Intended for Daventry District Council Document type Report Date November, 2017 DAVENTRY LOCAL PLAN SA REPORT PART 2 DAVENTRY LOCAL PLAN SA REPORT PART 2 Project No. UK15-244064 Issue No. 2 Date 09/11/2017 Made by Emma Jones Checked by Bram Miller Approved by Bram Miller Made by: Checked/Approved by: This report has been prepared by Ramboll Environ with all reasonable skill, care and diligence, and taking account of the Services and the Terms agreed between Ramboll Environ and the Client. This report is confidential to the Client, and Ramboll Environ accepts no responsibility whatsoever to third parties to whom this report, or any part thereof, is made known, unless formally agreed by Ramboll Environ beforehand. Any such party relies upon the report at their own risk. Ramboll Environ disclaims any responsibility to the Client and others in respect of any matters outside the agreed scope of the Services. Ramboll Environ 8 The Wharf Bridge Street Birmingham B1 2JS United Kingdom T +44 121 616 2180 www.ramboll-environ.com SA Report part 2 Version Control Log Revision Date Made by Checked by Approved by Description A 01/09/2017 EJ BAM BAM Draft report 1 15/09/2017 EJ BAM BAM Client report 2 08/11/2017 EJ BAM BAM Client report SA Report part 2 CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 This report 1 1.2 Background 1 1.3 Consultation 1 2. METHODOLOGY 3 2.1 Introduction 3 3. POLICY REVIEW 7 4. BASELINE DATA 14 4.1 Introduction 14 4.2 Data gaps and new data 14 Appendix A: Summary of the SA scoping report consultation responses Appendix B: Policy and Sustainability Issues Review for the JCS (please note that this is a copy of that issued in 2011 for the WNJCS SA report) SA Report part 2 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 This report This is Part 2 of the SA report for the Local Plan Part 2 for Daventry District. This section of the report contains the Sustainability Appraisal (SA) scoping / baseline information. It is based on the joint scoping report that was undertaken for the following three plans: Settlements and Countryside Local Plan (Part 2) for Daventry District; South Northamptonshire Settlements and Development Management Local Plan (now called the South Northamptonshire Local Plan Part 2); and West Northamptonshire Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Show People Allocations Local 1 Plan.0F This original joint scoping report was published in January 2013 and included baseline information, review of relevant plans and identification of significant sustainability issues for the three Local Plans. From all of the information collected, an SA framework, or set of sustainability objectives, was developed, against which the various components of the Local Plans will be appraised. Please see the main SA report for the SA framework. This original joint report was updated in September 2014 to take into account comments from consultees. Since 2014 some additional work has been undertaken to pull out the information relevant to Daventry and produce stand-alone baseline information for each plan under consideration. The result of this work is this report. 1.2 Background The SA for the Local Plan is being carried out in line with the requirements of the European Union 2 Directive 2001/42/EC (Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive) 1F and the UK Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes Regulations (2004). The information in this report has informed the SA process by outlining the scope of the assessment in terms of relevant plans, programmes and policies; key environmental, social and economic evidence base and sustainability issues, opportunities and problems. This information was then used to set out the framework for undertaking the SA of the plan. This SA framework is used to examine the sustainability impact of implementing the plan. Please see the main SA report for the SA framework. 1.3 Consultation The original joint scoping report was published for consultation in accordance with the SEA Directive and Regulations. The consultation formally sought the views of a wide range of consultees including the three statutory consultees: English Heritage (now Historic England), Natural England and the Environment Agency. The consultation was designed to gauge the view of consultees on the defined scope of the SA and the proposed level of detail that should be included in the SA Report. The consultation period ran from16th January until 22nd February 2013. 1 Please note that since the original scoping report was produced a decision has been taken that each authority will include policies on own Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Show People in their Part 2 plan (rather than a joint West Northamptonshire plan being produced). 2 Directive 2001/42/EC on the assessment of the effects of certain plans and programmes on the environment [2001] OJ L197/30 as amended (hereafter, SEA Directive) 1 SA Report part 2 The Scoping Report consultation sought responses to the following questions: 1. Are there any additional plans and policies beyond those covered that you think are relevant to this appraisal? 2. Do you think that the SA framework (section 7) is appropriate? 3. Are there any pieces of baseline data that are missing or inaccurate or has the report missed any key issues? Consultees were asked to note in their response whether comments related to all of the plans or in relation to a specific plan. Appendix A summarises the consultation responses received, and sets out how this should be taken into account in the SA, and identifies the implications of the comments and changes in the scope for each of the local plans. 2 SA Report part 2 2. METHODOLOGY 2.1 Introduction A full baseline has already been established for the West Northamptonshire Joint Core Strategy (JCS) SA and this has been used as a basis for this element of the SA. The work undertaken for the JCS SA can be accessed here: http://www.westnorthamptonshirejpu.org/ However, it has been necessary to update some of this baseline information. This was done through: An updated policy review in 2013/2014 and then again in 2017; and 3 Through updating the key baseline data and identifying the issues that affect each plan2F . This information is presented in the following sections of the report: Section 3 contains an update of the policy review; and Section 4 sets out baseline data relevant to the Settlements and Countryside Local Plan (Part 2) for Daventry District. The topics selected to structure the data collection are those used for the JCS. As the Daventry Local Plan Part 2 relates to settlements and development management, the scope of its sustainability issues is likely to be similar. However, the influence of the Plan is likely to be slightly different. To reflect this, Table 2.2 sets out in detail the scope of the issues that the plan can influence both in terms of site selection and development management policies / site design guidance. This table is then used to ensure that the appropriate sustainability objectives are selected to test the plan against. Please note that this has been updated since the consultation and this is represented by underlined text for new text and strikethrough text for deleted text. 3 Please note that the original scoping report contained a map annex that presented mapped environmental data relevant for all three plans. Since the scoping report was produced the availability of online GIS data has improved and the maps that the assessment team used to scope the SA and assess the plan are available to reference online. Therefore, the decision has been made not to include mapped data in the scoping report 3 SA Report part 2 Table 2.2: The potential scope of the plan Topic Scope of the plan Air quality and noise Sensitive location of development sites in order to: Avoid noisy areas or areas of poor air quality. Avoid locating development in noise sensitive areas. Minimise dependence on cars and reduce congestion. Maximise access by sustainable transport means. Appropriate development management policies in order to: Encourage good design of sites to reduce noise impacts. Provide on-site services and access to public transport where appropriate. Archaeology and cultural Sensitive location of development sites in order to: heritage Reduce impacts on the fabric and setting of designated and undesignated archaeological sites, monuments, structures and buildings, registered Historic Parks and gardens, registered battlefields, listed buildings and conservation areas or their settings. Avoid harm to the significance of heritage assets, including their setting, i.e. listed buildings, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, registered battlefields, conservation areas and undesignated archaeological sites (including nationally important remains), monuments, structures and buildings.’ Appropriate development management policies in order to: Encourage design that ensures new development respects the surrounding built environment / townscape and the setting of heritage assets. Biodiversity, flora and Sensitive location of development sites in order to: fauna Reduce impacts on habitats and species both designated and undesignated; greenspace networks and habitat connectivity, including river and stream corridors. Appropriate development management policies in order to: Conserve and enhance biodiversity on sites. Set out how biodiversity should be considered in development Crime and community Sensitive location of development sites in order to: safety 4 SA Report part 2 Table 2.2: The potential scope of the plan Topic Scope of the plan Maximise access to facilities such as leisure facilities for young people. Appropriate development management policies in order to: Design out crime and the fear of crime such as through improvements to street layouts, public space, passive surveillance, lighting etc. Education and training Sensitive location of development sites in order to: Maximise access to existing educational opportunities including by sustainable modes of transport.