South Gloucestershire Local Plan 2020 Phase 1 - Issues and Approaches Document (Nov 2020) Sustainability Appraisal Report Prepared by LUC November 2020 Project Title: South Gloucestershire Local Plan 2020 Phase 1 Sustainability Appraisal Client: South Gloucestershire Council Version Date Version Details Prepared by Checked by Approved by 1 17/11/20 Draft for client comment Harry Briggs Kieran Taran Moroney Livingston Kieran Moroney 2 25/11/20 Final draft Harry Briggs Kieran Taran Moroney Livingston Kieran Moroney 3 27/11/20 Final Report Kieran Taran Taran Moroney Livingston Livingston A4 Portrait Report Last saved: 27/11/2020 09:48 South Gloucestershire Local Plan 2020 Phase 1 Document Sustainability Appraisal Report Prepared by LUC November 2020 Planning & EIA LUC BRISTOL Offices also in: Land Use Consultants Ltd th Registered in England Design 12 Floor Colston Tower Edinburgh Registered number: 2549296 Landscape Planning Colston Street Bristol Glasgow Registered Office: Landscape Management BS1 4XE Lancaster 43 Chalton Street Ecology T +44 (0)117 929 1997 London London NW1 1JD GIS & Visualisation [email protected] Manchester FS 566056 EMS 566057 LUC uses 100% recycled paper Contents 1 Introduction 1 Status of the SA Scoping Report (October 2020) 1 Geographical context for the South Gloucestershire Local Plan 2020 1 Outline of the South Gloucestershire Local Plan 2020 2 Sustainability Appraisal and Strategic Environmental Assessment 3 2 Methodology 8 Stage A: Scoping 9 SA Stage B: Developing and refining options and assessing effects 11 SA Stage C: Preparing the Sustainability Appraisal report 13 SA Stage D: Consultation on the South Gloucestershire Local Plan 2020 and this SA Report 13 SA Stage E: Monitoring implementation of the new Local Plan 13 Appraisal methodology 14 Difficulties encountered and data limitations 15 3 Sustainability Context for development in South Gloucestershire 16 Relationship with other relevant plans and policies 16 Policy context 16 Baseline Information 24 Key Sustainability Issues 25 The SA Framework 33 4 Sustainability Appraisal findings for the policy options 41 Potential plan priorities 41 Potential ‘building blocks’ for the plan 48 Potential guiding principles for the growth strategy 55 Options for Urban Lifestyles locations 59 Options for growth at rural communities in the context of the Green Belt 65 Proposed strategic policies 70 Proposed non-strategic policies 72 5 Monitoring 78 6 Conclusions 83 Next steps 83 Appendix 1 84 Scoping Consultation Comments 84 Appendix 2 90 Baseline Information 90 Appendix 3 115 Review of relevant plans, policies and programmes 115 International Plans and Programmes of Most Relevance for the Local Plan 116 National Plans and Programmes (beyond the NPPF) of Most Relevance for the Local Plan 117 Regional Plans and Programmes of Most Relevance for the Local Plan 120 Local Plans and Programmes of Most Relevance for the Local Plan 121 Appendix 4 127 Effects criteria for site appraisal work 127 1 Introduction 1.1 This Sustainability Appraisal Report has been prepared by LUC on behalf of South Gloucestershire Council as part of the integrated Sustainability Appraisal (SA) and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of the South Gloucestershire Local Plan 2020. 1.2 This report relates to the South Gloucestershire Local Plan 2020 Phase 1 – Issues and Approaches consultation document and it should be read in conjunction with that document. Status of the SA Scoping Report (October 2020) 1.3 The Council prepared a Scoping Report in autumn 2020, and this was published in October 2020 for a five week consultation period with the three statutory consultees. It was also made available on the Council’s website. The responses received during this period are summarised in Appendix 1 in this SA Report. This appendix also sets out how the responses received have been addressed and where they have informed the preparation of this SA Report. 1.4 The October 2020 Scoping Report has been republished at this stage to show the development of the SA to this stage of the Local Plan. Geographical context for the South Gloucestershire Local Plan 2020 1.5 South Gloucestershire is located adjacent to the Severn Estuary and to the northeast of Bristol City. Bristol is accessible from the District via the M5, M32 and A38 as well as by rail and bus. The District has strong links to Bristol City given its proximity and considering that the North and East Fringes of the Bristol Urban Area lie within South Gloucestershire. To the north it is bordered by the local authority areas of Stroud and Cotswold, while Wiltshire and Bath and North East Somerset lie to the east and south east, respectively. A proportion of residents in the north and east of the District have functional links with places in Wiltshire and Bath and North East Somerset as well as Gloucestershire and South Wales. South Gloucestershire covers a total area of 49,694.56ha, with a population of 285,093, giving a population density of 574 people per square kilometre1. 1.6 Almost two thirds (62.4%) of the District’s population is of working age; of this 84.6% are economically active, which is slightly above the national average of 79.4%. The majority (22.7%) of people are in professional occupations, and just over half (50.9%) of the population are within Major Employment Groups 1-3 (Managers, Directors and Senior Officials; Professional Occupations; and Associate Professional and Technical)2. 1.7 The eastern side of South Gloucestershire is in the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), which has been designated in recognition of its rich, diverse and high quality landscape. There are 22 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) within South Gloucestershire, including the Severn Estuary and Bishop’s Hill Wood. The Severn Estuary is also a designated Ramsar Site, Special Area of Conservation (SAC), and Special Protection Area (SPA).3 The District also contains 1 ONS (2020) Estimates of the population for the UK, England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland (Mid-2019). Available: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationestimates/datasets/populationestimatesfor ukenglandandwalesscotlandandnorthernireland 2 Nomis (Accessed October 2020) Labour Market Profile - South Gloucestershire 3 Defra (Accessed October 2020) MagicMap Sustainability Appraisal Report for the South Gloucestershire 1 November 2020 Local Plan non-statutory designations which contribute to local biodiversity, including 271 Sites of Nature Conservation Importance (SNCIs). 1.8 South Gloucestershire has historic ties to coal mining and industrial manufacturing. It is also home to relics of a number of medieval settlements. This provides the basis for a rich character as well as interestingly textured landscape interspersed with heritage and cultural assets, such as historic buildings, settlements, parks and gardens, and archaeological features4. There are 30 Conservation Areas in the District, designated for their special architectural or historic interest. The District also contains the following designated historic assets: 38 Scheduled Monuments; eight Registered Historic Parks and Gardens; one Registered Battlefield (part); and, 2,085 Listed Building entries (2% are Grade 1, 6% are Grade II* and 92% are Grade II). 1.9 Oldbury Nuclear Power Station is located adjacent to the tidal reservoir of the Severn Estuary in the north west of the District. The station ceased generation in 2012, and is currently being decommissioned. An on-going programme of decommissioning will continue through and beyond the Local Plan period. Transport infrastructure through the District allows for access between England and Wales. The Severn Rail Tunnel, the Severn Bridge, and the Second Severn Crossing are all located on the eastern bank of the River Severn within the District. These allow for rail and motorway access (via the M4 and M48 respectively) into Wales. The District is home to a number of major aircraft works in British Aerospace and Rolls-Royce, which are located in Filton. Outline of the South Gloucestershire Local Plan 2020 1.10 The South Gloucestershire Local Plan 2020 is a development plan document (DPD) that will cover the whole administrative area of South Gloucestershire. The plan period will cover the 15-year period from the date of adoption. It is expected that the document will be adopted in 2023, and therefore it would cover the period from 2023 to 2038. The plan will eventually replace the adopted planning policies in the Core Strategy 2006 – 2027 (adopted in 2013), Policies, Sites and Places Plan (adopted in 2017) and where appropriate policies from the Joint Waste Core Strategy (adopted in 2011). 1.11 The Council has decided to review the Local Plan given the time that has elapsed since the Core Strategy and its spatial principles were examined. The decision also reflects the number of changes that have occurred both nationally (such as a change in national planning policy and guidance) and locally (including the Council’s Climate Emergency declaration in July 2019). 1.12 Once adopted, the Local Plan 2020 will set out a new growth strategy for the South Gloucestershire area, describe where and how many new homes, jobs and infrastructure are to be provided as well as identify areas for protection over the 15-year plan period. As part of this, the Local Plan 2020 will need to identify sites and exact locations where the large scale housing and employment growth and supporting infrastructure should