SEA Screening Statement
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Screening Statement on the determination of the need for a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) in accordance with the Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes Regulations 2004 and European Directive 2001/42/EC for the Chinnor Neighbourhood Development Plan Review 06 SEPTEMBER 2019 SUMMARY Following consultation with statutory bodies, South Oxfordshire District Council (the ‘Council’) determines that the Chinnor Neighbourhood Development Plan Review (Chinnor NDP) does not require a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). INTRODUCTION 1. An initial screening opinion was used to determine whether or not the contents of the emerging Chinnor Neighbourhood Development Plan Review (Chinnor NDP) required a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) in accordance with the European Directive 2011/42/EC (the Directive) and associated Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes Regulations 2004 (the Regulations). 2. Any land use plan or programme ‘which sets the framework for future development consent of projects’ must be screened according to a set of criteria from Annex II of the Directive and Schedule 1 of the Regulations. These criteria include exceptions for plans ‘which determine the use of a small area at local level’ or which only propose ‘minor modifications to a plan’, if it is determined that the plan is unlikely to have significant environmental effects. 3. This initial screening opinion was subject to consultation with Historic England, the Environment Agency, Natural England and Oxfordshire County COuncil. The results of the screening process are detailed in this Screening Statement. THE SCREENING PROCESS 1. Using the criteria set out in Annex II of the Directive and Schedule 1 of the Regulations, a Screening Opinion determines whether a plan or programme is likely to have significant environmental effects. 2. The extract from ‘A Practical Guide to the Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive’ in Appendix 1 provides a flow diagram to demonstrate the SEA screening process. 3. Table 1 in Appendix 1 sets out the criteria from the Practical Guide, along with an assessment of the Chinnor NDP against each criterion to ascertain whether a SEA is required. 4. Part of the screening process also includes the Habitats Regulations Assessment Screening, which can be found in Appendix 2. The Habitat Regulations Assessment (HRA) screening concluded that the Chinnor NDP is unlikely to have significant effects on Natura 2000 sites, either alone or in combination with other plans or projects, therefore, an Appropriate Assessment for the Chinnor NDP is not required. 5. Appendix 3 considers whether the plan is likely to have likely significant effects on the environment. 6. These two assessments feed into Table 1 and the SEA screening statement. 7. The council’s screening opinion concluded that the implementation of the Chinnor NDP would not result in likely significant effects on the environment and therefore would not require an SEA. CHINNOR NEIGHBOURHOOD DEVELOPMENT PLAN 8. The review of the Chinnor NDP has been undertaken to identify housing allocations that were not previously allocated in the adopted 2017 Chinnor NDP. 9. The NDP is proposing to allocate five sites, delivering a total of 428 dwellings. All of the proposed site allocations have extant planning permission and they vary between delivering 120 units and 61 units. 10. The site assessment process identified that five sites should be allocated for housing in the reviewed Chinnor NDP. These sites include: - Chi7 – Land west of Mill Lane Community Primary School – 78 dwellings; - Chi21 – Land south of Greenwood Avenue (2) – 140 dwellings; - Chi1 – Land east of Crowell Road – 120 dwellings; - Chi20 – Land south of Greenwood Avenue – 80 dwellings; and - Chi13 – Land north of Lower Icknield Way (4) – 89 dwellings. 11. When this screening opinion was undertaken all of these sites had extant planning permission, whether that be permission granted through outline applications, reserved matters, full applications, or appeal. 12. The Chinnor NDP is proposing a development boundary which is drawn around the village of Chinnor, which is classed as a larger village in the council’s settlement hierarchy. The proposed development boundary includes existing buildings and their curtilage as well as proposed site allocations and sites with extant planning permission for residential development. The proposed boundary excludes adjacent farmland and buildings which are located further into the countryside. 13. Careful consideration of the proposed boundary in relation to how South Oxfordshire Core Strategy 2012 guides the location and scale of development indicates that the proposed boundary may represent a more restrictive approach. Policy CSS1 in the Core Strategy sets out the overall strategy for the district, distinguishing between settlements and countryside. The strategy supports appropriate development in larger villages like Chinnor. It also sets out that outside of the towns and villages development will need to relate to very specific needs such as those of the agricultural industry or enhancement of the environment. The points from the strategy relating to Chinnor include: ‘iii) supporting and enhancing the larger villages of Berinsfield, Benson, Chalgrove, Chinnor, Cholsey, Crowmarsh Gifford, Goring, Nettlebed, Sonning Common, Watlington, Wheatley and Woodcote as local service centres; v) outside the towns and villages, and other major development sites any changes will need to relate to very specific needs such as those of the agricultural industry or enhancement of the environment.’ 14. Policy CRS1 in the Core Strategy supports site allocations and does not restrict the size of infill development in larger villages. The policy sets out that housing will be allowed that contributes to the present and future economic, environmental and social sustainability of the villages. 15. Paragraph 13.10 of the Core Strategy 2012 defines infill development as: ‘Infill development is defined as the filling of a small gap in an otherwise built-up frontage or on other sites within settlements where the site is closely surrounded by buildings.’ 16. The proposed boundary may be more restrictive because it potentially excludes opportunities for infill development on the edge of the settlement and focuses new (infill) development within the built up area, where there are, listed buildings, a Conservation Area, and potential archaeological remains. The proposed boundary could result in the plan directing new development to sites that could potentially have significant effects on the historic environment. 17. However, there are existing policies in place in the development plan that provide the necessary mechanisms to ensure the proposed boundary will not give rise to likely significant effects on the historic environment. These policies include: - Policy CSEN3 Historic Environment (Core Strategy 2012); - Policy CSQ3 Design (Core Strategy 2012); - Policy CON1 (Local Plan 2011); - Policy CON2 (Local Plan 2011); - Policy CON3 (Local Plan 2011); - Policy CON4 (Local Plan 2011); - Policy CON5 (Local Plan 2011); - Policy CON6 (Local Plan 2011); - Policy CON7 (Local Plan 2011); - Policy CON11 (Local Plan 2011); - Policy CON12 (Local Plan 2011); - Policy CON13 (Local Plan 2011); and - Policy CON14 (Local Plan 2011). 18. These policies set out a positive strategy for the conservation and enjoyment of the historic environment. The draft Chinnor NDP proposes to carry forward policies similar to the ones in the adopted NDP (policies CH C1 Design, CH C2 Conservation Areas, CH C3 Heritage Assets), that will ensure the proposed boundary will not give rise to likely significant effects. 19. It is therefore concluded that the implementation of the Chinnor NDP Review would not result in likely significant effects on the environment. CONSULTATION RESPONSES 20. The Screening Opinion was sent to Natural England, the Environment Agency, Historic England, and Oxfordshire County Council on 8th April 2019 for a four week consultation period. The responses in full are in Appendix 4. 21. Historic England agree with the Council’s view that the Chinnor NDP would not lead to significant effects on the historic environment and therefore the Chinnor NDP does not require a Strategic Environmental Assessment. 22. Natural England agree with the Initial Screening Opinion and consider that the plan does not require an SEA or Appropriate Assessment. 23. The Environment Agency did not provide a response to the Screening Opinion. CONCLUSION 24. As a result of the screening undertaken by the Council and the responses from the statutory consultees the following determination has been reached. 25. The Chinnor NDP is unlikely to have significant effects on Natura 2000 sites, either alone or in combination with other plans or projects; therefore, an Appropriate Assessment for the Chinnor NDP is not required. 26. Based on the assessment presented in Appendices 3, the Chinnor NDP is unlikely to have a significant effect on the environment. 27. The Chinnor NDP does not require a Strategic Environment Assessment. Appendix 1 – Extract from ‘A Practical Guide to the Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive’ (DCLG) (2005) Table 1: Application of SEA Directive as shown in Appendix 1 [Note to author – most of these boxes contain standard text –greyed out. Those where specific details need to be included are Qs 3,4,5 & 8] Stage Y/N Explanation 1. Is the Neighbourhood Plan subject to Y The preparation of and adoption of the Neighbourhood