West Somerset Council & Sedgemoor District Council Hinkley Point C Project Hinkley Point C Project SPD - Sustainability Appraisal Report Final Version | October 2011 This report takes into account the particular instructions and expectations of our client. Ove Arup & Partners Ltd It is not intended for and should not be relied 63 St Thomas Street upon by any third party and no responsibility is Bristol undertaken to any third party. BS1 6JZ United Kingdom www.arup.com Job number 210482-00 Document Verification Job title Hinkley Point C Project Job number 210482-00 Document title Hinkley Point C Project SPD - Sustainability Appraisal File reference Report Consultation Draft Document ref 210482 -00 Revision Date Filename Draft 1 05/01/11 Description First draft for comment Prepared by Checked by Approved by Ann Cousins / Ben Name Peter Hulson Mark Smith Walmsley Signature Issue 03/02/11 Filename Hinkley_SA_Report_Dr aft1_2011-002-03_.docx Description For review by West Somerset Council and Sedgemoor District Council Prepared by Checked by Approved by Name Ben Walmsley / Tim Durant / Peter Mark Smith Ruairi Revell Hulson Signature Rev A 25/02/11 Filename HPC SPD SA report_2011-02-25_for comment.docx Description Draft for final comment Prepared by Checked by Approved by Name Ben Walmsley / Tim Durant / Peter Mark Smith Ruairi Revell Hulson Signature Final Filename HPC_S PD_SA_Final_Draft_2011-10-14 Draft Description Prepared by Checked by Approved by Name Signature Issue Document Verification with Document 210482-00 | Final Version October 2011 R:\02 PLANNING POLICY\COMMON FILES\HINKLEY NEW NUCLEAR\SPD\FINAL VERSION\SA FINAL VERSION.DOC Sedgemoor District Council &West Somerset Council Hinkley Point C Project Hinkley Point C Project SPD - Sustainability Appraisal Report Final Version October 2011 Contents Page Non-Technical Summary 3 1 Introduction 10 1.1 The Purpose of the Sustainability Appraisal 10 1.2 Sustainability Appraisal Report Consultation 10 1.3 Structure of the Sustainability Appraisal Report 12 2 Sustainability Appraisal Context and Process 13 2.1 Context 13 2.2 Sustainable Development and the SPD 13 2.3 A Combined Sustainability Appraisal and Strategic Environmental Assessment Process 14 3 Relevant Plans, Programmes and Approaches 18 3.1 Relevant Approaches, Plans and Programmes 18 4 Consultation 21 4.1 Stage A Consultation - Scoping 21 4.2 Stage D Consultation – Draft Sustainability Appraisal Report22 5 Baseline Situation and Key Sustainability Issues 24 5.1 Scope and Purpose of the Baseline and Key Issues 24 5.2 The Baseline Sustainability Issues for Hinkley Point C and Associated Development 24 6 Sustainability Appraisal Framework 32 6.1 Purpose and Overview 32 6.2 Assessment of Effect Significance 36 6.3 Scoring Criteria 37 6.4 Identification of Mitigation Measures 38 7 Sustainability Appraisal of Supplementary Planning Document Approaches 40 7.1 Introduction 40 7.2 Project-wide guidance and approaches 40 7.3 Hinkley Point C Main Site 54 7.4 Associated Development Accommodation Sites 55 7.5 Associated Development Park & Ride and Freight Logistics / Storage Sites 60 7.6 Planning Obligations and Community Benefits and Compensation Scheme 64 210482-00 | Final version October 2011 R:\02 PLANNING POLICY\COMMON FILES\HINKLEY NEW NUCLEAR\SPD\FINAL VERSION\SA FINAL VERSION.DOC Sedgemoor District Council &West Somerset Council Hinkley Point C Project Hinkley Point C Project SPD - Sustainability Appraisal Report Final Version October 2011 7.7 Cumulative and Synergistic Effects 65 8 Next Steps 67 8.1 Overview 67 8.2 SA Stage D: Consulting on the Preferred Options of the SPD and the SA Report 67 8.3 SA Stage E: Monitoring the Significant Effects of Implementing the Plan 67 8.4 Conclusions 67 Appendices Appendix A SA Matrices Appendix B Appraisal Criteria and Proposed indicators 210482-00 | Final version October 2011 R:\02 PLANNING POLICY\COMMON FILES\HINKLEY NEW NUCLEAR\SPD\FINAL VERSION\SA FINAL VERSION.DOC Sedgemoor District Council &West Somerset Council Hinkley Point C Project Hinkley Point C Project SPD - Sustainability Appraisal Report Final Version October 2011 Non-Technical Summary Introduction This document provides a Non-Technical Summary of the Sustainability Appraisal Report (SA) (incorporating the provisions of the SEA Directive1) underpinning the Hinkley Point C Supplementary Planning Document (SPD). This will be a joint SPD for both West Somerset Council and Sedgemoor District Council (the Councils), developed to provide supplementary advice on the local policy framework. The SPD is intended to guide the Hinkley Point C (HPC) project promoter in preparing a Development Consent Order application and any related applications submitted to the Councils and to inform decision making bodies on important local considerations. The SA is being undertaken to provide a mechanism within which the SPD‟s social, environmental and economic effects can be evaluated and where necessary improved to mitigate or avoid potentially adverse effects. The spatial scope for the SPD and SA is limited to the joint administrative area of the Councils, referred to as the SPD study area in this report. Throughout the SPD and SA Report, when referring to the Councils, it is recognised that the Councils have a number of authority functions, including for example as Local Planning Authority and Local Housing Authority. The purpose of the SA process (incorporating Strategic Environmental Assessment - SEA) is to appraise the social, environmental and economic effects of a plan from the outset. In so doing, it will help ensure that decisions are made that contribute to achieving sustainable development. This non-technical summary summarises how the SA has been undertaken, the baseline information used to inform the assessment and the results of the assessment process. Sustainability Appraisal Process The combined SA/SEA process is clearly defined in guidance set out by the Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG). It consists of five Stages (A to E) as set out in the Table below. The publication of this report represents the completion of Stage D of the process, „...Consultation with the public and statutory bodies and making any further amendments prior to adoption of the SPD.‟ 1 Enacted through The Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes Regulations 2004 (SI2004/1633). 210482-00 | Final Version October 2011 Page 3 Sedgemoor District Council &West Somerset Council Hinkley Point C Project Hinkley Point C Project SPD - Sustainability Appraisal Report Final Version October 2011 Table 1 - The Sustainability Appraisal process as applied to the Hinkley Point C Project Supplementary Planning Document SA Description HPC SPD Stage A Scoping - setting the context, The scoping stage consultation establishing the baseline and deciding exercise ran from Monday 20th on the scope. In the context of this December 2010 to Monday 24th SPD this involves cross referencing January 2011. Consultees included: with the relevant sections of the Scoping Report and Sustainability West Somerset Council; Reports for the two planning Sedgemoor District Council; authorities. This stage also involves Somerset County Council; consultation with external organisaions and statutory consutees to confirm the The Environment Agency; scope of the issues to be included in Natural England; and the assessment. English Heritage. B Assessment of the alternative options In addition to the assessment of the considered for the SPD and the SPD approaches, the approach emerging preferred approaches for the proposed during the Stage 2 SPD. This also includes the consultation by the HPC project identification of mitigation measures promoter was appraised using the where adverse or uncertain impacts are same criteria, to allow for a predicted. Cumulative effects with comparison of options. other plan and programmes are also considered. C Preparation of the Sustainability Public consultation on the Draft HPC Appraisal Report. This records the SPD and supporting Draft SA Report findings of the SA process described was undertaken for a 6 week period in the two stages above. between 1st March 2011 and 12th April 2011. A full description of D Consultation with the public and consultation activities is set out in the statutory bodies and making any HPC SPD Report on Consultation, further amendments prior to adoption which includes a schedule setting out of the SPD. comments received in relation to the Draft SA Report and how these have been addressed. E Monitor the effects of the SPD on the Monitoring indicators and targets will environment/sustainability once it has be aligned where appropriate with the been adopted. monitoring frameworks for the WSC and SDC Core Strategies. The HPC SPD also sets out a number of potential impacts relating to the HPC project where additional monitoring will be expected to be undertaken. 210482-00 | Final Version October 2011 Page 4 Sedgemoor District Council &West Somerset Council Hinkley Point C Project Hinkley Point C Project SPD - Sustainability Appraisal Report Final Version October 2011 Relevant Plans, Programmes and Approaches During the preparation of the SA Scoping Reports for the WSC Core Strategy2 and SDC Core Strategy SA Report and appendices3, a thorough review of national, regional and local plans and programmes was undertaken. The information that was gathered by both Councils was revisited for the purpose of undertaking the SA of the SPD, to identify any new plans and programmes that had not previously been considered.