Caithness and Sutherland Local Development Plan Strategic Environmental Assessment Plana Leasachaidh Ionadail Ghallaibh agus Chataibh Measadh Buaidh air Àrainneachd October 2018 Post-Adoption Statement www.highland.gov.uk Contents Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 2 Strategic Environmental Assessment Process ...................................................................... 3 Addressing Environmental Considerations in CaSPlan ......................................................... 5 Consideration of Consultation Responses ........................................................................... 12 Justification for Adoption of Plan ......................................................................................... 35 Monitoring Measures........................................................................................................... 36 1 | P a g e Introduction This is the Post-Adoption Statement for the Caithness and Sutherland Local Development Plan (CaSPlan) which was adopted on 31 August 2018 by The Highland Council which is the Responsible Authority. It has been prepared in accordance with Section 18 of the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005. It explains: how environmental considerations have been integrated into the Caithness and Sutherland Local Development Plan; how the Environmental Report has been taken into account; how the opinions expressed in response to the consultations on the Environmental Report have been taken into account in the preparation of the Local Development Plan; the reasons for choosing the Local Development Plan, as approved, in the light of other reasonable alternatives; and the measures that are to be taken to monitor the significant environmental effects of implementation of the Local Development Plan. The Caithness and Sutherland Local Development Plan and the accompanying Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) can be viewed online at: http://www.highland.gov.uk/casplan The SEA includes a Finalised Environmental Report (published in October 2018) which includes updates to take account of the comments which were raised by consultation authorities since the publication of the Revised Environmental Report (published October 2018). Consequently, this Post-Adoption Statement makes reference to and includes extracts from the Finalised Environmental Report. 2 | P a g e Strategic Environmental Assessment Process The table below summarises the key stages in both the preparation of the Caithness and Sutherland Local Development Plan (CaSPlan) and the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) process which accompanied and influenced the content of the Plan: Strategic Environmental Timescales CaSPlan Stages Assessment process From 2011 Publication of the updated Prepare a Scoping Report Development Plan Scheme and send to the Consultation Authorities Autumn 2013 Call for Sites Gathering variety of information on sites and more strategic issues. 2013/2014 Preparation of Topic Papers Identifying key environmental issues and priority outcomes Autumn 2013 – Pre Main Issues Report (MIR) Regular meetings with key Summer 2014 Engagement agencies Oct 2014 Publish Main Issues Report Publish Environmental Report and submit to SEA Gateway 13 Weeks Consultation on MIR and SEA Spring/summer Consider representations. Prepare Consider responses from key 2015 Proposed Plan and Action agencies. Appraise Programme environmental implications of Proposed Plan and undertake HRA. Make appropriate amendments to Environmental Report January 2016 Publish Proposed Plan and Proposed Publish revised Environmental Action Programme Report and draft HRA and submit revised Environmental Report to SEA Gateway 8 Weeks Consultation on Proposed Plan Spring/Summer Consider representations. Prepare Consider responses 2016 Summary of unresolved Issues and Report of Conformity with Participation Strategy. September 2016 Publish Modified Proposed Plan Publish Addendum to Revised Environmental Report Winter 2016/17 Consider representations. Prepare Consider responses Summary of unresolved Issues and Report of Conformity with Participation Strategy. April 2017 Submit Modified Proposed Plan, Submit HRA record to Action Programme and Report of Ministers Conformity to Scottish Ministers to trigger Examination. Advertise submission of Plan. April 2018 Examination of Proposed Plan 3 | P a g e concludes. August 2018 Caithness and Sutherland Local Publish Post Examination Development Plan adopted by the Addendum to Revised Highland Council Environmental Report and submit to SEA Gateway. October 2018 Publication of the adopted CaSPlan Publish Post Adoption SEA Statement and submit to SEA Gateway. November 2018 Approval of Action Programme by local committees From adoption Put plan into place and monitor our onwards progress 4 | P a g e Addressing Environmental Considerations in CaSPlan This section of the Post Adoption Statement sets out how environmental considerations have been taken into consideration when producing CaSPlan. It contains information on how the following has been addressed in the Plan: Environmental Problems Significant negative effects Significant positive effects Mitigation [The following is from the section “Environmental Problems” on pages 19-20 of the Finalised Environmental Report] The table below sets out the sites which are in the adopted plan which have been identified as having a significant effect (either positive or negative) on the environment (sites that were in the Proposed Plan but are not in the adopted plan have been removed from this table – for further information see the Revised Environmental Report). Also included is the relevant SEA question(s) which is significantly effected: SEA Issue Potential Environmental Impact Implications for Caithness and resulting from Caithness and Sutherland Local Development Sutherland Local Development Plan Plan Biodiversity, Stress on biodiversity and loss of The local development plan needs to flora, fauna habitat resulting from development. ensure a balance between the Conflicts between designated areas demand for development while and economic development. protecting the quality and character Vulnerability of rare and endangered of the environments. flora and fauna to changes in climate. Loss of native, ancient, long established and semi-natural woodland cover. Loss of habitats and roosts for protected species. Potential for cumulative impacts on protected species. Potential indirect effects on designated sites. Population Potential for development to put The local development plan will and human increased pressure on the natural identify mitigation measures for each health environment in terms of water and allocation and its alternative (where waste water capacity, energy supply appropriate) to ensure key and transport links. Limited infrastructure provision as detailed opportunity for active travel in more does not impact on the natural remote parts of Highland. environment to a negative extent. An ageing population is likely to The local development plan will look result in housing needs of the at accommodation where a higher population diversifying. It mat also level of assistance is sought to be put different pressures on services in located close to local services. more rural areas. 5 | P a g e Soil Erosion. Potential contamination The Local Development Plan will from waste storage. Impact of loss of seek to deliver development in line good quality soils (including those with the policy approaches as set out identified as prime agricultural and/or in SPP and the Highland-wide Local carbon rich) through development. Development Plan. Generation of waste soils. Water Flooding, drainage and erosion The local development plan will resulting from infrastructure and promote the development of sites changing climate. The need to which will lead to the sustainable use sustain water supply and sewage of resources, including water. It will treatment. Tidal, pluvial and fluvial seek not to allocate sites which flood risk to new and existing substantial sections of the site are at development. Reduced quality of a medium to high flood risk and watercourses and the coastal where sites are allocated to put in environment. place mitigation. Climatic Lack of sustainable design. Impact of The local development plan should factors sea level rising. Movement of seek to allocate sites which will aid species in the face of climate the reduction in greenhouse gas change. emissions through development of mixed use sites, and better active travel connections, where appropriate, will be identified as a requirement of development on sites. Ensure allocations avoid sites at risk from sea level rising or which might prejudice coastline management measures to respond to sea level rising. Material Increase travel/energy needs. The The local development plan will assets challenge of managing access to the allocate sites which link well with natural environment. active travel opportunities. Ensure protection of paths and safeguarding of access rights. The local development plan will identify sites for the provision of waste management facilities within existing business and industrial areas. Land allocations will, where appropriate, contain requirements for the provision of recycling facilities. Cultural Stress on the historical environment The Local Development Plan will heritage resulting from development. protect the historic environment through the application