Report Sustainability Appraisal for the Blandford+ Neighbourhood
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Sustainability Appraisal for the Blandford + Neighbourhood Plan Version 2 SA Report to accompany the submission version of the Neighbourhood Plan Blandford+ NP Version 2 Steering Group January 2019 Sustainability Appraisal (SA) for the Submission version of the SA Report Blandford+ NP Version 2 Quality information Prepared by Checked by Approved by Rosie Cox Nick Chisholm-Batten Steve Smith Environmental Planner Associate Technical Director Revision History Revision Revision date Details Authorised Name Position V1.0 17/01/19 Draft for group 18/01/19 Nick Chisholm- Associate comment Batten V2.0 28/01/19 Submission 28/01/19 Nick Chisholm- Associate version Batten Prepared for: Blandford+ NP Version 2 Steering Group Prepared by: AECOM Infrastructure & Environment UK Limited 3rd Floor, Portwall Place Portwall Lane Bristol BS1 6NA United Kingdom T: +44 117 901 7000 aecom.com © 2019 AECOM Limited. All Rights Reserved. This document has been prepared by AECOM Limited (“AECOM”) in accordance with its contract with Locality (the “Client”) and in accordance with generally accepted consultancy principles, the budget for fees and the terms of reference agreed between AECOM and the Client. Any information provided by third parties and referred to herein has not been checked or verified by AECOM, unless otherwise expressly stated in the document. AECOM shall have no liability to any third party that makes use of or relies upon this document Blandford+ Neighbourhood Plan 2 Steering Group AECOM Sustainability Appraisal (SA) for the Submission version of the SA Report Blandford+ NP Version 2 Table of Contents Non-technical summary ............................................................................................................................................ 1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................................. 1 SA explained ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 2 Structure of this SA report ........................................................................................................................................................................... 2 2. Local Plan context and vision for the Blandford+ Neighbourhood Plan 2 .............................. 4 Local Plan context for the Blandford+ Neighbourhood Plan 2 ............................................................................................. 4 Vision for the Blandford+ Neighbourhood Plan 2.......................................................................................................................... 6 3. The scope of the SA .................................................................................................................................. 7 SA Scoping Report ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 7 Key sustainability issues ............................................................................................................................................................................... 8 SA Framework ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 12 4. What has plan making/ SA involved to this point?........................................................................ 16 Overview of plan making / SA work undertaken since May 2018 .................................................................................... 16 Assessment of reasonable alternatives for the Blandford+ Neighbourhood Plan 2 ........................................... 16 Assessment of high level Spatial Options for development ............................................................................................... 18 Spatial options assessed .......................................................................................................................................................................... 18 Appraisal findings ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 22 Choice of preferred spatial option taken forward for the purposes of the Neighbourhood Plan ................ 36 Current approach in the Neighbourhood Plan and the development of Neighbourhood Plan policies . 36 5. What are the appraisal findings at this current stage? ............................................................... 38 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 38 Approach to the appraisal ......................................................................................................................................................................... 38 Biodiversity ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 38 Climate change ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 41 Landscape and historic environment ................................................................................................................................................ 42 Land, soil and water resources .............................................................................................................................................................. 43 Population and community ...................................................................................................................................................................... 44 Health and wellbeing..................................................................................................................................................................................... 45 Economy and enterprise ............................................................................................................................................................................ 46 Transportation .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 47 Cumulative effects ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 47 Conclusions at this current stage ........................................................................................................................................................ 49 6. Monitoring programme for the SA ..................................................................................................... 50 7. What are the next steps? ....................................................................................................................... 51 Appendix A Context review and baseline ....................................................................................................... 52 Blandford+ Neighbourhood Plan 2 Steering Group AECOM Sustainability Appraisal for the Blandford+ Neighbourhood Plan 2 Prepared for: Blandford+ Neighbourhood Plan 2 Steering Group Blandford+ Neighbourhood Plan 2 Steering Group AECOM 4 Sustainability Appraisal (SA) for the Submission version of the SA Report Blandford+ NP Version 2 Non-technical summary What is a Sustainability Appraisal? A sustainability appraisal (SA) has been undertaken to inform the Blandford+ Neighbourhood Plan. This process is required by the SEA Regulations. Neighbourhood Plan groups use SA to assess Neighbourhood Plans against a set of sustainability objectives developed in consultation with interested parties. The purpose of the assessment is to avoid adverse environmental and socio-economic effects through the Neighbourhood Plan, and identify opportunities to improve the environmental quality of the area covered by the Neighbourhood Plan and the quality of life of residents. What is the Blandford+ Neighburhood Plan Version 2? Blandford + Neighbourhood Plan Version 2 (Blandford+ NP Version 2) presents a plan for the area administrated by Blandford Forum Town Council, Blandford St Mary Parish Council and Bryanston Parish Councils in North Dorset, to the period to 2033. Prepared to be in conformity with the emerging North Dorset Local Plan Review, it sets out a vision and a range of policies for the Neighbourhood Plan area. These relate to a range of topics, including, but not limited to, landscape and townscape character, the quality of life of residents, tourism and the protection and enhancement of the environment. It is currently anticipated that the Blandford+ NP Version 2 will undergo a referendum later in 2019. Purpose of this SA Report This SA Report, which accompanies the submission version of the Neighbourhood Plan, is the latest document