Ipswich Local Plan Sustainability Scoping Report Consultation, Ipswich Borough Council August 2017 Planning and Development Ipswich Borough Council Grafton House, Russell Road Ipswich IP1 2DE (01473 432019) Email: [email protected] Website: www.ipswich.gov.uk Contents Page Non-Technical Summary Chapter 1: Introduction (Ipswich Local Plan Review) Chapter 2: Context Review (Task A1) Chapter 3: Baseline Characteristics (Task A2) Chapter 4: Social Baseline (Task A2) Chapter 5 Environmental Baseline (Task A2) Chapter 6: Economic Baseline (Task A2) Chapter 7: Sustainability Issues and Problems (Task A3) Chapter 8: Developing SA Objectives and testing their compatibility (Task A4) Chapter 9: Next Steps (Task A5) Appendix I Index of scoped documents Non-Technical Summary Introduction This Non-Technical Summary (NTS) provides an outline of the Scoping Report produced as part of the Sustainability Appraisal (SA) of the Ipswich Local Plan 2016–2036 which is currently being prepared by Ipswich Borough Council (IBC). IBC is aligning its Local Plan with Babergh District, Mid-Suffolk District and Suffolk Coastal District – the other authorities which form the Ipswich Housing Market Area and Ipswich Functional Economic Area. SA appraises the environmental, social and economic performance of the Local Plan and any reasonable alternatives, helping to ensure its contribution towards sustainability. The Scoping Report sets out the proposed approach to undertaking the SA of the emerging Local Plan. It provides an opportunity for statutory consultees (Natural England, the Environment Agency and Historic England) as well as other bodies, local authorities and the public, to comment on the scope of the SA and the level of detail that should be included within the appraisal. This NTS will: Explain the context to the Ipswich Local Plan 2016-2036; Explain the SA process and how this is used in developing the Local Plan; Give an overview of the key economic, social and environmental issues relevant to SA of the Local Plan; Describe the proposed approach to undertaking the appraisal of the Local Plan; Explain the next steps in the SA process; and Detail how you can respond to consultation on the Scoping Report. Ipswich Local Plan The emerging Local Plan will help to shape the future growth and development of the district and the economic, social and environmental relationships between the Ipswich Housing Market Area authorities. The 2016-2036 Local Plan will replace the existing 2017 Ipswich Local Plan Documents, which cover the plan period 2011-2031, namely: Core Strategy and Policies DPD Review (adopted February 2017) Site Allocations and Policies (incorporating IP-One Area Action Plan) DPD (adopted February 2017) Table A – Ipswich Borough Council Key Facts Ipswich Borough Council Local Plan - Key Facts Name of Responsible Ipswich Borough Council Authority Title of programme Ipswich Borough Council Local Plan What prompted the plan The Council adopted its Local Plan in February 2017 for the period 2011 to 2031. The Inspector’s report on the examination of that plan concluded it is now necessary to produce joint or aligned Local Plans (with Babergh, Mid Suffolk and Suffolk Coastal District Councils), to consider future housing or employment development within the Ipswich Housing Market Area and Ipswich Functional Economic Area. Subject Spatial development planning Period covered 2016 to 2036 Frequency of updates As needed in order to keep the plan up-to-date. Area covered The administrative area of Ipswich Borough Council as part of the wider Ipswich Housing Market Area Purpose and scope of To succeed the adopted Ipswich Local Plan (2017) in being the adopted the plan development plan for the Borough to 2036. To address strategic and local planning matters in the context of the Borough and the wider Ipswich Housing Market Area and Functional Economic Area. In line with the National Planning Policy Framework, to meet the objectively assessed housing needs of the housing market area in full, in alignment with Babergh, Mid Suffolk and Suffolk Coastal Districts which also form the housing market area. Contact point Planning Policy Team Planning and Development, Ipswich Borough Council, Grafton House 15-17 Russell Road, Ipswich, IP1 2DE Tel: 01473 432019 This Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report accompanies the Local Plan Issues and Options Consultation, which is the first stage in the process of developing a Local Plan. It will be followed by further periods of consultation and engagement with the general public and interested stakeholders as detailed in the Local Development Scheme1. Further opportunities to have your say are scheduled to arise in 2018: First draft plan – spring 2018 (regulation 18) Final draft plan – autumn 2018 (regulation 19) 1 IBC Local Development Scheme What is Sustainability Appraisal? The National Planning Policy Framework states that local plans are critical to delivering sustainable development and that they must be prepared with the objective of contributing to the achievement of sustainable development. A Sustainability Appraisal (SA) is a systematic process by which the Local Plan is assessed to see how well it meets the economic, social and environmental needs of its current and future population. Sustainable development is defined “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” The SA evaluates alternative spatial development proposals and scenarios and considers their relative merits against each other in order to take forward the most appropriate policy approaches in the Local Plan. The SA also incorporates a process set out under a European Directive and related UK regulations called Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). It also examines the consequences of not developing a new Local Plan. This SA will be specific to Ipswich Borough, taking into account Ipswich’s position within the wider Ipswich Housing Market Area and Functional Economic Area (see figure A, below). Figure A. Ipswich Housing Market Area There are five key stages in the SA process which are shown in Figure B. Sustainability Appraisal Local Plan Process Process Stage A – Scoping Report Evidence Gathering We are here Stage B – Developing and Consultation on refining alternatives and emerging policy assessing effects options Stage C – Prepare Prepare final draft of Sustainability Appraisal Local Plan (publication Report version) Stage D - Consultation on Publish final draft of Sustainability Appraisal Local Plan and consult Report Examination Adoption Stage E – Reporting and Monitoring Monitoring Figure B: Local Plan and Sustainability Appraisal Process This report is the Scoping Report required in Stage A of the SA. It comprises five tasks: 1. Review of relevant policies, plans, programmes and strategies – See Chapter 2 2. Collation and analysis of baseline information – See Chapter 3 and then: a. Social baseline – Chapter 4 b. Environmental baseline – Chapter 5 c. Economic baseline – Chapter 6 3. Identification of key sustainability issues – Chapter 7 4. Development of the SA Framework – Chapter 8 5. Consultation on the scope of the appraisal as presented in this report – Chapter 9. Tasks 1 and 2 allow the identification of key sustainability issues. This in turn informs task 4, the proposed SA Framework, which will be used to appraise the effects of the Local Plan (and any reasonable alternatives). Task 5 gives stakeholders and opportunity to provide comments and feedback on the Scoping Report and the SA Framework will be amended to take into account consultation responses as appropriate. This will form the revised SA Framework. The revised SA Framework will be then be used to appraise the effects of the emerging Local Plan (Stage B), as the Local Plan goes through various stages of preparation and consultation. At each consultation stage for the Local Plan, interim SA reports will be provided and a final SA Report that will accompany the submission draft Local Plan (Stage C). This, alongside the Local Plan, will be examined by an independent planning inspector at an Examination in Public (Stage D). Following Examination in Public, the Council will issue a Post Adoption Statement which will set out the results of the consultation and SA processes and the extent to which the findings of the SA have been accommodated in the adopted Local Plan. If the inspector requires any significant changes to the draft Local Plan they may require appraisal before this stage is reached. The Council will monitor the implementation of the Local Plan continually during its lifetime and the Annual Monitoring Report will report any significant social, economic and environmental effects (Stage E). The Key Sustainability Issues for the Ipswich Local Plan Having reviewed the plans and programmes and analysed the baseline information, fifteen key sustainability issues relevant to the Local Plan have been identified and are set out in the table below. Table A – Sustainability Issues relevant to the Ipswich Local Plan Key SA issue Ipswich Borough Specific Issues across Ipswich and Suffolk Coastal Population The need to reduce Ipswich scores worse than the Suffolk average against inequality and every indicator the ‘Index of Multiple Deprivation Score’ social exclusion except, barriers to housing and services. One in five children in Ipswich lives in poverty. High comparative level of teenage pregnancy Impact of changing The Borough, compared to the rest of the county has a demographics and higher number of children, a higher population of working migration trends age because of the availability of job opportunities. Although there is an aging population, there is a trend to retire out to rural areas. Ipswich expects to see more births than deaths across the decade, 2014-2024. Housing The need to ensure Limited land availability and large areas of protected the delivery of a land. sustainable supply of housing Over the last two years house sales have fallen by 50% in Ipswich. Ensuring the Low comparative level of owner occupiers with no delivery of mix of mortgage, higher socially rented stock and higher private housing types and rental sector.