Revised Local 2018-2033 Development Plan Initial Report Sustainability Appraisal / Sustainability Appraisal Environmental Strategic (SA/SEA) Assessment Sustainability Appraisal / Sustainability Appraisal Environmental Strategic (SA/SEA) Assessment December 2018 Contents 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................................ 3 1.2 SA/SEA and the LDP process ......................................................................................................... 3 1.3 Progress and Compliance with Regulations .................................................................................. 4 2. Appraisal Methodology ....................................................................................................................... 6 2.1 Approach ....................................................................................................................................... 6 2.2 The Sustainability Framework ....................................................................................................... 6 2.3 Determining effect significance .................................................................................................... 7 2.4 Timescales ..................................................................................................................................... 7 ............................................................................................................................................................ 8 2.5 Baseline Scenario .......................................................................................................................... 9 2.6 Impact Matrices ............................................................................................................................ 9 3. Appraisal of the Strategic Objectives ................................................................................................ 10 3.1 The Draft Revised LDP vision....................................................................................................... 10 3.2 Sustainability Appraisal of the Strategic Objectives ................................................................... 11 4. Appraisal of Strategic Options and Alternatives ............................................................................... 17 4.1Assessment of Strategic Growth Options .................................................................................... 17 4.2 SA of Growth Options - Summary ............................................................................................... 38 4.3 Sustainability Appraisal of Spatial Options ................................................................................. 39 4.4 Summary of Sustainability Appraisal of Spatial Options ............................................................. 65 4.5 Hybrid Option – Balanced Community and Sustainable Growth ................................................ 67 Hybrid Option - Balanced Community and Sustainable Growth ...................................................... 68 5. Appraisal of Strategic Policies ........................................................................................................... 72 6. Overall Effects and Mitigation ........................................................................................................ 100 7. Sustainability Appraisal Monitoring Framework ............................................................................ 103 8. Conclusions and Next Steps ............................................................................................................ 108 8.1 Conclusions ............................................................................................................................... 108 8.2 Next Stages of the SA Process ................................................................................................... 108 Appendices .......................................................................................................................................... 109 Appendix 1Sustainability Appraisal Framework ............................................................................. 109 Appendix 2 Sustainability Monitoring Framework – Data Sources ................................................ 113 Appendix 3. Review of Relevant Plans, Programmes and Policies ................................................. 122 Revised Carmarthenshire Local Development Plan 2018 - 2033 Appendix 4. Strategic Policy 16: Settlement Hierarchy .................................................................. 140 Appendix 5. Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report Consultation Responses .............................. 143 2 SA – SEA Initial Report December 2018 Revised Carmarthenshire Local Development Plan 2018 - 2033 1. Introduction 1.1.1 This Sustainability Appraisal (SA) Report forms part of the Council’s pre-deposit proposal documents for the Revised Carmarthenshire Local Development Plan (LDP). The purpose of the SA is to identify any likely significant economic, environmental and social effects of the LDP, and to suggest measures to minimise the positive ones. This process promotes more sustainable development and foster a more inclusive and transparent process of producing a LDP, and helps to ensure that the LDP is integrated with other policies. 1.1.2 Sustainability Appraisal is a statutory requirement for Local Development Plans under Section 62(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. The purpose of Sustainability Appraisal is to assess the social and economic effects of the component policies, proposals and strategy elements of the Local Development Plan to ensure that decisions accord with the principles of sustainable development. 1.1.3 The Welsh Government define sustainable development in Wales through the Well- being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 as: “the process of improving the economic, social, environmental and cultural well-being of Wales by taking action, in accordance with the sustainable development principle, aimed at achieving the well-being goals”. 1.1.4 Welsh Government Guidance on the Preparation of Local Development Plans identifies that a Sustainability Appraisal must integrate the requirements of the Strategic Environmental Assessment Regulations. The requirements of EU Directive 2001/42/EC (also known as the SEA Directive) have been transposed into Welsh Law through The Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes (Wales) Regulations 2004. Strategic Environmental Assessment requires the formal assessment of certain plans and programmes that are likely to have significant effects on the environment; this includes LDPs. 1.1.5 The SA is undertaken in parallel to the Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA). 1.2 SA/SEA and the LDP process 1.2.1 The LDP Manual outlines five main stages in undertaking an SA (see Table 1). SA is an iterative process, resulting in comment and feedback at each stage of the LDP and thus allowing the potential sustainability implications of proposed options/policies to be considered and the process to be transparent. If necessary, the LDP can be refined throughout its preparation to ensure it is a sustainable document. 3 SA – SEA Initial Report December 2018 Revised Carmarthenshire Local Development Plan 2018 - 2033 Table 1 Stages in the SA Process and their relationship to LDP. Adapted from the LDP Manual (2nd Edition). SA/SEA Stage LDP Stage Stage A: Setting the context and objectives, establishing the baseline and deciding on the scope A1 Identifying other relevant policies, plans and programmes; and sustainability objectives Evidence Gathering and objectives A2 Collecting baseline information A3 Identifying sustainability issues and problems A4 Developing the Sustainability Appraisal framework A5 Consulting on the scope of the Sustainability Appraisal Stage B: Developing and refining options and assessing effects B1 Testing the LDP objectives against the Sustainability Framework B2 Developing the LDP options B3 Predicting the effects of the LDP options B4 Evaluate the effects of the LDP options B5 Considering ways of mitigating adverse effects and maximising beneficial effects Strategic Options and Preferred B6 Proposing measures to monitor the significant effects of Strategy implementing the LDP Stage C: Preparing the Environmental Report C1 Preparing the Environmental Report Stage D: Consultation on the Draft LDP and the Environmental Report D1 Consulting on the LDP Preferred Strategy and the Initial SA report D2(i) Appraise any significant changes form consultation Update the SA Report LDP preparation and Deposit Examination D2(ii) Appraising significant changes resulting from representations Submission, Examination and Adoption D3 Making decisions and providing information Adoption statement and final SA report Stage E: Monitoring the significant effects on implementing the LDP Monitoring and Review E1 Finalising aims and methods for monitoring E2 Responding to adverse effects 1.3 Progress and Compliance with Regulations Stage A The Council completed Stage A in July 2018 with the publication of the draft Scoping Report for consultation. The draft Scoping Report contained: A1 Plan/Policy/Programme Review and Sustainability Objectives A number of Plans, Policies and Programmes that could have an impact upon the LDP were examined, including those at international, national, regional and local levels, as well as adjacent authorities