Small Scale Housing Allocations Development Plan Document Sustainability Appraisal Report (Incorporating Strategic Environmental Assessment) April 2008 2 Contents Page Section 5 1.0 Introduction 7 2.0 Non Technical Summary 16 3.0 Background 23 4.0 Appraisal Methodology 28 5.0 Sustainability Objectives, Baseline and Context 44 6.0 Plan Issues and Options 125 7.0 Plan Policies 176 8.0 Monitoring 177 Appendix A: Plans, Programmes, Policies, Strategies and Initiatives 199 Appendix B: Sustainability Objectives, Indicators, Data and Targets 206 Appendix C: Location of housing site options 3 4 1.0 Introduction SUSTAINABILITY APPRAISAL REPORT The Small Scale Housing Allocations Development Plan Document (to be referred to as 'the housing document' in the remainder of this report) will form part of the District Council's Local Development Framework. As set out in Planning Policy Statement 1 (Delivering Sustainable Development) the Local Development Framework needs to provide the framework for delivering sustainable development. To ensure that this is the case a Sustainability Appraisal, which incorporates a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), has and will be undertaken on all documents that will form the District Council's Local Development Framework, which includes the housing document. This Sustainability Appraisal Report presents the process, findings and outcomes of the Sustainability Appraisal and SEA that has been undertaken on the housing document. The Sustainability Appraisal and SEA follow an iterative process, providing a view of the likely implications on sustainable development of different options for the housing document. The findings of this work were taken into consideration in determining the content of the housing document that was submitted to the Secretary of State. The implications on sustainable development of the adopted housing document have been documented in this report. The report is structured as follows; • Section 2 provides a non-technical summary of this report. • Section 3 provides background to the Sustainability Appraisal and SEA process, the Small Scale Housing Allocations Development Plan Document and how the requirements of the Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive have been met. • Section 4 covers the detail on the appraisal methodology in terms of the approach adopted, when and who undertook the appraisal and the consultation that has been undertaken up to this stage. • Section 5 covers the baseline collection work and identification of the plans, policies and programmes that have impacted upon the housing document. Current sustainability issues within the District are identified, as are the sustainability objectives and indicators. • Section 6 provides detail on how other policy and allocation options were identified, considered and appraised, leading to the Preferred Options stage and the Submission Stage of the housing document. • Section 7 identifies the social, environmental and economic effects of the site allocations in the housing document that has been adopted following the Inspectors’ Report. Mitigation measures for any detrimental sustainability effects are also identified in this section. • Section 8 identifies proposals for monitoring. There are also a number of appendices that accompany various sections of this report. CONSEQUENCES OF THE SUSTAINABILITY APPRAISAL PROCESS The Sustainability Appraisal process, along with the Strategic Environmental Assessment process, has widened the range of issues considered in formulating the housing allocations and the policies that accompany them, in particular by focussing attention on the need to consider a range of potential social, economic and environmental effects. 5 The process of identifying baseline data, as well as plans, programmes and policies relevant to the housing document has ensured that the housing allocations and accompanying policies have been formulated with all relevant issues and guidance being considered. Following the publication of the Inspectors’ Report on the Small Scale Housing Allocations Document the Sustainability Appraisal has been updated as necessary, and is now published alongside the Small Scale Housing Allocations Development Plan Document (2008). The Sustainability Appraisal process does not, however, finish with the publication of this document; the effect of the Small Scale Housing Allocations Document on the Sustainability Objectives identified in this document will be monitored on an annual basis. The results of this monitoring will be included in the District Council’s Annual Monitoring Report. 6 2.0 Non-Technical Summary INTRODUCTION 2.1 Mid Sussex District Council is in the process of producing a Local Development Framework (LDF). This framework will contain a range of Local Development Documents (LDDs) that will set out the policies for land use planning in the District. 2.2 A key aim of the Local Development Framework is to ensure that it contributes to sustainable development in the District. Sustainable development is about ensuring a better quality of life for everyone, now and for future generations. It is about considering the long term social, economic and environmental issues and impacts in an integrated and balanced way. To help ensure that the Local Development Framework is sustainable a process called the Sustainability Appraisal is undertaken for each development plan document and supplementary planning document produced. Included within this process is the requirement for "The Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes Regulations 2004". These regulations derive from European legislation and involve assessing what the environmental impact of the document will be. This non-technical summary presents an overview of this process for the Small Scale Housing Allocations Development Plan Document. THE LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK 2.3 The Local Development Framework for Mid Sussex will initially comprise a Core Strategy Development Plan Document, a Small Scale Housing Allocations Development Plan Document, an Area Action Plan for the Strategic Development at East Grinstead and Supplementary Planning Documents that will cover subjects such as town centre revitalisation, sustainable construction and infrastructure, as well as development briefs. 2.4 The Local Development Framework will be developed taking into account a wide range of requirements, recommendations and guidance from documents produced at an international level down to a local level. Such documents include the Government's Planning Policy Statements/Guidance Notes, the emerging South East Plan, the adopted West Sussex Structure Plan and the Mid Sussex District Council Community Strategy. The Core Strategy will set the objectives for the Local Development Framework. As the Small Scale Housing Allocations Document was prepared ahead of the Core Strategy it meant that there were no adopted objectives that the plan was prepared against. However, as the Issues and Options work had been commenced for the Core Strategy there were some emerging objectives that the Small Scale Housing Allocations Document could be prepared against. These objectives were as follows: Locational Objective: to ensure that new development is sustainable by concentrating it in and around the towns and larger villages and by re-using previously developed land in preference to greenfield sites. Infrastructure Objective: to ensure that new development is supported by necessary and appropriate infrastructure provision for its needs, including 7 facilities and services and that this compensates for existing infrastructure deficiencies within the District and brings benefits to the community. Countryside Objective: to protect, enhance and not detract from the distinctive rural character of Mid Sussex; conserve the countryside and its special qualities; retain the separation between settlements and encourage sustainable development that supports farming and rural communities. Character Objective: to protect, enhance and not detract from the varied and historic character of the settlements and the countryside within the District; to protect, enhance and not detract from the settings of settlements and to promote local distinctiveness. Natural Environment Objective: to protect and enhance the outstanding natural environment or urban and rural Mid Sussex and ensure that development takes an adequate account of biodiversity in its design and implementation. Design Objective: to promote high quality design, materials, construction, and layout that embody sustainability principles; protects, enhances and does not detract from the character of the area; and provides inclusive access for all. Housing Objective: to deliver the homes required by central government, as set out in the West Sussex Structure Plan 2001-2016; to ensure that efficient use is made of land in terms of density whilst respecting local character; and to ensure that a suitable mix of size, type, tenure and affordability of housing is achieved to meet the needs of the area. Economy Objective: to ensure continued sustainable economic growth in Mid Sussex whilst at the same time protecting and enhancing the amenities and environment of the District; to retain and attract high value added businesses to Mid Sussex; and to work in partnership with other bodies to improve workforce skills and match them with those required by local businesses. Tourism Objective: To encourage sustainable tourism which contributes to the local economy and attractiveness of Mid Sussex as a place to visit whilst