Superficial deposits include glacial till with gravel and river terrace deposits adjacent to the river (British Geological Survey, 2021).
Almost all of the land within Leicester is urban with only small amounts of grade three agricultural land on the outskirts of the city. In recent years nearly 90% of all new dwellings built within the study area were built on previously developed land, as was the vast majority of employment development. However, due to increasing housing targets, and the scale of projected population growth, undeveloped land will be under increasing pressure.
4.4.2 Geological Sites of Special Scientific Interest Leicester has one nationally important Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) shown on Appendix A Figure 4.4, the Gipsy Lane Pit. This is designated for its geological importance due to its position in Triassic stratigraphy and sedimentary structures. It is also rich in sulphide minerals of unique, possibly international, importance (Natural England, n.d.). This is currently in an unfavourable condition and is declining due to inappropriate scrub control, the presence of illicit vehicles and lack of corrective works, whereby scree build- up is obscuring some of the mineral deposits (Natural England, 2021).
4.4.3 Contaminated land and pollution incidents Leicester has had a rich history of industry since 1700 and as a result there is the potential for contaminated land to be present within any area of proposed development. 32 historic landfill sites are recorded in records held by the Environment Agency (2021) and are scattered around the city, shown in Appendix D Figure 4.5.
Waste data only exists for Leicestershire as a whole and as such, in 2015/16 50% of the county’s household waste was reused, recycled or composted and 28% of municipal waste was sent to landfall. A larger population will generate more waste and the trends are for the proportion of waste that is composted to be increasing.
4.5 Water
4.5.1 Groundwater Quality The western half of Leicester is underlain predominantly by a Secondary B Aquifer comprising lower permeability layers which may store and yield limited amounts of groundwater. There are small areas of Secondary A Aquifer which are capable of supporting water supplies at a local scale. There are areas of high, medium-high and medium groundwater vulnerabilities across the study area which relate to the likelihood of a pollutant reaching the groundwater, the types of aquifer present and the potential impact There are no Source Protection Zones (SPZs) overlapping with, or within 10km of, the study area, the purpose of which is to provide additional protection to safeguard drinking water quality. However, the entire study area is underlain by a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone and is therefore designated as being at risk from agricultural nitrate pollution.
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4.5.2 Water Framework Directive (WFD) water bodies The LTP4 must be compliant with the WFD which applies to all water bodies. There are five designated water bodies within the study area which are shown in Appendix D Figure 4.6. All of these are scoped in for assessment and include groundwater, surface water and river WFD water bodies. Details of these are provided in Appendix B which includes the proposed measures for each water body listed in the Humber River Basin Management Plan (Environment Agency, 2015) and the reasons why a water body may be failing to achieve good status or potential.
Water bodies hydrologically connected to the five designated water bodies within the study area are not included in the preliminary screening assessment in Appendix B. However, each project that is carried out as part of the implementation of the LTP4 should be assessed as a standalone scheme and for larger projects that require an EIA, it may be necessary to consider those hydrologically connected water bodies within a WFD compliance assessment, depending on the scale, location and the nature of the associated construction works.
4.5.3 Water Resources Leicester receives its water from Severn Trent Water and is within the water company’s ‘Strategic Grid Zone’. A large proportion of water resource for public water supply is imported from neighbouring catchments, therefore there are currently few water pressures on the River Soar. However, several public water supply reservoirs in the west of the catchment are designated as SSSIs and are therefore sensitive to over-abstraction.
Within the Strategic Grid Zone the total water available for use currently exceeds total consumption and demand but this is projected to dip below demand by 2030 meaning there will be a deficit (Severn Trent Water, 2019).
4.5.4 Flood Risk Leicester has been built up over centuries along the River Soar valley, close to the head of the river’s catchment area. The ground rises steeply to the east and west and a number of large watercourses flow quickly towards the River Soar through heavily populated areas. This topography means that Leicester is at significant risk of flooding from the River Soar particularly during heavy downpours of prolonged periods of rain which are likely to increase in frequency due to climate change. The city’s 2012 Surface Water Management Plan found that almost 37,000 properties are at risk of surface water flooding. Flood zones are shown in Appendix D Figure 4.7.
During the 20th century, large scale flood defence works were carried out to the River Soar and its tributaries to help prevent flooding. However, increasing levels of precipitation, particularly if concentrated in intense rainfall events, may mean that the flood defence and water runoff systems will be operating outside their design criteria. The Environment Agency’s 2017 Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Programme includes several proposed schemes in Leicester City, aimed at alleviating flooding from surface water sources at:
• Leicester Northfields; • Leicester Royal Infirmary; • Egginton Street; • Oakland Road; and • Redhill Way.
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4.6 Air Quality and Climatic Factors
4.6.1 Air Quality In 2020 Leicester City UA Area met all statutory guidelines for air quality of 40µg/m3 for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) since for the first time since monitoring began. Previous years had seen nitrogen dioxide exceedances along along three road lengths: Vaughan Way, Glenhills/Soar Valley Way and St Matthews Way but due to a combination of measures implemented by the council and the effects of the COVID-19 lockdowns they have become compliant. Defra’s advice is to treat the 2020 figures as valid. Levels of particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) are also a concern, although there have been no exceedances. The main source of both pollutants being road traffic which accounts for around 80% of the city’s total pollution. In particular, diesel- fuelled cars and light goods vehicles (LGVs) are the biggest contributors, with buses and heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and petrol cars making similar, smaller contributions.
The Environment Act 1995 requires Local Authorities to regularly review and assess local air quality. In places where the statutory guidelines for key pollutants are not being met, the local authority is required to declare an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) and develop an Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP) to set pollutant objectives and measures to improve air quality and progress towards meeting the targets.
AQMAs have been in place in the City of Leicester since 2000 (shown in Appendix D Figure 4.8) and are mostly located on busy radial and ring roads due to the link between road transport and the worst levels of air pollution. Leicester City Council has five fixed automatic air quality stations where they monitor oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and PM10. In 2018 the government legally directed 33 local authorities, including Leicester City Council, to develop a feasibility study to tackle roadside nitrogen dioxide concentrations (Defra, not dated). In Leicester, three road links within the administrative boundary were forecast by the Government’s Joint Air Quality Unit (JAQU) to exceed the statutory limit of 40µg/m3 based on the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) Pollution Climate Mapping (PCM) model. These three locations: Vaughan Way, St Matthews Way and Glenhills/Soar Valley Way, are immediately adjacent to three of the five air quality monitoring stations. The measures identified by the feasibility study must be implemented by 2021.
Monitoring of the AQMA has shown that air pollution in Leicester has decreased over the last decade since 2011, and this trend is expected to continue with the implementation of the AQAP 2015-2026 which includes several measures to reduce air pollution in the city to a level lower than that required by law. Key ambitions include:
• The creation of a low emission zone in the city centre for the most polluting vehicles (completed 2020 for buses and taxis); • Delivering Phase II of the ‘Connecting Leicester’ initiative to extend pedestrianisation and remove vehicles from where they are not required; • Increasing the number of people cycling daily so that it has quadrupled from the 2015 baseline by 2023; • All land use planning decisions to minimise the need for travel by polluting vehicles; • Bus taxi and freight operators to use the cleanest low emission vehicles as their first choice for fleet replacement; and • Reduce emissions from the council’s fleet operations by 50% by 2025.
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4.6.2 Climate Change According to climate change projections, Leicester City can expect to experience hotter, drier summers and milder, wetter, winters in future. The frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, which are already being experienced, are likely to increase including heatwaves, flooding and drought. Leicester City Council declared a climate emergency in 2019 and has subsequently released the Leicester Climate Emergency Strategy: April 2020 – March 2023 which was developed through consultation with a wide range of community groups including the Young People’s Climate Assembly and academic experts from Leicester’s External Expert Commission in a process called Leicester’s Climate Emergency Conversation (Leicester City Council, 2020b). This identified six key areas for action:
• At home – reducing carbon emissions and energy bills for council tenants and building new A- rated, low-carbon council housing; • Travel and transport – investing in infrastructure, services and promotion for walking and cycling and low-carbon public transport; • Consumer choices and waste – creating a new Waste Strategy to increase recycling in Leicester; • At work – providing grants for small and medium businesses to reduce carbon emissions and cut energy costs and supporting ‘green job’ creation; • Land use, green space and development – adopting a new Local Plan with policies to ensure new development addresses the Climate Emergency; • The council – creating a ‘roadmap’ for the council to become carbon neutral in all operations including buildings and vehicle fleet. Leicester City Council’s Carbon Footprint Statement 2018/19 states that the Council is committed to reducing carbon emissions from its own estates and operations and has set itself a target of reducing carbon emissions by 50% by 2025 based on a 2008/09 baseline (Leicester City Council, 2018). In addition, the UK government’s voluntary Emissions Reduction Pledge 2020 asks public sector bodies to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions by 30% by 2020/21 compared with a 2009/10 baseline. At the end of the 2018/19 financial year, the council had achieved a 45.5% reduction compared to 2008/09 and 44.7% compared to 2009/10 and has therefore exceed the voluntary Emissions Reduction Pledge and is on track to meet their 2025 target.
Furthermore, the council set the target of halving Leicester’s city-wide carbon dioxide emissions by 2025 compared to 1990 levels. City-wide carbon dioxide emissions were 1.34M tonnes in 2016, compared with 2.38M tonnes in 1990. Per capita emissions reduced from 6.9t per person in 2005 to 4.7t in 2014.
These changes have largely been due to a switch in energy from fossil fuels to renewable energy. Leicester has had a district energy scheme since 2012 which delivers heating and hot water to about 20 civic buildings, the University of Leicester and almost 3000 council homes. In November 2018, Leicester City and Leicester County Councils launched Fosse Energy which aims to provide affordable 100% renewable energy to local residents.
4.7 Landscape
4.7.1 Landscape Character National Character Areas (NCA) are broad divisions of the landscape of England based on a combination of landscape, biodiversity, geodiversity and economic activity. There are 159 NCAs, designated by Natural England, which follow natural rather than administrative boundaries and each has a unique ‘sense of place’.
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Leicester falls within the Leicestershire Vales NCA which extends between the town of Hinckley in the west to Leicester in the northeast and southwards towards Market Harborough and Lutterworth (Natural England, 2020). It is a large, relatively open, uniform landscape composed of low-lying clay vales interrupted by a range of varied river valleys. Its sense of place comes from its visually dominant settlements and views towards surrounding higher ground, particularly the city of Leicester which dominates the north-eastern corner of the NCA.
The Soar Valley which runs through Leicester is dominated by urban development, however where the urban influence diminishes, a wide range of wildlife can be found. Main larger, open waterbodies can be found along the river valleys as a result of gravel extraction. These lakes and wetlands are important for wildfowl and include sites such as Watermead Country Park to the north of Leicester. This was initially farmland and was then worked for gravel extraction before being restored and transformed into lakeside parks and wetland.
Brick buildings are the predominant traditional building material in the older town centres, alongside older timber framed buildings.
4.7.2 Green infrastructure provision Green infrastructure is the name for a network of integrated spaces and features that is multi-functional and provides multiple benefits simultaneously. It includes parks, open spaces, playing fields, woodlands and also street trees, allotments, private gardens and sustainable drainage systems (SuDS). Leicester City Council has produced a Green Infrastructure Strategy for 2015-2025 which sets out the Council’s strategic vision for green sites in Leicester and the ways in which they can be created, managed and maintained to provide maximum benefits to the people who live, work or visit Leicester (Leicester City Council, 2015). This includes a priority to embed planning for Green Infrastructure within local policy in order to develop a strategic green network of space capable of providing multiple benefits including green transport routes and access to nature through provision of habitat and attractive well-maintained areas of green space.
Currently, green infrastructure is not evenly distributed across the city (as shown in Appendix D Figure 4.9), although Leicester is recognised as a green environmental city, and some areas have less access to green infrastructure than others. In particular, the city centre has a lack of public open space which may present an issue with the increasing population in the area. However, with over 10 allotments per 1,000 residents, the city has the second highest number of allotments per person of the 20 largest cities in Great Britain.
Some areas of land in Leicester have been allocated as ‘Green wedges’, as shown in Figure 4.9, which means they become protected by planning policy in order to prevent the merging of settlements and provide a green lung for urban areas as well as flood alleviation and access to nature for residents. They can also provide a wildlife habitat and recreational resource. However, the scale of projected population growth in and around Leicester mean that both the green wedges and the city’s cultural heritage will be under increasing pressure; some new housing for the City is allocated to areas that are currently green field sites.
4.8 Critical Infrastructure
4.8.1 Critical infrastructure Critical infrastructure in the area includes the main roads connecting the settlement to the wider East Midlands area and also providing essential access around the study area as shown in Section 4.2.5. Emergency services include five Fire and Rescue Stations in the study area: Southern Fire and Rescue Station, Central Fire and Rescue Station, Western Fire and Rescue Station, Eastern Fire and Rescue
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Station and Birstall Fire and Rescue Station, and an Accident and Emergency department at Leicester Royal Infirmary as shown in Appendix D Figure 4.10 (Leicestershire Fire and Emergency Services, 2021).
4.8.2 Material assets Material assets in Leicester include those related to public recreation and tourism listed in Section 4.2.4 such as retail and leisure facilities. There are also many pubs, hotels and restaurants and several primary and secondary schools located across the study area which are shown on Appendix D Figure 4.10.
4.9 Biodiversity, Flora and Fauna The City of Leicester has a diverse and interesting ecology with a complex diversity of habitats and species, including wetlands, woodlands, pastures, meadows and spinneys. Managed green spaces including agricultural land, parks, allotments and playing fields are also important as well as vacant and abandoned land. However, biodiversity in the city is under threat from habitat loss, fragmentation and climate change.
Leicester’s Biodiversity Action Plan aims to conserve and enhance the range of habitats and associated species that characterises the City of Leicester, whilst providing an attractive and sustainable natural environment in which to live and work (Leicester City Council, 2011). Due to the changing nature of economic circumstances and consequently the funding available for environmental projects, the plan sought to promote generic objectives: Participation Objectives, Strategic Objectives and Habitat Objectives.
The Green Infrastructure Strategy sets out the strategic vision for green sites in Leicester and the ways in which they can be created, managed and maintained to provide maximum benefits to the people who live in, work in, or visit Leicester (Leicester City Council, 2015). Its priorities include:
• Creating a bio-diverse and beautiful city through the provision of habitats in Biodiversity Enhancement Sites (that do not meet Local Wildlife Site (LWS) criteria), access to nature, attractive and well-maintained areas of green space; • Creating a healthy and active city through green transport routes and formal/informal recreation; and • Creating a naturally sustainable city through flood storage, controlling the impacts of climate change and improving soil, water and air quality.
4.9.1 Designated Sites Leicester only has one SSSI within its boundary which is a geological SSSI. The following SSSIs lie within 2km of the study area boundary and are shown in Appendix D Figure 4.11.
• Enderby Warren Quarry 1.8km • Narborough Bog 2km • Buddon Wood and Swithland Reservoir 2km • Bradgate Park and Cropston Reservoir 1.5km There are no UK National Site Network sites (i.e. Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) or Special Protection Areas (SPAs)) within the City of Leicester, or within five km of the study area. Therefore, the policies proposed within the LTP4 would not cause any likely significant effects to any National Site Network sites.
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Leicester’s ‘Biodiversity Network’ is made up of regionally and locally important wildlife corridors, which run through the Leicester urban area, and the wildlife sites and habitats that are connected by them. Regionally important wildlife corridors are the River Soar and Grand Union Canal, the Rothley Brook and the Mainline Railway and Ivanhoe Railway. The prime wildlife sites are the 35 designated Local Wildlife Sites (LWS) which are listed in Table 4.1 and are shown in Appendix D Figure 4.4.
Table 4.1 List of Local Wildlife Sites in Leicester City Council UA Site Date declared Area (Ha)
2 Castle Hill - Gorse Hill 2000 6.3
3 King William’s bridge 2000 <0.1
4 Red Hill and Belgrave Cemetery 2003 11.1
5 River Soar 2000 52.0
6 Watermead 2000 40.7
7 Birstall Meadows 2000 15.4
8 Melton Brook 2000 3.8
9 Hamilton meadows 2000 8.7
11 Quakesick Spinney 2000 0.9
12 Gypsy Lane 2000 11.5
13 Anstey Lane and Goss Meadows 2000 11.8
14 The Orchards 2000 6.0
15 Stokeswood Park 2000 12.9
16 Western Golf-course etc 2000 43.0
17 Kirby Frith 2000 1.9
19 Ratby Lane 2003 2.7
20 Highway Spinney/Meynell's Gorse 2000 7.9
21 Braunstone Park meadow 2000 2.9
22 Willowbrook 2000 6.3
23 Ethel Road verge 2000 1.1
24 Evington Park newt pond 2000 0.4
25 Leicestershire Golf-course etc. 2000 76.8
26 Ivanhoe/Mainline railway etc. 2000 17.2
27 Welford Road. Cemetery 2000 12.3
28 Grand Union canal 2000 16.9
29 Aylestone Meadows (N) 2000 60.2
30 Aylestone Meadows (C) 2000 46.6
31 Aylestone Meadows (S) 2000 3.5
32 Knighton Spinney 2000 2.9
33 Braunstone Park: mature trees 2001 32.4
34 Ashton Green 2009 10.46
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Site Date declared Area (Ha)
35 Castle Hill CP - mature tree 2009 0.01
36 Saffron Lane Brook 2010 0.08
37 Western Park - mature tree 2010 0.02
38 Hamilton School, Keyham Lane 2010 3.13
TOTAL AREA 529.8
Seven of these LWSs are also Local Nature Reserves (LNR) which are declared by Local Authorities, in consultation with Natural England, in areas over which they have jurisdiction and a legal interest in the land (i.e. through land ownership, long-term lease or management agreement). In Leicester, the seven LWS that are also LNRs which fall within Leicester City are shown in Table 4.2 and also in Appendix D Figure 4.4.
Table 4.2 Local Nature Reserves in Leicester Date Area Site Description declared (Ha)
A strip of species rich grassland which may once have been a drovers’ Goss Meadows 2004 3.0 road for livestock. It supports several unusual wild flowers including spiny restharrow Ononis spinosa.
Watermead Country A wetland that is one of the most important wildlife sites in the city and is 2005 48.7 Park unusual in an urban environment.
Contains a variety of wildlife and wildflowers with special features including Humberstone Park 2003 2.4 Busby Brook, the Sunken Garden and the Rally Bank.
A large area of open space in Leicester City with rich grass fields with a Aylestone Meadows 2003 79.7 river by which otters and kingfishers have been observed.
An oak Quercus spp. and ash Fraxinus excelsior plantation of secondary woodland within the larger Knighton Park which is a valuable habitat for wildlife. It is full of woodland birds, wood anemones Anemone nemorosa Knighton Spinney 2003 2.9 and other wild flowers. Bird species include nuthatch Sitta europaea, treecreepers Certhia familiaris and greater spotted woodpeckers Dendrocopos major.
a former allotment site which is now a rich mosaic of dry and wet grassland, pond, mature trees and scrub; providing a haven for wildlife with The Orchards 2004 6.6 frogs, toads and newts in the pond which is believed to be over 100 years old.
the richest wildflower grassland in Leicester with many grassland species including Devils-bit scabious Succisa pratensis, betony Stachys officinalis, great burnet Sanguisorba officinalis, tormentil Potentilla erecta, yellow Kirby Frith 1989 2.0 rattle Rhinanthus minor as well as butterflies including speckled wood Pararge aegeria, meadow brown Maniola jurtina and ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus.
Total Area 145.3
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4.9.2 Terrestrial ecology
4.9.2.1 Habitat Within the study area, the following habitats are present which are included in the priority habitat inventory for England as listed in Section 41 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act (NERC) (2006) (this inventory replaces the previous, but now superseded, Biodiversity Action Plan habitat inventories):
• Coastal and floodplain grazing marsh adjacent to the River Soar to the south of the city; • Deciduous woodland areas are scattered throughout the study area; and • Woodpasture and parkland which can be found at Western Park, Braunstone Park, Abbey Park, Knighton Park and Victoria Park within the study area. The location of these areas of priority habitat are shown on Appendix D Figure 4.12. The vast majority of the study area is made up of residential and industrial areas interspersed with parkland, playing fields, allotments and golf clubs. There are some arable areas, particularly to the north of the city.
4.9.2.2 Flora and Fauna The most recent Biodiversity Action Plan for Leicester (2011-2021) does not include a list of Priority Species observed within the city (Leicester City Council, 2011). However, the document ‘Biodiversity in Leicester Supplementary Planning Guidance’ (2003) does include a list of protected species found in Leicester as listed in Table 4.3 (Leicester City Council, 2003).
Table 4.3 Protected species found in Leicester as listed in Biodiversity in Leicester Supplementary Planning Guidance (2003) Species Designation
Wildlife and Countryside Act (WACA) 1981 Great Crested Newt Triturus cristatus NERC Section 41
All bat species WACA (1981)
WACA (1981) Badgers Meles meles Protection of Badgers Act 1992
WACA (1981) Water vole Arvicola amphibius NERC Section 41
WACA (1981) Otter Lutra lutra NERC Section 41
Wild birds WACA (1981)
Kingfishers Alcedo atthis WACA (1981)
Barn owls Tyto alba WACA (1981)
Little ringed plover Charadrius dubius WACA (1981)
Black redstart Phoenicurus ochruros WACA (1981)
White-clawed crayfish Austropotamobius WACA (1981) pallipes NERC Section 41
Bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta WACA (1981)
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4.9.2.3 Terrestrial mammals According to records obtained from the National Biodiversity Network (NBN) Atlas, which aggregates biodiversity data from multiple sources and makes up the UK’s largest collection of freely available biodiversity data, the following terrestrial mammals have been recorded in Leicester:
• Water vole Arvicola amphibious: protected by the WACA (1981), NERC Section 41 and the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations (2017); • Most bat native species including Barbestelle bat Barbastella barbastellus, Daubenton’s bat Myotis daubentonii, Brandt’s Bat, Myotis brandtii, Natterer’s bat Myotis nattereri, Noctule bat Nyctalus noctule, common pipstrelle Pipstrellus pipstrellus and soprano pipistrelle Pipstrellus pygmaeus and Brown long-eared bat Plecotus auratus all of which are protected by the WACA (1981), NERC Section 41 and the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations (2017); • Badgers Meles meles; and • European otter Lutra lutra.
4.9.2.4 Ornithology Leicestershire and Rutland Ornithological Society identify two ‘birding sites’ in Leicester City at Aylestone Meadows LWS and Watermead Country Park LWS. Species observed at each of these sites are listed in Table 4.4.
Table 4.4 Bird species observed at birding sites in Leicester Aylestone Meadows LWS3 Watermead Country Park LWS4
Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula White-winged black tern Chlidonias leucopterus
Willow tits Poecile montanus Marsh warbler Acrocephalus palustris
Little owls Athene noctua Cetti’s warbler Cettia cetti
Sparrowhawks Accipiter nisus Spotted crake Porzana porzana
Kestrel Falco tinnunculus Pectoral sandpiper Calidris melanotos
Peregrine Falco peregrinus Great northern diver Gavia immer
Coot Fulica atra Great white egret Ardea alba
Moorhens Gallinula chloropus Brent goose Branta bernicla
Water rails Rallus aquaticus Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta
Tufted duck Aythya fuligula Hen harrier Circus cyaneus
Pochard Aythya ferina Water pipit Anthus spinoletta
Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis Snow bunting Plectrophenax nivalis
Teal Anas crecca Red-crested pochard Netta rufina
Ruddy duck Oxyura jamaicensis Scaup Aythya marila
Pintail Anas acuta Velvet scoter Melanitta fusca
Goldeneye Bucephala clangula
3 Leicestershire and Rutland Ornithological Society Birding Sites Aylestone Meadows: https://lros.org.uk/birding-sites/birding-sites-in- leicester-city/aylestone-meadows/ (Accessed10/02/2021) 4 Leicestershire and Rutland Ornithological Society Birding Sites Soar Valley Gravel Pit: https://lros.org.uk/birding-sites/birding-sites- in-leicester-city/the-soar-valley-gravel-pits/ (Accessed 10/02/2021)
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Aylestone Meadows LWS3 Watermead Country Park LWS4
Scaup Aythya marila
Smew Mergellus albellus
Sedge warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus
Whitethroat Sylvia communis
Reed warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus
Lesser whitethroat Sylvia curruca
Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe
Whinchat Saxicola rubetra
Ring ouzel Turdus torquatus
5 Assessment and Evaluation of Impacts
This section summarises the SEA undertaken for the LTP4 strategies identified in Section 3 against each SEA objective. The detailed assessment tables for the SEA are presented in Appendix E. In addition, the preliminary WFD screening assessment is summarised below with a copy of the more detailed assessment included in Appendix B. In order to carry out a more detailed WFD assessment, a better understanding of what each strategy entails, including specific construction activities, is required in order to fully assess the potential impacts on WFD receptors. Therefore, a complete WFD Compliance Assessment would be required at each individual project level or during the EIA process. As discussed in Section 2.3.4 above, HRA has not been considered for this LTP4.
Each Theme and Scheme identified in Table 3.1 has been assessed separately in the assessment tables in Appendix E. The proposed Implementation Plan has also been included in Appendix F to give an indication of the potential schemes / projects which are committed or proposed associated with each theme. These currently lack the detail to group and assess them by project type or location. Individual projects will be subject to planning applications or EIAs as appropriate, depending on their scale, when they are carried out which will thoroughly assess potential environmental impacts of each project. Therefore, this ER does not consider the environmental impacts of individual projects or schemes, but instead focusses on the high level schemes shown in Table 3.1.
The sections below consider the objectives under each SEA topic and assess the schemes against these.
5.1 Populations, Communities and Human Health
5.1.1 Improve accessibility to jobs, facilities and services and increase transport choice All three Themes shown in Table 3.1 include schemes that will improve accessibility to jobs, facilities and services. This is also integral to the guiding principles and policies, which include a commitment to ensuring accessibility for all and the wider objective to build towards a Connected City. Therefore, it is expected that there will be an overall minor positive effect on accessibility to jobs, facilities and services, particularly for those who do not have a car.
The ‘Connected Corridors and Hubs’ Theme includes a number of measures which work towards greater efficiency of public transport, including:
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• The introduction of fast, efficient Greenlines electric buses; • The transforming of Leicester Rail Station; and • New improved Park and Ride sites to allow longer distance commuters safe, accessible, fast access to the City Centre. Other infrastructure improvements will also take place to radial walking and cycling routes alongside measures such as bus priority in some areas. Extensions to the Connecting Leicester programme in the city centre will improve walking and cycling here also will link up to the improvements to radial routes and provide direct connections to jobs, facilities and services both in the centre of Leicester and out to the periphery.
Access to locations outside the boundary of the UA area are not considered in detail within the Themes and schemes making up the LTP4. The impacts to the accessibility of Bradgate Country Park as an important area of community value, as a result of the LTP4 is considered to be neutral.
Accessibility will be improved through the Connected Healthy Neighbourhoods theme by making cycling and walking routes which link up residential areas, local shopping centres and other facilities as well as integrating into the Connected Corridors and Hubs theme. Within these improvements, accessibility will be increased through provision for micro-mobility vehicles such as electric scooters which are necessary as sustainable modes of transport for some people.
The introduction of fast and frequent Greenlines electric bus network, which will serve key destinations on the edges of the City such as employment sites and residential areas, alongside other measures discussed above, will provide important increased access to jobs, training and education for those without cars
The delivery of quality alternatives to the car will not only increase the choice of practical and viable transport options but will also help mitigate increased congestion from population growth and new housing. This will help to reduce associated NO2 and CO2 emissions, particularly in combination with the introduction of fewer, cleaner vehicles and the encouraging of active travel for all or part of a wide range of journeys. All these initiatives will be backed by extensive behaviour change work.
5.1.2 Reduce risks to life, safety and wellbeing Measures across all themes will lead to major positive impacts to risks to life, safety and wellbeing particularly with the overarching theme of reducing the numbers of cars on the roads.
The continued commitment to encouraging fewer and cleaner vehicles in neighbourhoods under the Connected Healthy Neighbourhoods theme, alongside the existing 20mph zones, will reduce the risk to life from car collisions. These measures will also be combined with behaviour changes and other measures under the ‘Managing demand for car use’ theme such as Smart transport which will reduce the number of cars on the roads of Leicester. Safety will improve for both pedestrians and cyclists through the Smart highway technology which will eventually be extended to include reallocation of road space from cars and buses to cycle-only lanes alongside overarching improvements to specific walking and cycling infrastructure.
Safety considerations are built into measures including the Park and Ride sites and the improvements to the bus network through the Greenlines services which incorporate good quality waiting areas. In addition, risks to life from air pollution will be reduced through the reduction of cars and encouraging the use of electric vehicles and the associated reduction in NO2 and CO2 emissions.
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5.1.3 Protect and promote the physical and mental wellbeing and safety of the population Throughout the Key Themes and associated schemes, there is a focus on health, safety and wellbeing. This includes the encouraging of active transport as the first choice for short journeys through schemes such as the Leicester E-bike hire scheme and improvements to cycle and walking routes and bike storage and behaviour change programmes. It has been shown that exercise is beneficial to both physical and mental wellbeing which is of particular importance in a city such as Leicester where the main causes of death are cardiovascular disease (28%), cancer (25%) which can be linked to inactivity. It is expected that an increase in active travel by those from South Asian backgrounds would be particularly beneficial to this demographic. In addition, easier, cost effective and safe access to jobs, training and education for the elderly, the disabled and those without cars, will also be beneficial to physical and mental wellbeing as it is likely to reduce stress associated with employment and time management.
The intrinsic link between mental wellbeing and access to cultural and heritage assets is considered in Historic England’s 2018 report ‘Wellbeing and the Historic Environment’ which considers that wellbeing is enhanced through:
• The visiting of sites of cultural interest and the benefits of cultural engagement; • Using heritage assets as a mechanism to bring people together and strengthen social cohesion by developing new connections; and • Regaining a sense of place as a solution to social isolation and also to generate a feeling of belonging. In addition, the 2020 report: Heritage and Society (Historic England, 2020b), presents evidence on the importance of historic and cultural assets in promoting common values, a sense of uniqueness and connection within communities to a shared past.
Increased access to these assets by public transport could therefore also be beneficial to wellbeing. This raises the importance of protecting these assets and their respective settings, particularly with regard to heritage assets. The impacts of the LTP4 on these heritage assets is discussed in Section 5.2.
5.1.4 Protect and enhance the local and wider economy, and features which support it By improving connectivity across the City of Leicester, tourism and recreational facilities in and around the central area should benefit from increased accessibility by sustainable transport modes, including the central area electric Greenline buses and quality 'spoke' cycle routes feeding in to the city centre. This should lead to a minor positive effect on the local economy in relation to tourism.
The economic value of the infrastructure itself, particularly where provision is being made for hotels, retail spaces or other recreational facilities (such as through the Rail Station transformation), will also increase as a result of improvements and investment in new equipment. The effects of the schemes on formal and informal recreational and amenity features are considered to be neutral.
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5.2 Historic Environment
5.2.1 Protect and enhance the historic environment and historic landscape character Those proposed schemes which do not involve intrusive construction works such as behaviour change programmes, the Greenlines bus routes, Smart transport, introduction of electric taxis, low traffic neighbourhoods and parking strategies are expected to have a neutral impact on the historic environment and historic landscape character. The anticipated reduction in travel as people are encouraged to use public transport or active transport methods may, in fact, improve the historical setting of some assets due to a reduction in cars and congestion, but this is not expected to be significant.
The exception to these positive impacts is the introduction of electric vehicle charging points and E-bike ranks which can potentially affect the setting of heritage assets. This impact would need to be considered on an individual project basis through the appropriate Heritage assessments, it is likely that this impact can be avoided or mitigated.
As discussed in Section 4.3.1, given the rich and long history of the area and the urban expansion of Leicester from its historic core to include the ancient villages of Aylestone, Knighton, Braunstone, Evington, Humberstone and Belgrave; there exists the potential for the discovery of unknown buried heritage assets within the city. Therefore, there is potential for negative effects on undesignated historic features or finds as a result of the implementation of the schemes, (such as the discovery of the remains of King Richard III under a car park in Leicester City Centre in 2012), particularly if they involve major infrastructure and ground works such as Park and Ride schemes or the transformation of Leicester Rail Station which could encounter areas of undiscovered historical interest. It is recommended that further assessment of impacts on the historic environment is undertaken during the implementation of schemes involving groundworks. This should include an archaeological desk-based assessment followed by the completion of any necessary mitigation measures. Consultation with Historic England and the City Archaeologist may also be required. Although there is potential for both positive and negative impacts to heritage assets, it is considered that overall, the impacts would be positive with mitigation at project level.
There is potential for schemes under the Connected Corridors and Hub Theme and the Connected Healthy Neighbourhoods theme which will introduce connected walking and cycling networks could link into Leicester’s High Street Heritage Action Zone. This is part of the Government-funded High Streets Heritage Action Zone initiative to develop and deliver schemes that transform and restore disused and dilapidated buildings into new homes, shops, work places and community spaces, restoring local historic character and improving the public realm (Historic England, not dated). In Leicester, this is based around the enhancement of Granby Street which is the main route from the station to the City Centre. Improved, safer and more accessible transport to this area, along with the transformation of Leicester Rail Station will work with this initiative to enhance the Historic Landscape Character of the area. It must ensure connectivity opportunities between different parts of the city are maximised and done so in a manner appropriate to the historic environment. It may also be possible to reinstate historic patterns of development and connections and introduce greater understanding of heritage assets and to enhance heritage assets on a project basis.
5.3 Soils
5.3.1 Protect and enhance geological interest features The majority of the schemes have been assessed as being unlikely to have any impact upon geological features with the exception of any infrastructure improvements or developments in the northeast of the City
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which must be routed to avoid Gipsy Lane Pit SSSI. It is considered that the LTP4 will have a neutral impact on the protection or enhancement of geological interest features.
5.3.2 Protect and conserve soil quality The schemes have been assessed as being unlikely to have any effects on soil quality given their urban nature. However, during the outline design of any schemes which involve groundworks, consideration of the potential effects of any new infrastructure upon soil receptors must be considered.
5.3.3 Avoid and reduce potential contamination issues All strategies are assessed as having a potential positive effect in relation to reducing the release of contaminants to the environment via air emissions from transport. An aim to expand and enhance low emission modes of transport is a key part of all of the Themes. For example, the Connected Corridors and Hub Theme which includes improved Park and Ride sites and connected commuter corridors which encourage the use of the bus, walking and cycling network, will reduce the volume of traffic on the roads.
Leicester has had a rich history of industry since 1700 and as a result there is the potential for contaminated land to be present within any area of proposed development. This introduces a potential risk of land contamination affecting LTP4 scheme delivery. This can be mitigated by consultation with Leicester City Council’s Planning, Waste Management and Heritage teams at the project level to identify where an increased risk of contamination may exist.
5.4 Water
5.4.1 Maintain water ecological potential and improve where appropriate (or feasible) A better understanding of what each strategy entails is required in order to fully assess the potential impacts of each respective LTP4 strategy upon WFD water bodies and their respective mitigation measures.
However, due to nature of the strategies, they have been assessed as unlikely to have any significant effects on water quality elements, or offer improvement opportunities, to any WFD water bodies within or adjacent to the study area. Any construction activities in relation to strategies will have industry standard suitable mitigation if in the vicinity of a watercourse.
5.5 Air and Climatic Factors
5.5.1 Improve air quality Air quality is highlighted as a challenge in relation to pollution and health effects including links to stroke and heart disease within the LTP4. As such, improving air quality is considered across all Themes and schemes through measures to reduce congestion and overall car numbers on the roads to behaviour change programmes to reduce car journeys and a drive towards the use of clean electric vehicles and public transport such as the Greenlines buses. All schemes have been assessed to have a either a major or minor positive impact on air quality, particularly all those under the theme of Connected Healthy Neighbourhoods.
Future monitoring will estimate the localised success of the implementation of the schemes, where a reduction in emissions from vehicular transport will likely show significant improvements in air quality through reductions in concentrations of CO2 and NO2 in line with Leicester’s Air Quality Action Plan. This will be backed up by extensive behaviour change work including encouraging people to use active transport modes.
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5.5.2 Act to limit climate change impacts and vulnerability to future climate change Improvements to all infrastructure that encourages sustainable modes of transport including increased use of public transport instead of cars and active modes of transport such as cycling and walking will help to act in limiting climate change impacts by reducing transport-related carbon emissions. Schemes will lead to a reduction in area-wide kilometres on local authority managed roads with a targeted modal shift to sustainable transport modes through improved walking and cycling infrastructure, under the Connected Corridors and Hub Theme and Healthy Connected Neighbourhoods themes, and the introduction of electric vehicles both in taxis and private hire vehicles and through the Greenlines bus network. Therefore, all schemes are anticipated to have either a major or minor positive impact on actions to limit climate change impacts and vulnerability to future climate change.
Climate change resilience should be considered in the design of all schemes during the implementation of the LTP4 through measures such as SuDS to mitigate against flood risk and ensuring that all electrical infrastructure is resistant to both heat and cold. Consideration should also be made to ensuring that waiting facilities for public transport provides shelter from adverse weather including both rain and wind and shade for protection from sun.
5.6 Landscape
5.6.1 Protect and enhance landscape / character The schemes included in the LTP4 are largely considered to have a minor positive effect on the landscape and landscape character. This is due to the drive towards green infrastructure and a reduction in cars and congestion which could be considered a positive visual impact. In addition, individual schemes such as the transformation of Leicester Rail Station provides an opportunity to carry out landscaping and improvements to the visual amenity of the area. It is likely that most of the schemes which rely on behaviour change or are minor changes to infrastructure will have negligible impacts on landscape, except where they reduce cars or change the composition of traffic from car-dominated to bus and cycling dominated.
This is with the exception of new Park and Ride schemes which will involve the construction of new car parks on the periphery of the City. These have the potential to cause a minor negative landscape impact in these locations. Also the introduction of electric vehicle charging points and E-bike ranks may have a visual impact throughout the City. Landscape and visual impact assessments should be undertaken for each specific project during their design phase, with appropriate mitigation measures implemented such as landscaping and tree planting or specific placement of charging points and E-bike ranks.
5.7 Critical Infrastructure
5.7.1 Protect critical infrastructure assets The Connected Corridors and Hub Theme is focussed on infrastructure improvements and includes commitments to carry out improvements along radial routes which serve growth areas in the north and west of the city through the connected commuter corridor scheme. The planned works to Leicester Rail Station also constitutes a major infrastructure improvement as well as the introduction of new and improved Park and Ride schemes. Therefore, it is considered that all schemes under the Connected Corridors and Hub Theme will have a major positive impact with the exception of the minor positive impact of the Rail Station transformation on critical road infrastructure.
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Improvements to, and maintenance of, road infrastructure are also planned through the Smart highways scheme under the theme of managing demand for car use which will improve the way that existing road space is used to manage traffic flows safely and effectively. The implementation of the Greenlines electric bus network is also seen as a major positive impact to critical infrastructure.
Other potential positive impacts include possible reductions in hospital referrals due to healthier lifestyles of resulting from an increase in active transport. However, the design of low traffic, safe neighbourhoods must ensure efficient access by emergency vehicles.
5.8 Biodiversity, Flora and Fauna
5.8.1 Protect and where possible enhance biodiversity features (e.g. designated sites, habitats and species) Overall, the schemes are considered to mostly have a negligible effect on biodiversity, flora and fauna as, due to the urban nature of the schemes, and focus on behaviour change or alterations and improvements to existing infrastructure, they are considered unlikely to result in direct effects upon ecological receptors. However, due to the scattering of Green Spaces throughout the City of Leicester (Appendix D Figure 4.9) and the presence of numerous LNRs and LWSs, there is the potential for any construction of new infrastructure as part of the Connected Corridors and Hub Theme to affect biodiversity features in these locations and a minor negative impact is possible. Therefore, during the outline design phase of any new infrastructure projects, consideration of potential effects upon ecological receptors must be considered.
There is also the possibility to investigate options to use proposed improvements to cycling and walking infrastructure, in combination with Leicester’s Green Infrastructure Strategy (Leicester City Council, 2015b), to create green corridors between green spaces and therefore provide corridors for biodiversity. This would form a nature based solution to increase connectivity between existing fragmented habitat sites and contribute to increasing Natural Capital which brings value to the population within the City of Leicester.
The implementation of schemes included in the LTP4 could provide an opportunity to contribute to the Government’s Nature Recovery Network Policy (Defra, 2020) within the City of Leicester which is a major commitment in the Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan and is part of the forthcoming Nature Strategy. It aims to reinforce the natural and cultural diversity of landscapes and improve resilience to climate change as well as enabling people to enjoy and connect with nature. The delivery of the Nature Recovery Network is an ongoing process and should be considered on a project level during the delivery of individual schemes.
6 Cumulative and In-Combination Impacts
6.1 Introduction This section details the effects arising from the potential impacts identified for each individual Theme associated with the LTP4 as shown in Table 3.1 (in-combination effects), and all of the individual schemes within the LTP4 as a whole, along with the other known projects and plans (cumulative effects). For the purposes of this assessment, the other known plans which are relevant to the LTP4 are the other plans put in place by Leicester City Council. Given the high level nature of the impacts that have been identified within this SEA, the consideration of cumulative and in-combination effects is again high level and highlights potential areas that may result in cumulative and in-combination effects.
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6.2 Strategy Level (In-Combination Effects) A number of the schemes which comprise the LTP4 contain policies which either overlap or are co- dependent upon policies within other LTP4 schemes. This is integral to the make-up of the LTP4 and when environmental effects of each scheme were assessed, this cross-over was taken into account. Therefore, this section focusses on any additional in-combination environmental effects.
6.2.1 Connected Corridors and Hubs Theme Infrastructure improvements under the Connected Corridors and Hub Theme will provide connections between different areas of the City and will enable quicker more efficient travel by improving key radial routes to the City Centre Hub. This will act positively in-combination with the schemes associated with the Connected Healthy Neighbourhoods theme and the Managing Demand for Car Use theme by tying in with improved connected walking and cycling routes and by providing the good quality infrastructure required to implement Smart Highways schemes and crucial improvements to the bus network. It will also help to make it easier for the population to take up active transport and more sustainable transport modes.
6.2.2 Connected Healthy Neighbourhoods Theme Schemes under this theme work in combination with the Connected Corridors and Hub Theme and managing demand for car use, by encouraging use of active transport methods through use of the cycle and walking infrastructure and through increasing connectivity within the City of Leicester. Improvements to the local bus network are also a key factor in this which will contribute to a reduction in cars on the roads, thereby contributing to managing demand for car use.
All measures across the schemes also contribute either to safety or reduced pollution and improvements in air quality which will contribute to the health of the population in the short and long term. The success of behaviour change programmes are also likely to be increased by the availability of safe, accessible and connected transport options.
6.2.3 Managing Demand for Car Use Theme Schemes under this theme aim to reduce the volume of car traffic on the roads of Leicester, therefore reducing pollution associated with traffic (currently accounting for 80% of Leicester’s air pollution). Smart highways schemes will further contribute to reduced congestion, all of which will work in combination with schemes under the Connected Healthy Neighbourhoods theme to promote the health and wellbeing of the people of Leicester. Increased accessibility will also result from an improved fast and frequent electric bus network which will utilise improved infrastructure implemented through the Connected Corridors and Hub Theme resulting in positive in-combination effects.
6.3 LTP4 Level (Cumulative Effects) As identified in Section 5, the majority of environmental effects arising from the LTP4 are neutral, minor positive or major positive. Major positive effects occur primarily in relation to air quality, population, communities and human health under a range of different schemes, and critical infrastructure. These are predominantly associated with the provision of sustainable public transport schemes, reduction in car traffic and programmes and infrastructure to encourage active transport. Potential minor negative impacts could be associated with landscape and biodiversity associated with construction of infrastructure projects and the addition of E-bike ranks and electric vehicle charging points which may also impact on the setting of heritage assets.
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Cumulative effects are considered in light of other plans or policies which set out strategies for Leicester City. The following plans or policies have been considered:
• Leicester’s (draft) Local Plan; • Leicestershire Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy (Leicestershire County Council, 2019); • Leicester Climate Emergency Strategy (Leicester City Council, 2020b); • Air Quality Action Plan (Leicester City Council, 2015a); and • Leicester’s Transport Recovery Plan (Leicester City Council 2020c). There is the potential for construction related cumulative effects associated with schemes in the Leicester draft Local Plan on a number of social and environmental receptors (e.g. short-term declines in water quality or noise and visual disturbance). However, these potential effects will be identified within each project and minimised through the implementation of an Environmental Action Plan (EAP) and through mitigation measures identified through the EIA process if appropriate. Therefore, construction related cumulative effects are considered to be insignificant for this SEA.
The positive environmental effects associated with the enhancement of the local sustainable transport within the LTP4 have the potential to provide significant positive environmental effects in combination with the policies set out within the Climate Emergency Strategy and Air Quality Action Plan. The Leicester Climate Emergency Strategy includes commitment to approach travel and transport related climate action by following a travel hierarchy of encouraging less travel, followed by encouraging active transport followed by public transport, shared mobility and lastly private vehicles. The schemes within the LTP4 will help to achieve the aims of the Travel and Transport aspects of the Climate Emergency Strategy and will help to reduce pollution associated with traffic in combination with the Air Quality Action Plan to result in a greater reduction in carbon emissions overall. It also builds on the Transport Recovery Plan set out following the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
Overall it is considered that the LTP4 strategies will result in significant positive social effects in terms of protecting and promoting the physical and mental wellbeing and safety of the population of Leicester.
7 Conclusion and Next Steps
7.1 Conclusion The SEA process has allowed a fully integrated socio-environmental assessment of the various schemes of the LTP4 and early identification of potential issues and opportunities. Major positive effects have been identified to air quality, accessibility, populations, communities and health and the quality of infrastructure and public transport provision in the City. The schemes’ contributions to tackling the climate emergency through carbon reduction are also a major positive effect. Any minor negative effects can be mitigated, and as part of strategy development in the future; each scheme will be subjected to their own EIA or environmental assessment, as appropriate, as part of the planning process which will identify any specific mitigation or monitoring measures required.
The few potential minor negative effects are associated with potential impacts to the landscape and biodiversity associated with larger schemes that require construction work, and potential impacts to heritage settings and local landscapes due to the addition of electric vehicle charging points and E-bike ranks.
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7.2 Next Steps As new information becomes available regarding the LTP4 strategies, the SEA will be reviewed to ensure that the assessments remain valid and that the impacts upon environmental receptors are robustly evaluated. Implementation of the LTP4 and its actions will be subject to the availability of funding such as potential implementation of the Workplace Parking Levy. It is likely that a number of schemes will be required in a series of phases to deliver the LTP4 aims. Each of these will be subject to detailed design and environmental impact assessment, as appropriate, whilst ensuring that design information is known. Further opportunities for environmental and social enhancements will be embedded into each design whilst ensuring that any negative effects are minimised or designed out wherever possible.
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8 Abbreviations and Acronyms
Acronym Definition
µg/m3 microgram per cubic metre
AQAP Air Quality Action Plan
AQMA Air Quality Management Area
CO2 Carbon dioxide
dB decibels
EAP Environmental Action Plan
E-bike Electric bike
EC European Commission
EIA Environmental Impact Assessment
ER Environmental Report
EU European Union
GB Great Britain
GHG greenhouse gases
ha Hectares
HEDNA Housing and Economic Development Needs Assessment
HER Historic Environment Record
HGV heavy goods vehicles
HLC Historic Landscape Character
HRA Habitats Regulations Assessment
IRZ impact risk zone
JACU Joint Air Quality Unit
km Kilometres
LLSTP Leicester and Leicestershire Strategic Transport Priorities
LNR Local Nature Reserve
LTP3 Third Local Transport Plan
LTP4 Fourth Local Transport Plan
LWS Local Wildlife Site
m metres
M million
mph miles per hour
n.d. not dated
NBN National Biodiversity Network
NCA National Character Areas
NERC Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act
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Acronym Definition
NO2 Nitrogen dioxide
NOX oxides of nitrogen
OAL objectively assessed need
ODPM Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
ONS Office for National Statistics
PHE Public Health England
PM Particulate matter
SAC Special Area of Conservation
SEA Strategic Environmental Assessment
SGP Strategic Growth Plan
SPA Special Protection Area
SPZ Source Protection Zones
SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest
SuDS sustainable drainage systems
t Tonnes
TCF Transforming Cities Fund
UA Unitary Authority
WACA Wildlife and Countryside Act
WFD Water Framework Directive
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Environment Agency (2015) Humber River Basin Management Plan. Available online: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/718328 /Humber_RBD_Part_1_river_basin_management_plan.pdf (accessed 22/04/2021)
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Historic England (not dated) High Streets Heritage Action Zones. Available online: https://historicengland.org.uk/services-skills/heritage-action-zones/regenerating-historic-high-streets/ (Accessed 22/04/2021)
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Leicester and Leicestershire Strategic Growth Plan (2018). https://www.llstrategicgrowthplan.org.uk/latest- updates/final-plan-published/ https://www.llstrategicgrowthplan.org.uk/latest-updates/final-plan-published/ (Accessed 10/02/2021)
Leicester City Council, 2015a Leicester Air Quality Action Plan https://www.leicester.gov.uk/media/180653/air-quality-action-plan.pdf (Accessed 10/02/2021)
Leicester City Council (2003) Biodiversity in Leicester Supplementary Planning Guidance 2003: https://www.leicester.gov.uk/media/179106/biodiversity-in-leicester-spg-october-2003.pdf (Accessed 10/02/2021)
Leicester City Council (2011) Leicester’s Biodiversity Action Plan: https://www.leicester.gov.uk/media/113637/leicesters-biodiversity-action-plan-2011-21.pdf (Accessed 09/02/2021)
Leicester City Council (2015) Leicester Green Infrastructure Strategy 2015-2025 https://www.leicester.gov.uk/media/183734/leicesters-green-infrastructure-strategy-2015-2025.pdf
Leicester City Council (2016) Local Heritage Asset Register 2016 https://www.leicester.gov.uk/media/182084/local-heritage-asset-register-2016-redacted.pdf (Accessed 26/02/2021)
Leicester City Council (2018) Carbon Footprint Statement 2018/19: https://www.leicester.gov.uk/media/186294/carbon-footprint-statement-2018-2019.pdf (Accessed 10/02/2021)
Leicester City Council (2019) Transforming Cities Fund Strategic Outline Business Case https://www.leicester.gov.uk/media/xkhfuzsk/transforming-cities-fund-strategic-outline-business-case- 2019.pdf (Accessed 25/02/2021)
Leicester City Council (2020c) COVID-19 Transport Recovery Plan https://www.leicester.gov.uk/media/186689/covid-19-transport-recovery-plan-may-2020.pdf (Accessed 25/02/2021)
Leicester City Council (2020d) Joint Strategic Needs Assessment: Living in Leicester Summary: https://www.leicester.gov.uk/media/186425/living-in-leicester-infographic-summary-2020.pdf (Accessed 10/02/2021)
Leicester City Council (2020a) Climate Emergency Action Plan https://www.leicester.gov.uk/media/tvnhl2pe/leicester-climate-emergency-action-plan-2020-2023-final- version.pdf (Accessed 10/02/2021)
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Leicester City Council (2020b) Leicester Climate Emergency Strategy: April 2020 – March 2023: https://www.leicester.gov.uk/media/kuuojdxw/leicester-climate-emergency-strategy-2020-2023-final- version.pdf (Accessed 10/02/2021)
Leicester Heath and Wellbeing Board (2019) Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy. https://www.leicester.gov.uk/media/185984/joint-health-and-wellbeing-strategy-2019-2024.pdf *accessed 05/05/2021)
Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service (2021) https://leics-fire.gov.uk/your-fire-service/who-we- are/locations-and-contacts/
Leicestershire and Rutland Ornithological Society (n.d.) Birding Sites Aylestone Meadows: https://lros.org.uk/birding-sites/birding-sites-in-leicester-city/aylestone-meadows/ (Accessed10/02/2021)
Leicestershire and Rutland Ornithological Society (n.d.) Birding Sites Soar Valley Gravel Pit: https://lros.org.uk/birding-sites/birding-sites-in-leicester-city/the-soar-valley-gravel-pits/ (Accessed 10/02/2021)
Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (2019a)Deprivation in Leicester 2019 https://data.leicester.gov.uk/explore/dataset/deprivation-in-leicester-2019/information/ (Accessed 24/02/2021)
Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (2019b) English indices of deprivation 2019: File 10: local authority district summaries https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/english-indices-of- deprivation-2019 (Accessed 24/02/2020)
Natural England (n.d.) Gipsy Lane Pit SSSI Citation: https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/PDFsForWeb/Citation/1004537.pdf (Accessed 08/02/2021)
Natural England (2020) NCA Profile: 94 Leicestershire Values (NE532) Natural England (Accessed 26/02/2021) http://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/4900422342934528?category=587130
Natural England (2021) Designated Sites View Condition of SSSI Units for Site Gipsy Lane Pit SSSI: https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/ReportUnitCondition.aspx?SiteCode=S1004537&ReportTitle =Gipsy%20Lane%20Pit%20SSSI (Accessed 09/02/2021)
NBN Atlas (2021) https://nbnatlas.org/
Nomis official labour market statistics Leicester local authority profile: https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/reports/lmp/la/1946157130/subreports/ea_time_series/report.aspx? (Accessed 24/02/2021)
Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) (2005) A Practical Guide to the Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive: Practical guidance on applying European Directive 2001/42/EC “on the assessment of the effects of certain plans and programmes on the environment” Public Health England (2021a) Fingertips: https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/search/injur#page/0/gid/1/pat/6/par/E12000004/ati/302/cid/4/page- options/ovw-do-0 (accessed 26/02/2021)
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Public Health England (2021b) Fingertips Public Health England Public Health Profiles https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/search/noise#page/0/gid/1/pat/6/par/E12000004/ati/302/are/E06000016/iid/90 358/age/1/sex/4/cid/4/tbm/1/page-options/car-do-0_ovw-do-0 (Accessed 26/02/2021)
Severn Trent Water Resource Management Plan (2019) https://www.severntrent.com/content/dam/stw- plc/our-plans/severn-trent-water-resource-management-plan.pdf (Accessed 26/02/2021)
TomTom Traffic Index (2020) https://www.tomtom.com/en_gb/traffic-index/ranking/?country=UK (Accessed 09/04/2021)
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Appendix A: Consultation responses The Leicester LTP4 Scoping Report was sent out for consultation on 1st March 2021 to the Environment Agency, Natural England, Historic England for a consultation period of six weeks. Questions were included in the Scoping Report to guide the consultation and consultees answered those that were relevant to them. Their responses are listed in the table below, only where they had a specific response to a question or additional comments outside the scope of the questions.
Consultation responses were received from all consultees. However, the Environment Agency’s response on the 25th March 2021 was: “We welcome the Aims and Objectives of the transport vision. We feel however that there are no matters within the document falling within the EA’s remit and which we wish to comment on.” Therefore, they are not included in the tables below. In addition, Natural England’s responses lay outside the scope of the questions and are listed in Table A1.2 below.
The full list of questions is provided in Table A1.1 for clarity.
Table A1.1 Full list of Consultation Questions included in the Scoping Report
Question
1 If you believe that the study area should be different, please tell us.
What particular issues or features outside the immediate study area, which are not identified in this report, do you believe 2 should be considered?
3 Bearing in mind the scope of the LTP4, are there any options you would like to see considered, and why?
What other constraints on, or opportunities for, the local communities are you aware of which might occur through 4 implementation of transport schemes or options?
What further constraints or opportunities for recreational facilities and the tourism sector do you foresee through the LTP4 5 options?
6 What particular health or welfare-related issues do you want to ensure are considered?
What further risks with regard to the historic environment, including potentially unknown buried or above ground historic 7 features, do you foresee?
8 What further key issues or opportunities, which may affect development of an option for the UA, are you aware of?
Do you believe that land contamination could be an issue for LTP4 actions? If so, what sites do you feel have the potential to 9 cause particular concern?
10 What critical infrastructure are you aware of which may be impacted by, or impact upon, the proposed Strategy?
11 What other sites or features, if any, do you believe should be included for assessment and why?
In relation to the scope of the Habitats Regulations Assessment, what other sites do you believe should be included, or can 12 be excluded, on the basis of likely significant effect?
13 What key receptors do you believe we have missed, or scoped out, which should be included, and why?
What other key data sources or types do you believe we have not considered, or addressed in sufficient detail? Are you able 14 to help us by providing these?
What changes do you believe should be made to the appraisal objectives and criteria proposed for the SEA, and how will 15 these enhance the SEA?
16 What other indicators do you believe should be included, and why?
17 What further targets do you believe should be considered within the LTP4 assessment?
What changes do you believe should be made to the assessment framework, and how would these ensure it is more 18 appropriate for scoring the likely impacts of the options on the assets and other receptors in the study area?
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Question
What changes do you believe should be made to the assessment framework, and how would these ensure it is more 19 appropriate for scoring the likely impacts of the strategic options on the receptors in the study area?
Table A1.2 Natural England Consultation Responses received 12/04/2021 Response Where addressed in ER
Section 5.8.1 considers the potential for Natural Capital - increasing all elements of nature that either directly or schemes to complement the Green indirectly bring value to people and the country at large. Infrastructure Strategy and increase the natural capital within the City.
Section 5.8.1 considers opportunities provided Nature Recovery Network - recovering nature and enhance ecological by the LTP4 to contribute to the Nature networks and species resilience to climate change. Recovery Network.
Nature-Based Solutions - increasing connectivity between fragmented areas of Nature-Based Solutions are considered in habitat. Section 5.8.1.
Section 4.7.2 considers Leicester’s Green Green Infrastructure - Creating additional greenspaces and wildlife, and Infrastructure Strategy and baseline conditions. improved connectivity between existing sites, is also essential to enable Section 5.8.1 considers opportunities to create biodiversity itself to adapt to climate change. additional green spaces and improved connectivity between sites.
Climate Change - The Natural England and RSPB ‘Climate Change This lies outside of the scope of this assessment Adaptation Manual’ (2nd edition 2020) sets out a spatial approach to assessing but that the objectives of the LTP4 do not habitat vulnerability to climate change. preclude any of the objectives of the manual.
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Table A1. 3 Historic England Responses received 09/04/2021 Question Response Where addressed in ER
The link between heritage and well-being is What further constraints or The reference to historic character in the Section 3.2.4 Tourism and Recreation considered in Section 5.2.1 along with the opportunities for recreational (Population, Community and Human Health SEA topic) is helpful and will allow the SEA impacts to this. 5 facilities and the tourism sector to address the intrinsic links between heritage and well-being as well as work being do you foresee through the undertaken through the Leicester High Street Heritage Action Zone project. Leicester’s High Street Heritage Action Zone is LTP4 options? also considered in Section 5.2.1.
We recommend that the SEA considers the valuable links between heritage and well- being. The LTP4 options offer opportunity for a new experience and appreciation of the city centre which could positively contribute towards well-being and conservation and What particular health or The link between heritage and well-being is enhancement of the historic environment. The following documents may be of 6 welfare-related issues do you considered in Section 5.2.1 along with assistance with your considerations: want to ensure are considered? references to the suggested material. https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/wellbeing-and-the-historic- environment/> https://historicengland.org.uk/research/heritage-counts/heritage-and-society/
Historic England welcomes the fact that the Historic Environment is scoped in as a SEA The potential for unknown assets to be identified topic and that the HLC dataset is referenced. In terms of Section 3.3.3 ‘Potential, in the City Centre due to its rich history is Unidentified and Undesignated Features’ we note that there is an assumption that the discussed in Section 4.3.1. Discussions were likelihood of unknown assets being present is low. The city centre is rich in assets as had with the City Archaeologist, who gave details What further risks with regard to set out in 3.3.1 and the relationship between assets is also of relevance in terms of on records contained in the Leicester City Historic the historic environment, density and patterns of development. An unassuming surface car park in the city Environment Record to further highlight the wide 7 including potentially unknown revealed a hidden King. As such, we would question this ‘low’ likelihood assumption variety of non-designated archaeological and buried or above ground historic and suggest that this is actually an uncertain element which would require heritage sites and assets within the City features, do you foresee? consideration in any assessment of options for LTP4. We would recommend that the boundary. With his advice, the wording of the Historic Environment Record is consulted as part of the work to inform any options and scoring criteria for the SEA was amended and is note from 3.10 that this is currently a data gap. The East Midlands Archaeological shown in Table 2.4. Impacts to heritage assets Research Framework may also be of use to the SEA process at this time: and the historic environment are considered in https://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/researchframeworks/eastmidlands/wiki/ Section 5.2.1.
Historic England recommends that the setting of heritage assets is also considered The wording of Table 2.5 has been amended through the assessment process. We have also made a general comment above on What further key issues or from the Scoping Report to include reference to Table 2.1 (p.13) with respect to this matter since it appears to be an omission in opportunities, which may affect the setting of heritage assets. Leicester’s High 8 considerations at present. We would also recommend consideration of current heritage development of an option for the Street Heritage Action Zone is considered in related projects within the city, including Leicester’s High Street Heritage Action Zone UA, are you aware of? Section 5.2.1 along with considerations of project, to ensure connectivity opportunities between different parts of the city are connectivity across the City. maximised, and done so in a manner appropriate to the historic environment.
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Question Response Where addressed in ER
Historic England agrees with the infrastructure identified in the preceding paragraphs to Specific opportunities to conserve and enhance What critical infrastructure are this question. We would recommend that the SEA considers the links between natural heritage assets will be identified on a project you aware of which may be 10 and historic environments and biodiversity as part of the LTP4 considerations. basis and is outside the scope of this SEA. impacted by, or impact upon, Particularly where there may be opportunities to conserve and enhance heritage assets Reference is made to identifying these the proposed Strategy? through improved public realm or SUDS work as a result of any options. opportunities in Section 5.2.1.
What other sites or features, if any, do you believe should be Historic England supports the historic environment being scoped in to the SEA process 11 included for assessment and as set out in Table 3.5 (typo 3.6 in part 3.12?) why?
We have provided some relevant links and information sources in our responses above What other key data sources or where we believe they will add value to the assessment work. In addition, the following types do you believe we have HE documents may be of use to the Plans, Policies, Programme evidence base These have been incorporated where appropriate 14 not considered, or addressed in material: https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/gpa3-setting-of- as discussed above. sufficient detail? Are you able to heritage-assets/ help us by providing these? https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/historic-environment-and-site- allocations-in-local-plans/
We note the baseline target of ‘no adverse effects on heritage features’ which could translate essentially as such features being conserved. We would recommend an additional target as follows, or similar wording: Enhance heritage assets or their setting. This would help identify options where any LTP4 options may, either individually for the What further targets do you Additional target has been added in to Table 2.1 historic environment or cumulatively with other SEA objectives, indirectly or directly 17 believe should be considered These targets have been carried through as enhance a heritage asset: e.g. reinstating a historic pattern of development through a within the LTP4 assessment? potential opportunities in Section 5.2.1. new connection or enhancement of an existing one as part of an option; e.g. offering opportunity to better understand, appreciate and experience an asset through changes to public realm, reinstating historic patterns of development/connections etc. The additional target would help highlight synergistic effects within the framework.
What changes do you believe In terms of the suggested scoring criteria for the historic environment set out in Table should be made to the 5.3 we recommend that any option leading to a loss of designated heritage assets assessment framework, and would be high magnitude impact and would always need to be considered as a major how would these ensure it is effect. The loss of a heritage asset is not compensatory, it cannot be mitigated for. To These suggested changes to wording are 18 more appropriate for scoring the this end, a minor positive score would not be appropriate, in our view, for a situation included in Table 2.4. likely impacts of the options on where a balance of protection and loss would be considered justifiable. Any loss of the assets and other receptors designated heritage assets would be considered as a direct impact resulting in a major in the study area? effect. In terms of non-designated assets, we note that Historic England is referred to
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Question Response Where addressed in ER
as advisor. This is not correct and should be removed since advice should be sought from the local curators and Historic Environment Record. It is recommended that the reference to ‘historic’ assets should be revised to read ‘heritage’ assets in line with NPPF terminology for the avoidance of doubt.
We welcome confirmation that, for the purposes of the assessment, cultural heritage Other comments includes architectural and archaeological heritage.
P.13 - Table 2.1 - We recommend that the SEA topic for historic environment key priorities section is revised to include reference to setting e.g. Protect Leicester’s heritage assets and their setting as a key feature of the area. This will allow for These changes have been made in Table 2.1. statutory duties under legislative provisions to be considered through the SEA process (specifically the Planning (Listed Building and Conservation Areas) Act 1990).
References to ‘historic assets’ have been P.16 - 3.2.4, para 1, 2nd sentence - We recommend the reference to ‘historic assets’ be changed to ‘heritage assets’ throughout the ER revised to read ‘heritage assets’ for consistency purposes and the avoidance of doubt. for consistency, as suggested.
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Appendix B: Water Framework Directive (WFD) Assessment
ID, Current status/potential in 2020 Water body and Objective Proposed reason(s) for failure to achieve Potential impact from LTP4 Hydromorphological Designation
Rivers
• Good overall waterbody by • Diffuse sources of phosphate from transport 2027. drainage and poor livestock management as No specific potential impacts can be • GB104028047010 • Good ecological by 2027. well as point source discharge from the water identified at this stage as not enough detail is Melton Brook • Moderate Status • Good biological quality industry (sewage). known about specific schemes. However, Catchment • Not designated elements by 2027. • Invertebrates and macrophytes and construction work within the catchment of a (trib of Soar) artificial or heavily • Good physico-quality phytobenthos combined affected by sewage water body can cause deterioration in status modified elements by 2027. discharge and transport drainage as well as via several mechanisms including: • Good levels of phosphate poor livestock management. • Run-off of sediment created during by 2027. construction. • Run-off of contaminants as a result of • Good overall waterbody by • Diffuse sources of phosphate from transport construction fluids and fuels or 2027. drainage and poor livestock management as encountered contaminated land. • Good ecological by 2027. well as point source discharge from the water • Work within a water body can prevent • GB104028046980 • Good supporting elements industry (sewage). WFD mitigation measures from being Willow Brook • Moderate Status by 2027. • Invertebrates affected by sewage discharge implemented or cause long term • Heavily modified • Good physico-quality and transport drainage as well as poor change to hydromorphological features elements by 2027. agricultural nutrient management. that support ecological features. • Good levels of phosphate • Physical modifications for urban and transport
by 2027. purposes. Impacts to WFD water bodies would need to • Good overall waterbody by • Elevated phosphate levels due to transport be assessed on a project basis with 2027. drainage and sewage discharge by the water appropriate control measures implemented • GB104028046910 • Good ecological by 2027. industry. including construction good practice such as Wash Brook • Moderate Status • Good supporting elements • Invertebrates affected by sewage discharge sediment management, attenuation of runoff • Heavily modified by 2027. and transport drainage. to discharge at a controlled rate and pollution prevention measures. • Good physico-quality • Physical modifications for urban and transport elements by 2027. purposes.
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ID, Current status/potential in 2020 Water body and Objective Proposed reason(s) for failure to achieve Potential impact from LTP4 Hydromorphological Designation
• Good levels of phosphate by 2027
• GB104028046730 • Diffuse sources of phosphate from transport • Moderate Status drainage and poor livestock management. Rothley Brook • Not designated All objectives to be met by 2015. • Macrophytes and phytobenthos combined artificial or heavily affected by transport drainage as well as poor modified nutrient management.
Groundwater
Construction works, particularly those involving groundworks, excavations and piling activities can cause changes to • GB40402G990600 infiltration to groundwater bodies and Soar – • Good Status potential for ingress of spilled contaminants. Secondary All objectives to be met by 2015. N/A • Hydromorphological Introduction of sub-surface structures can Combined status not applicable lead to obstruction of groundwater flows.
Pollution management techniques can help to mitigate this.
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Appendix C: List of legislation, policy and guidance relevant to the LTP4
Legislation, policy or Title Relevance to the SEA guidance
International
The SEA Directive [Directive 2001/42/EC] Requires authorities to undertake a SEA for all new public plans or programmes in relation to the following Transposed into UK law by The Environmental sectors which set the framework for future development consent of projects listed in the EIA Directive. Assessment of Plans and Programmes Regulations 2004
Sets a target of aiming to achieve at least ‘good status/potential’ in all water bodies by 2015. However, The Water Framework Directive (WFD) provided that certain conditions are satisfied, the achievement of good status/potential may be delayed until [Directive 2000/60/EC] 2021 or 2027. Specific ‘measures’ are set for water bodies to achieve the Environmental Objectives of the WFD (outlined in Transposed into UK law by The Water Environment River Basin Management Plans (RBMPs). (WFD) (England and Wales) Regulations 2017 A preliminary assessment of the Actions included in the LTP4 is required under the WFD to ascertain the impact of the Actions upon the status of water bodies within the study area.
The Habitats Directive Legislation [Directive 92/43/EEC] and The Birds Directive Requires measures to be taken to maintain or restore natural habitats and wild species at a favourable [Directive 2009/147/EC] conservation status, introducing robust protection for those habitats and species of international importance listed in Annex IV of the Habitats Directive and Schedules 2 or 5 of the Regulations. Transposed into UK law by The Conservation of Under The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 an assessment is required if there is Habitats and Species (Amendment) (EU Exit) likely to be a significant effect on national site network site as a result of a plan or programme. Regulations 2019
Puts in place a requirement for: The Urban Waste Water Directive The collection and treatment of waste water in all agglomerations of >2000 population equivalents (p.e.); [Directive 91/271/EEC] Secondary treatment of all discharges from agglomerations of > 2000 p.e., and more advanced treatment for agglomerations >10 000 population equivalents in designated sensitive areas and their catchments; Transposed into UK law through the Urban Waste A requirement for pre-authorisation of all discharges of urban wastewater, of discharges from the food- Water Treatment (England and Wales) Regulations processing industry and of industrial discharges into urban wastewater collection systems; 1994 Monitoring of the performance of treatment plants and receiving waters; and Controls of sewage sludge disposal and re-use, and treated waste water re-use whenever it is appropriate.
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Legislation, policy or Title Relevance to the SEA guidance
The Air Quality Framework Directive Describes the basic principles as to how air quality should be assessed and managed within member states. [Directive 96/62/EC] It lists the pollutants for which air quality standards and objectives will be developed and specified in Transposed into UK law through the Air Quality legislation. It also specifies the numerical limits for individual pollutants and set out the monitoring and Standards Regulations 2010 reporting requirements for named pollutants.
The Environmental Noise Directive Identifies noise pollution levels and to trigger the necessary action. Requires the Secretary of State to [Directive 2002/49/EC] prepare and publish, every 5 years, noise maps and noise management action plans for large scale Transposed into UK law through The Environmental infrastructure. Noise (England) Regulations 2006
Kyoto Protocol and the UN Framework Convention Commits signatories to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by setting internationally binding emission on Climate Change (May 1992) reduction targets.
International agreement with respect to the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its The Convention on Biological Diversity, Rio de components and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic Janeiro (1992) resources.
Provides for the protection of wetlands of international importance, through the designation of wetlands of Ramsar Convention (1971) international importance, promotion of the wise-use of all wetlands in the territory of each country; and international co-operation with other countries to further the wise-use of wetlands and their resources.
Requires signatories to promote national conservation policies, consider the impact of planning and Bern Convention on the Conservation of European development on the natural environment, promote education and information on conservation, and Wildlife and Natural Habitats (1979) coordinate research.
World Health Organisation Noise Guideline Values Provides criteria and internationally-recognised noise levels beyond which noise can adversely affect human Guidance (2006) health.
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Legislation, policy or Title Relevance to the SEA guidance
National
Provides a legal framework for ensuring that Government meets its commitments to tackle climate change. Requires that the UKs emissions are reduced by at least 80% by 2050, compared to 1990 levels, and Climate Change Act 2008 introduces legally binding carbon budgets. Sets the legal framework for adaptation policy in the UK.
Places a duty on local traffic authorities to ensure the expeditious movement of traffic on their road network and those networks of surrounding authorities. The Traffic Management Act 2004 Gives authorities additional tools to better manage parking policies, moving traffic enforcement and the co- ordination of street works.
Addresses increasing road congestion and to improve the quality of local bus services, by: • Updating the responsibilities of local authorities in relation to local transport policies and plans • the operation of local bus services and related matters, including provisions relating to Traffic Commissioners; Local Transport Act 2008 Legislation • Changing constitution and functions of Passenger Transport Authorities, which were renamed as Integrated Transport Authorities; and • The establishment and operation of local road user charging schemes (commonly referred to as “local road pricing schemes”).
Road Safety Act 2006 Creates a new offence of using death by careless, or inconsiderate, driving.
Transposes Directive 2002/49/EC into UK law and requires the Secretary of State to identify and publish Environment Noise (England) Regulations SI 2238 details of noise sources. The competent authority must then produce strategic noise maps and action plans (2006) to deal with these noise problems.
Air Quality (England) Regulations 2000 and Air Transposes Directive 2008/50EC into UK law and set national air quality objectives for local authorities in Quality (Standards) Regulations 2010 England.
Transpose the EU Habitats Directive into UK law and provide for the designation and protection of some The Conservation of Habitats and Species 'European sites (SACs)', the protection of 'European protected species', and the adaptation of planning and (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 other controls for the protection of European Sites. The 2019 Regulations explains the changes made to the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 in light of the UK’s exit from the European Union.
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Legislation, policy or Title Relevance to the SEA guidance
Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act Confers local authorities with the duty to conserve biodiversity, and the responsibility to produce biodiversity 2006 lists of species and habitats which are of principal importance for the purpose of conserving biodiversity.
Places a duty on Government Departments to have regard for the conservation of biodiversity and maintain Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 lists of species and habitats for which conservation steps should be taken or promoted. It also gives the public right of access to land mapped as ‘open country’ or registered common land.
Implements the Bern Convention and the Birds Directive. Contains details of national designated sites and The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) protection for designated species. Nature conservation bodies have a duty to notify any area of land which is ‘of special interest by reason of any of its flora, fauna, or geological or physiographical features’ as SSSIs.
Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) An Act of Parliament that altered the laws on granting of planning permission for building works, notably Act 1990 including those of the listed building system in England and Wales.
Provides protection to sites which warrant protection due to their national importance as ancient The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas monuments. Act 1979 Damage to an ancient monument is a criminal offence and any works taking place within one require Scheduled Monument Consent from the Secretary of State.
The National Heritage Acts comprise four Acts that aim to alter the way in which Britain's national heritage National Heritage Act 1997 and 2002 amendment assets are managed and protected.
Provides and outline for county councils to follow in regard to flood risk. This implements the 2007 EU Flood Risk Regulations 2009 Floods Directive.
Provides for more comprehensive management of flood risk for people, homes and businesses, helping to Flood and Water Management Act 2010 safeguard community groups from unaffordable rises in surface water drainage charges.
Enshrines a “presumption in favour of sustainable development” within the planning system (meeting the National Planning Policy Framework (2019) needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs).
Sets out the ways in which the Highways Agency will engage with communities and developers to deliver The Strategic Road Network and the Delivery of Policy sustainable development, and thus economic growth, whilst safeguarding the primary function and purpose Sustainable Development (Circular 02/2013) of the strategic road network.
Sets out air quality objectives and policy options to further improve air quality in the UK by tackling all Clean Air Strategy 2019 sources of air pollution whilst protection nature and boosting the economy.
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Legislation, policy or Title Relevance to the SEA guidance
Implementing the Sustainable Development Goals Corporate report outlining the commitments of the UK to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals to 2030 (2019)
Sets out government action to help the natural world regain and retain good health. Aims to deliver a Green 25 year Environment Plan (2018) Brexit and deliver cleaner air and water in cities and rural landscapes.
Sets out the policies and plans needed to tackle transport emissions and decarbonise the transport system Decarbonising Transport: Setting the Challenge in the UK incorporating the need to deliver air quality and health benefits and also to consider people’s (2020) choices as an important mechanism in reducing carbon emissions from transport.
National Planning Practice Guidance (2019) Provides detailed guidance and advice on the UK planning system.
DEFRA’s White Paper describes a vision for future water management in regards to the natural Water for Life environment, industry and affordability.
This document is intended to help Government to realise its vision for the historic environment, and to assist The Government Statement on the Historic us in working jointly with others to achieve our aims. It sets out the understanding of the value of the historic Guidance Environment for England environment, and the many roles that Government and others play. It also considers the key opportunities for future involvement and the challenges we must address. It includes six broad strategic aims.
The Natural Choice: Securing the Value of Nature DEFRA’s White Paper outlines the Government’s vision for the natural environment for the next 50 years.
The Great Britain Invasive Non-native Species Launched in May 2008 the Strategy provides strategic framework within which the actions of government Framework Strategy departments, their related bodies and key stakeholders can be better co-ordinated.
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Legislation, policy or Title Relevance to the SEA guidance
Regional
CFMPs recommend methods for managing flood risk now and over the next 50-100 years within the catchment. They aim to promote more sustainable approaches to managing flood risk. Leicester falls within the Upper Soar and Upper Anker sub area and Policy Option 4 has been applied: areas River Trent Catchment Flood Management Plan of low, moderate or high flood risk where we area already managing the flood risk effectively but where we (CFMP) may need to take further actions to keep pace with climate change. Proposed actions include a flood warning service, implementation of an integrated drainage strategy for urban areas, green corridors along watercourses through urban centres and flood resilience for infrastructure such as roads. Policy The RBMP was prepared under the WFD and identifies the ‘quality’ elements’ of each water body, against which the strategic options can be assessed. These include: Humber River Basin Management Plan (RBMP) • Physico-chemical elements (which for the purposes of this report includes with respect to specific (2015) pollutants); • Biological elements; and • Hydromorphology.
Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Biodiversity Provides details of those habitats and species listed on the UK BAP that are found in Leicester, Action Plan (2016-2026) Leicestershire and Rutland and local species of conservation value.
Local
Sets out the Council’s strategic vision for green sites in Leicester and the ways in which they can be created, Leicester Green Infrastructure Strategy 2015-2025 managed and maintained to provide maximum benefits to the people who live, work or visit Leicester.
Presents the council’s aims and objectives on which they will base their action plan to respond to the climate Leicester Climate Emergency Strategy 2020-2023 emergency. This covers travel and transport, consumer choices and waste, land use, green space and development.
Policy Sets out the sustainability aims of the council across six strategic themes with a number of priorities to be Leicester Sustainability Action Plan 2016-2019 completed by 2019, but some long term ambitions to 2025 included as well.
Under the Flood and Water Management Act (2010), Leicester City Council is designated as the Lead Local Leicester Local Flood Risk Management Strategy Flood Authority and must produce, maintain and monitor a local flood risk management strategy. This forms 2015 the framework within which the council engages with local communities to develop local flood risk management decisions.
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Legislation, policy or Title Relevance to the SEA guidance
Sets out Leicester City Council’s carbon emissions change to 2-18/19 and ambitions for further reductions to Leicester Carbon Footprint Statement 2018-2019 2025.
Contains actions over the period to 2026 to significantly reduce air pollution to a lower level than required by Leicester Air Quality Action Plan 2015-2026 law in order to provide better health for the people of Leicester.
Builds on the COVID-19 Recovery Plan to set out a programme of transport improvements for the next two Leicester Draft LTP4 (2021) decades.
Sets out targets for housing and employment land growth in Leicester and identifies sites for housing, Leicester Local Plan (draft) 2020 employment, retail and open space. It also includes development management policies and strategies for the implementation of sites and policies.
Leicester City Council’s COVID-19 Transport Outlines the council’s response to the Government’s COVID-19 Recovery Strategy and transport recovery Recovery Plan plans following the principles of Safety, Sustainability and Social Equity.
Provides a long term vision and strategy for the period to 2050 which will be delivered through Local Plans. It focusses on four key matters: Plans Leicester and Leicestershire Strategic Growth Plan to Delivering new housing; 2050 (2018) Supporting the economy; Identifying essential infrastructure; and Protecting the environment and built heritage
Leicester and Leicestershire Strategic Transport Sets out the long-term approach to transport improvements over the next 30 years through a range of Priorities programmes and packages.
Linked to the successful bid by the council to the government’s Transforming Cities Fund. This £70 million package of work focusses on major sustainable transport improvements. The Connected Leicester Hub and Connecting Leicester Spoke Plan forms the Strategic Outline Business Case for the Transforming Cities Fund Tranche 2 submitted to the Department for Transport in November 2019, and outlines planned the programme of integrated public and sustainable transport schemes in Central Leicestershire.
Provides a comprehensive and robust evidence base to support the production of the Strategic Growth Plan Leicestershire and Leicester City Level 1 Strategic by providing up to date information and guidance on flood risk, considers opportunities to reduce flood risk to Flood Risk Assessment (2017) communities and developments and to determine variations in current and future flood risk from all sources of flooding.
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Appendix D: Figures
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455000 460000 465000 ± 310000 310000
Legend: Study Area 305000 305000
Data Sources: © Leicester City Council, 2021. © HaskoningDHV UK Ltd. 2021. Basemap: © OpenStreetMap (and) contributors, CC-BY-SA. Contains OS data © Crown Copyright and database right, 2021. Client: Project:
Leicester LTP4 SEA Leicester City Council Environmental Report
Title:
SEA Study Area
Figure: 3.1 Drawing No: PC2203-RHD-ZZ-XX-DR-Z-0014
Revision: Date: Drawn: Checked: Size: Scale:
P01 26/04/2021 FC LC A3 1:50,000 300000 300000
Co-ordinate system: British National Grid
ROYAL HASKONINGDHV INDUSTRY & BUILDINGS 2 ABBEY GARDENS GREAT COLLEGE STREET 0 1 2 Kilometres LONDON SW1P 3NL +44 (0)20 7222 2115 www.royalhaskoningdhv.com 455000 460000 465000 455000 460000 465000 ± 310000 310000
Legend: Study Area National Cycle Route Public Rights of Way (PRoW) Footpath 305000 305000
Data Sources: © Leicester City Council, 2021. © HaskoningDHV UK Ltd. 2021. Basemap: © OpenStreetMap (and) contributors, CC-BY-SA. Contains OS data © Crown Copyright and database right, 2021. Client: Project:
Leicester LTP4 SEA Leicester City Council Environmental Report
Title: Long Distance Paths, National Cycle Routes and other PRoWs
Figure: 4.1 Drawing No: PC2203-RHD-ZZ-XX-DR-Z-0015
Revision: Date: Drawn: Checked: Size: Scale:
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Co-ordinate system: British National Grid
ROYAL HASKONINGDHV INDUSTRY & BUILDINGS 2 ABBEY GARDENS GREAT COLLEGE STREET 0 1 2 Kilometres LONDON SW1P 3NL +44 (0)20 7222 2115 www.royalhaskoningdhv.com 455000 460000 465000 455000 460000 465000 ± 310000 310000
Legend: Study Area Scheduled Monument Listed Building Grades I II* II 305000 305000
Data Sources: © Historic England, 2021. © Leicester City Council, 2021. © HaskoningDHV UK Ltd. 2021. Basemap: © OpenStreetMap (and) contributors, CC-BY-SA. Contains OS data © Crown Copyright and database right, 2021. Client: Project:
Leicester LTP4 SEA Leicester City Council Environmental Report
Title:
Listed Buildings and Historic Monuments
Figure: 4.2 Drawing No: PC2203-RHD-ZZ-XX-DR-Z-0016
Revision: Date: Drawn: Checked: Size: Scale:
P01 26/04/2021 FC LC A3 1:50,000 300000 300000
Co-ordinate system: British National Grid
ROYAL HASKONINGDHV INDUSTRY & BUILDINGS 2 ABBEY GARDENS GREAT COLLEGE STREET 0 1 2 Kilometres LONDON SW1P 3NL +44 (0)20 7222 2115 www.royalhaskoningdhv.com 455000 460000 465000 455000 460000 465000 ± 310000 310000
Legend: Study Area Registered Park and Garden Conservation Area 305000 305000
Data Sources: © Historic England, 2021. © Leicester City Council, 2021. © HaskoningDHV UK Ltd. 2021. Basemap: © OpenStreetMap (and) contributors, CC-BY-SA. Contains OS data © Crown Copyright and database right, 2021. Client: Project:
Leicester LTP4 SEA Leicester City Council Environmental Report
Title:
Registered Parks and Gardens and Conservation Areas
Figure: 4.3 Drawing No: PC2203-RHD-ZZ-XX-DR-Z-0017
Revision: Date: Drawn: Checked: Size: Scale:
P01 26/04/2021 FC LC A3 1:50,000 300000 300000
Co-ordinate system: British National Grid
ROYAL HASKONINGDHV INDUSTRY & BUILDINGS 2 ABBEY GARDENS GREAT COLLEGE STREET 0 1 2 Kilometres LONDON SW1P 3NL +44 (0)20 7222 2115 www.royalhaskoningdhv.com 455000 460000 465000 455000 460000 465000 ±
Ashton
310000 Green 310000
Castle Hill Country Park King William's Oak Birstall Bridge, Rothley Meadows Brook Bennion Pools Castle Hill Mature Tree Country Park, Gorse Hill Watermead Country Park Red Hill, Great Melton Brook Central Railway & Flood Meadow Goss Belgrave Cemetery Watermead Legend: Meadows Country Park (LNR) (LNR) Anstey Lane Appleton Park Mature Tree Gipsy Lane Hamilton Study Area and Peebles Pit (SSSI) Meadows Anstey Lane Way Nature Area and Adjacent Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) Water Hedgerows Centre Gipsy Lane Claypit and Adjacent Land Local Nature Reserve (LNR) Quakesick Spinney Gilroes Cemetery Hamilton Local Wildlife Site (LWS) Mature Trees School Anstey Lane Nature Pastures and Reserve The Orchards Goss Meadows (LNR) Mature Ash Tree, Abbey Park Stokeswood Western Golf Course Park Abbey Park and Adjacent Great MatureTrees Crested Newt Habitat Humberstone Park Mature Trees Western Park Humberstone Park Mature Trees Willowbrook River Soar/Grand Union Canal (LNR) 305000 305000 (Watermead Way to Twelve Arches) Spinney Hill Park Western Park Mature Trees Hedgerow and Kirby Field Pond Frith Hinckley Road Evington Park (LNR) Hedgerow Mature Oak Tree, Field Pools Goodwood Road Hinckley Road Mature Trees Ratby Lane Ethel Road Verge, Hedge and Braunstone Evington Park Spinney Evington Park Data Sources: © Natural England, 2021. © Leicester City Council, 2021. Braunstone Park Mature Great Crested Park Meadow Trees Newt Pond © HaskoningDHV UK Ltd. 2021. Evington Park Welford Road Basemap: © OpenStreetMap (and) contributors, CC-BY-SA. Contains OS data © Crown Highway Spinney/ Mature Trees Evington Green Cemetery Copyright and database right, 2021. Meynell's Gorse Mature Tree Client: Project: Braunstone Leicestershire Golf Lane Mature Aylestone Meadows Course and Adjacent Trees (Twelve Arches Bridge Sites Leicester LTP4 SEA to Braunstone Lane) Leicester City Council Ivanhoe Line/Main Environmental Report Line Railway & Sidings and Saffron Lane Verges Aylestone Meadows (LNR) St Mary's Allotments Title: Mature Tree Knighton Arboretum Designated Sites Aylestone Meadows Pond (Braunstone Lane to Knighton Washbrook Soar Valley Way) Grand Union Canal Spinney Nature Reserve Saffron (LNR) Lane Figure: Drawing No: Brook 4.4 PC2203-RHD-ZZ-XX-DR-Z-0018 King's Lock Fields, Knighton Park Knighton Park Aylestone Meadows Mature Tree Hedgerows Revision: Date: Drawn: Checked: Size: Scale:
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Aylestone Meadows Sturdee Road (South of Soar Valley Way) Recreation Ground Hedgerow Co-ordinate system: British National Grid
Sonning Way ROYAL HASKONINGDHV Open Space Hedgerow INDUSTRY & BUILDINGS 2 ABBEY GARDENS GREAT COLLEGE STREET 0 1 2 Kilometres LONDON SW1P 3NL +44 (0)20 7222 2115 www.royalhaskoningdhv.com 455000 460000 465000 455000 460000 465000 ± 310000 310000
Legend: Study Area Historic Landfill Site 305000 305000
Data Sources: © Leicester City Council, 2021. © Environment Agency, 2021. © HaskoningDHV UK Ltd. 2021. Basemap: © OpenStreetMap (and) contributors, CC-BY-SA. Contains OS data © Crown Copyright and database right, 2021. Client: Project:
Leicester LTP4 SEA Leicester City Council Environmental Report
Title:
Historic Landfill Sites
Figure: 4.5 Drawing No: PC2203-RHD-ZZ-XX-DR-Z-0019
Revision: Date: Drawn: Checked: Size: Scale:
P01 26/04/2021 FC LC A3 1:50,000 300000 300000
Co-ordinate system: British National Grid
ROYAL HASKONINGDHV INDUSTRY & BUILDINGS 2 ABBEY GARDENS GREAT COLLEGE STREET 0 1 2 Kilometres LONDON SW1P 3NL +44 (0)20 7222 2115 www.royalhaskoningdhv.com 455000 460000 465000 455000 460000 465000
Soar from Sence ± to Rothley Brook: GB104028047030 310000 310000
Legend: Study Area Melton Brook Catchment (trib of Soar): Rothley Brook Main River GB104028047010 Catchment (trib of Soar): GB104028046730 WFD River Water Body Catchment Evington Brook from Source to Willow Brook Lubbesthorpe Brook Catchment (trib of Melton Brook Catchment (trib of Soar) Rothley Brook Catchment (trib of Soar) Soar from Sence to Rothley Brook Wash Brook Catchment (trib of Soar) 305000 305000 Willow Brook Catchment (trib of Soar)
Willow Brook Catchment (trib of Soar): GB104028046980 Data Sources: © Environment Agency, 2021. © Leicester City Council, 2021. © HaskoningDHV UK Ltd. 2021. Basemap: © OpenStreetMap (and) contributors, CC-BY-SA. Contains OS data © Crown Copyright and database right, 2021. Client: Project:
Leicester LTP4 SEA Evington Brook from Leicester City Council Source to Willow Environmental Report Brook: GB104028046960
Title: Lubbesthorpe Brook Catchment (trib of Soar): GB104028046920 Water Bodies and Catchments
Figure: Drawing No: Wash Brook Catchment 4.6 PC2203-RHD-ZZ-XX-DR-Z-0020 (trib of Soar): GB104028046910 Revision: Date: Drawn: Checked: Size: Scale:
P01 26/04/2021 FC LC A3 1:50,000 300000 300000
Co-ordinate system: British National Grid
ROYAL HASKONINGDHV INDUSTRY & BUILDINGS 2 ABBEY GARDENS GREAT COLLEGE STREET 0 1 2 Kilometres LONDON SW1P 3NL +44 (0)20 7222 2115 www.royalhaskoningdhv.com 455000 460000 465000 455000 460000 465000 ± 310000 310000
Legend: Study Area Flood Zone 3 Flood Zone 2 305000 305000
Data Sources: © Environment Agency, 2021. © Leicester City Council, 2021. © HaskoningDHV UK Ltd. 2021. Basemap: © OpenStreetMap (and) contributors, CC-BY-SA. Contains OS data © Crown Copyright and database right, 2021. Client: Project:
Leicester LTP4 SEA Leicester City Council Environmental Report
Title:
Flood Risk Zones
Figure: 4.7 Drawing No: PC2203-RHD-ZZ-XX-DR-Z-0021
Revision: Date: Drawn: Checked: Size: Scale:
P01 26/04/2021 FC LC A3 1:50,000 300000 300000
Co-ordinate system: British National Grid
ROYAL HASKONINGDHV INDUSTRY & BUILDINGS 2 ABBEY GARDENS GREAT COLLEGE STREET 0 1 2 Kilometres LONDON SW1P 3NL +44 (0)20 7222 2115 www.royalhaskoningdhv.com 455000 460000 465000 455000 460000 465000 ± 310000 310000
Legend: Study Area Leicester City Council Air Quality Management Area 305000 305000
Data Sources: © Defra, 2021. © Leicester City Council, 2021. © HaskoningDHV UK Ltd. 2021. Basemap: © OpenStreetMap (and) contributors, CC-BY-SA. Contains OS data © Crown Copyright and database right, 2021. Client: Project:
Leicester LTP4 SEA Leicester City Council Environmental Report
Title:
Air Quality Management Areas
Figure: 4.8 Drawing No: PC2203-RHD-ZZ-XX-DR-Z-0022
Revision: Date: Drawn: Checked: Size: Scale:
P01 26/04/2021 FC LC A3 1:50,000 300000 300000
Co-ordinate system: British National Grid
ROYAL HASKONINGDHV INDUSTRY & BUILDINGS 2 ABBEY GARDENS GREAT COLLEGE STREET 0 1 2 Kilometres LONDON SW1P 3NL +44 (0)20 7222 2115 www.royalhaskoningdhv.com 455000 460000 465000 455000 460000 465000 ± 310000 310000
Legend: Study Area Green Space Green Wedge 305000 305000
Data Sources: © Leicester City Council, 2021. © HaskoningDHV UK Ltd. 2021. Basemap: © OpenStreetMap (and) contributors, CC-BY-SA. Contains OS data © Crown Copyright and database right, 2021. Client: Project:
Leicester LTP4 SEA Leicester City Council Environmental Report
Title:
Green Spaces in the City of Leicester
Figure: 4.9 Drawing No: PC2203-RHD-ZZ-XX-DR-Z-0023
Revision: Date: Drawn: Checked: Size: Scale:
P01 26/04/2021 FC LC A3 1:50,000 300000 300000
Co-ordinate system: British National Grid
ROYAL HASKONINGDHV INDUSTRY & BUILDINGS 2 ABBEY GARDENS GREAT COLLEGE STREET 0 1 2 Kilometres LONDON SW1P 3NL +44 (0)20 7222 2115 www.royalhaskoningdhv.com 455000 460000 465000 # # # # # # # # # # 455000 # 460000 465000 # # # # ± #
310000 # 310000 # k" # # k" # k # " k # " k" Legend: # k" k" # k" Study Area k" # k" k" k" k" k" School # k" k" k k" " IC Hospital # k" k" k" k" k # IC " ×Ñ Fire Station k" k" k k" k" # " k" National Grid Infrastructure # k" Over Head Line k" k" # ×Ñ k" k" k" k" k k" # k" ×Ñ " IC # Tower # k" k k" # k" " k" k" k" k" k" # k" # k"
305000 k" 305000 # k" k" k" k" k" k" k" k" k" # k" k" k" k" k" k" k" # k" k" k" k" IC k" k" k" k" k" # k" k" k" k" Data Sources: © NHS, 2021. © Department of Education, 2021. © Home Office, 2021. k" IC k" k" k" © National Grid, 2021. © Leicester City Council, 2021. © HaskoningDHV UK Ltd. 2021. # ×Ñ k" Basemap: © OpenStreetMap (and) contributors, CC-BY-SA. Contains OS data © Crown k" k" Copyright and database right, 2021. # k" k" Client: Project: k" # k" k" k" # k Leicester LTP4 SEA " k" Leicester City Council # k Environmental Report # " k" k" # k" Title: k" k # " k" k k" Critical Infrastructure # " # k" k k" Figure: 4.10 Drawing No: PC2203-RHD-ZZ-XX-DR-Z-0024 # " # Revision: Date: Drawn: Checked: Size: Scale: # k" P01 26/04/2021 FC LC A3 1:50,000
300000 k" 300000 # k" # Co-ordinate system: British National Grid # k" # ROYAL HASKONINGDHV # INDUSTRY & BUILDINGS 2 ABBEY GARDENS # GREAT COLLEGE STREET 0 1 2 Kilometres LONDON # SW1P 3NL +44 (0)20 7222 2115 # www.royalhaskoningdhv.com # 455000 460000 465000 # # # # #
# # # # # # # # # 450000 455000 460000 465000 ±
Bradgate Park and Cropston Reservoir (SSSI) 310000 310000
Legend: Study Area Study Area 2km Buffer Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) Gipsy Lane Pit (SSSI) 305000 305000
Data Sources: © Natural England, 2021. © Leicester City Council, 2021. © HaskoningDHV UK Ltd. 2021. Basemap: © OpenStreetMap (and) contributors, CC-BY-SA. Contains OS data © Crown Copyright and database right, 2021. Client: Project:
Leicester LTP4 SEA Leicester City Council Environmental Report
Title: Sites of Special Scientific Interest within 2km of the Enderby Warren Study Area Quarry (SSSI) 300000 300000 Figure: 4.11 Drawing No: PC2203-RHD-ZZ-XX-DR-Z-0025
Revision: Date: Drawn: Checked: Size: Scale:
P01 26/04/2021 FC LC A3 1:65,000
Co-ordinate system: British National Grid Narborough Bog (SSSI) ROYAL HASKONINGDHV INDUSTRY & BUILDINGS 2 ABBEY GARDENS GREAT COLLEGE STREET 0 2 4 Kilometres LONDON SW1P 3NL +44 (0)20 7222 2115 www.royalhaskoningdhv.com 450000 455000 460000 465000 455000 460000 465000 ± 310000 310000
Legend: Study Area Priority Habitat Types Coastal and Floodplain Grazing Marsh Deciduous Woodland Good Quality Semi-improved Grassland No Main Habitat but Additional Habitats Present Traditional Orchard 305000 305000
Data Sources: © Natural England, 2021. © Leicester City Council, 2021. © HaskoningDHV UK Ltd. 2021. Basemap: © OpenStreetMap (and) contributors, CC-BY-SA. Contains OS data © Crown Copyright and database right, 2021. Client: Project:
Leicester LTP4 SEA Leicester City Council Environmental Report
Title:
Priority Habitats within the Study Area
Figure: 4.12 Drawing No: PC2203-RHD-ZZ-XX-DR-Z-0026
Revision: Date: Drawn: Checked: Size: Scale:
P01 26/04/2021 FC LC A3 1:50,000 300000 300000
Co-ordinate system: British National Grid
ROYAL HASKONINGDHV INDUSTRY & BUILDINGS 2 ABBEY GARDENS GREAT COLLEGE STREET 0 1 2 Kilometres LONDON SW1P 3NL +44 (0)20 7222 2115 www.royalhaskoningdhv.com 455000 460000 465000
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Appendix E: Assessment Tables
Table E1.1 Impact Significance Magnitude Value / Sensitivity High Medium Low Negligible
High Major + or - Moderate + or - Minor + or - Minor + or -
Medium Moderate + or - Moderate + or - Minor + or - Negligible
Low Minor + or - Minor + or - Negligible Negligible
Negligible Minor + or - Negligible Negligible Negligible
Table E1.2 Assessment matrix colour coding and symbology Symbology/Colouring Significance
++ Action is likely to result in a significant positive effect on the receptor
Action is likely to have a positive or minor positive effect on the receptor environment (depending on + scheme specifics at implementation).
0 Action is likely to have a neutral or negligible effect on the environment
Action is likely to have a negative or minor negative effect on the environment (depending on scheme - specifics at implementation).
-- Action is likely to have a significant negative effect on the environment.
/ Objective/receptor not relevant
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Table E1.3 SEA Assessment Table - 'Hub and Spoke' Theme
Assessment criteria: will Connected Corridors and Hub Theme Criterion SEA ‘topic’ SEA objective implementing the proposed Number option … ? High Quality integrated Connected Commuter ‘Greenlines’ electric bus transport hubs Corridors network
Reduce transport related community 1 + ++ ++ Improve accessibility to severance jobs, facilities and Improve access to facilities, services and increase particularly for disadvantaged 2 + + ++ transport choice groups, the elderly, mobility impaired and those without a car
Guard against increased risks to Reduce risks to life, safety 3 health and welfare, including public + + + and wellbeing risk
Increase opportunities and amenity Population, Protect and promote the of active travel modes for health communities physical and mental 4 benefits. Ensure access to health + + + and human wellbeing and safety of facilities by a wide range of health the population sustainable modes of travel.
Ensure the continued resilience of the local economy, including 5 tourism elements and minority + + ++ Protect and enhance the sectors, and the UA’s contribution to local and wider economy, the wider regional economy and features which support it Protect formal and informal recreational and amenity features 6 + + + and increase accessibility to these features
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Assessment criteria: will Connected Corridors and Hub Theme Criterion SEA ‘topic’ SEA objective implementing the proposed Number option … ? High Quality integrated Connected Commuter ‘Greenlines’ electric bus transport hubs Corridors network
Protect and enhance the site and + + setting of nationally-designated 7 + heritage and identified locally- Protect and enhance the important heritage features - - Historic historic environment and environment historic landscape Provide suitable protection to + + + character undesignated, unidentified and 8 potential assets, including historic landscapes - - -
Protect and enhance Protect and enhance nationally- geological interest 9 designated sites of geological + + 0 features interest
Protect and conserve soil Soils 10 Protect and conserve soil quality + + 0 quality
Avoid and reduce Avoid the release of contaminants potential contamination 11 + + + into the environment issues
Maintain water ecological Support the achievement or potential and improve maintenance of good status or Water 12 + + + where appropriate (or potential for water bodies, with feasible) equivalent standards beyond 2027.
Reduce the impacts of transport on Improve air quality 13 + ++ ++ air quality.
Air and climatic Reduce vulnerability to the Act to limit climate change factors predicted effects of climate change impacts and vulnerability 14 + + + in a flexible way where future to future change management can be altered in the
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Assessment criteria: will Connected Corridors and Hub Theme Criterion SEA ‘topic’ SEA objective implementing the proposed Number option … ? High Quality integrated Connected Commuter ‘Greenlines’ electric bus transport hubs Corridors network
light of updated information on likely impacts
Protect and contribute to the Protect and enhance Landscape 15 enhancement of the landscape + + 0 landscape / character character
Protect and enhance the condition Critical 16 + ++ ++ infrastructure Protect critical of critical road infrastructure and material infrastructure assets Protect the material, or function, of 17 ++ ++ ++ assets other critical infrastructural assets
Protect and enhance locally- Protect and where 18 + + + possible enhance, designated sites and their features Biodiversity, biodiversity features (e.g. flora and fauna Protect and where possible designated sites, habitats 19 enhance terrestrial and aquatic + + + and species) ecology
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Table E1. 4 SEA Assessment Table - Connected Healthy Neighbourhoods theme
Connected Healthy Neighbourhoods Assessment criteria: Criterion will SEA ‘topic’ SEA objective Connected Connected City Fewer and Cleaner Number implementing the Connected Local Good Local Bus walking and Centre Vehicles in proposed option … ? Neighbourhoods Networks cycling networks Neighbourhoods Neighbourhoods
Reduce transport related 1 ++ ++ ++ ++ + community severance Improve accessibility to jobs, facilities and services and Improve access to increase transport facilities, particularly for choice disadvantaged groups, 2 ++ ++ ++ ++ + the elderly, mobility impaired and those without a car Population, communities and human Guard against increased health Reduce risks to risks to health and life, safety and 3 ++ ++ ++ ++ + welfare, including public wellbeing risk
Increase opportunities Protect and and amenity of active promote the travel modes for health physical and 4 benefits. Ensure access ++ ++ ++ ++ + mental wellbeing to health facilities by a and safety of the wide range of sustainable population modes of travel.
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Connected Healthy Neighbourhoods Assessment criteria: Criterion will SEA ‘topic’ SEA objective Connected Connected City Fewer and Cleaner Number implementing the Connected Local Good Local Bus walking and Centre Vehicles in proposed option … ? Neighbourhoods Networks cycling networks Neighbourhoods Neighbourhoods
Ensure the continued resilience of the local economy, including 5 tourism elements and ++ ++ + ++ + minority sectors, and the Protect and UA’s contribution to the enhance the local wider regional economy and wider economy, and features which support it Protect formal and informal recreational and 6 amenity features and + + + + + increase accessibility to these features
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Connected Healthy Neighbourhoods Assessment criteria: Criterion will SEA ‘topic’ SEA objective Connected Connected City Fewer and Cleaner Number implementing the Connected Local Good Local Bus walking and Centre Vehicles in proposed option … ? Neighbourhoods Networks cycling networks Neighbourhoods Neighbourhoods
Protect and enhance the + site and setting of nationally-designated 7 + + + + heritage and identified Protect and locally-important heritage enhance the features - Historic historic environment environment and historic landscape Provide suitable character protection to + undesignated, 8 + + + + unidentified and potential assets, including historic - landscapes
Protect and Protect and enhance enhance 9 nationally-designated 0 0 0 + + geological interest sites of geological interest features
Protect and Soils Protect and conserve soil conserve soil 10 0 0 0 + + quality quality
Avoid and reduce Avoid the release of potential 11 contaminants into the + + + + + contamination environment issues
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Connected Healthy Neighbourhoods Assessment criteria: Criterion will SEA ‘topic’ SEA objective Connected Connected City Fewer and Cleaner Number implementing the Connected Local Good Local Bus walking and Centre Vehicles in proposed option … ? Neighbourhoods Networks cycling networks Neighbourhoods Neighbourhoods
Maintain water Support the achievement ecological or maintenance of good potential and status or potential for Water 12 + + + + + improve where water bodies, with appropriate (or equivalent standards feasible) beyond 2027.
Improve air Reduce the impacts of 13 ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ quality transport on air quality.
Reduce vulnerability to Air and climatic the predicted effects of factors Act to limit climate climate change in a change impacts flexible way where future 14 + + + + + and vulnerability management can be to future change altered in the light of updated information on likely impacts
+ Protect and Protect and contribute to enhance Landscape 15 the enhancement of the + + + + landscape / landscape character character -
Protect critical Protect and enhance the Critical infrastructure 16 condition of critical road ++ ++ + ++ + infrastructure assets infrastructure
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Connected Healthy Neighbourhoods Assessment criteria: Criterion will SEA ‘topic’ SEA objective Connected Connected City Fewer and Cleaner Number implementing the Connected Local Good Local Bus walking and Centre Vehicles in proposed option … ? Neighbourhoods Networks cycling networks Neighbourhoods Neighbourhoods
and material Protect the material, or assets 17 function, of other critical + ++ + + + infrastructural assets
Protect and where Protect and enhance possible enhance, 18 locally-designated sites + + + + + biodiversity and their features Biodiversity, features (e.g. flora and fauna designated sites, habitats and Protect and where species) possible enhance 19 + + + + + terrestrial and aquatic ecology
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Table E1. 5 SEA Assessment Table - Managing Demand for Car Use theme
Managing demand for car use
Assessment criteria: will Criterion Parking SEA ‘topic’ SEA objective implementing the proposed Behaviour Number management Workplace Network option … ? change Smart transport and parking levy management programmes coordination
Reduce transport related 1 ++ 0 ++ ++ + Improve community severance accessibility to jobs, facilities and services and Improve access to facilities, increase transport particularly for disadvantaged choice 2 + 0 + ++ + groups, the elderly, mobility impaired and those without a car Population, communities and human Reduce risks to life, Guard against increased risks to health safety and 3 health and welfare, including + 0 ++ ++ + wellbeing public risk
Protect and Increase opportunities and promote the amenity of active travel modes for physical and mental 4 health benefits. Ensure access to + 0 ++ ++ ++ wellbeing and health facilities by a wide range of safety of the sustainable modes of travel. population
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Managing demand for car use
Assessment criteria: will Criterion Parking SEA ‘topic’ SEA objective implementing the proposed Behaviour Number management Workplace Network option … ? change Smart transport and parking levy management programmes coordination
Ensure the continued resilience of the local economy, including 5 tourism elements and minority + ++ + + + Protect and sectors, and the UA’s contribution enhance the local to the wider regional economy and wider economy, and features which support it Protect formal and informal recreational and amenity features 6 + 0 + ++ + and increase accessibility to these features
0 Protect and enhance the site and setting of nationally-designated 7 0 + + + heritage and identified locally- Protect and important heritage features enhance the historic - Historic environment and environment historic landscape character Provide suitable protection to undesignated, unidentified and 8 0 0 + + + potential assets, including historic landscapes
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Managing demand for car use
Assessment criteria: will Criterion Parking SEA ‘topic’ SEA objective implementing the proposed Behaviour Number management Workplace Network option … ? change Smart transport and parking levy management programmes coordination
Protect and Protect and enhance nationally- enhance geological 9 designated sites of geological 0 0 0 0 0 interest features interest
Soils Protect and 10 Protect and conserve soil quality 0 0 0 0 0 conserve soil quality
Avoid and reduce potential Avoid the release of contaminants 11 0 0 + + 0 contamination into the environment issues
Maintain water Support the achievement or ecological potential maintenance of good status or Water and improve where 12 potential for water bodies, with 0 0 + + + appropriate (or equivalent standards beyond feasible) 2027.
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Managing demand for car use
Assessment criteria: will Criterion Parking SEA ‘topic’ SEA objective implementing the proposed Behaviour Number management Workplace Network option … ? change Smart transport and parking levy management programmes coordination
Reduce the impacts of transport Improve air quality 13 + + ++ ++ + on air quality.
Air and Reduce vulnerability to the climatic Act to limit climate predicted effects of climate factors change impacts and change in a flexible way where 14 0 0 + ++ + vulnerability to future management can be future change altered in the light of updated information on likely impacts
Protect and Protect and contribute to the Landscape enhance landscape 15 enhancement of the landscape 0 0 0 + 0 / character character
Protect and enhance the condition 16 ++ + 0 ++ ++ Critical of critical road infrastructure infrastructure Protect critical and material infrastructure assets Protect the material, or function, assets 17 of other critical infrastructural ++ + 0 ++ ++ assets
Biodiversity, Protect and where Protect and enhance locally- flora and possible enhance, 18 designated sites and their 0 0 0 0 + fauna biodiversity features features
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Managing demand for car use
Assessment criteria: will Criterion Parking SEA ‘topic’ SEA objective implementing the proposed Behaviour Number management Workplace Network option … ? change Smart transport and parking levy management programmes coordination
(e.g. designated Protect and where possible sites, habitats and 19 enhance terrestrial and aquatic 0 0 0 0 + species) ecology
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