North West Leicestershire Sustainability Appraisal including Strategic Environmental Assessment Scoping Report On behalf of North West Leicestershire District Council Project Ref: 29859/001 | Rev: AA | Date: June 2014 Office Address: 10 Queen Square, Bristol, BS1 4NT T: +44 (0)117 928 1560 F: +44 (0)117 928 1570 E: [email protected] North West Leicestershire SA/SEA Scoping Report Document Control Sheet Project Name: North West Leicestershire Sustainability Appraisal and Strategic Environmental Assessment Project Ref: 29859 Report Title: Scoping Report Doc Ref: 01 Date: 4th June 2014 Name Position Signature Date RJ Prepared by: Rosalind James Graduate 4/06/147 Reviewed by: Cicely Postan Principal CP 23/07/14 Approved by: John Baker Partner JB 25/07/14 For and on behalf of Peter Brett Associates LLP Revision Date Description Prepared Reviewed Approved 01 25/07/14 Amended following client review CP CP JB Peter Brett Associates LLP disclaims any responsibility to the Client and others in respect of any matters outside the scope of this report. This report has been prepared with reasonable skill, care and diligence within the terms of the Contract with the Client and generally in accordance with the appropriate ACE Agreement and taking account of the manpower, resources, investigations and testing devoted to it by agreement with the Client. This report is confidential to the Client and Peter Brett Associates LLP accepts no responsibility of whatsoever nature to third parties to whom this report or any part thereof is made known. Any such party relies upon the report at their own risk. © Peter Brett Associates LLP 2014 H:\Katie\SA\Scoping report\URS\URS amends to ii Scoping Report FINAL V1.docx North West Leicestershire SA/SEA Scoping Report Contents 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 8 1.1 The Scoping Report....................................................................................................... 8 1.2 Policies and Regulations ............................................................................................... 8 1.3 Scoping Topic Chapters .............................................................................................. 11 1.4 North West Leicestershire – overview ......................................................................... 11 2 Defining Sustainable Development ......................................................................................... 13 2.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 13 2.2 International Definition ................................................................................................. 13 2.3 National Definitions and Policy .................................................................................... 13 2.4 Local ............................................................................................................................ 15 3 Population and Communities .................................................................................................. 17 3.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 17 3.2 Context ........................................................................................................................ 17 3.3 Baseline ....................................................................................................................... 19 3.4 Issues .......................................................................................................................... 28 4 Housing ...................................................................................................................................... 29 4.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 29 4.2 Context ........................................................................................................................ 29 4.3 Baseline ....................................................................................................................... 31 4.4 Issues .......................................................................................................................... 35 5 Employment and the Economy ................................................................................................ 36 5.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 36 5.2 Context ........................................................................................................................ 36 5.3 Baseline ....................................................................................................................... 38 5.4 Issues .......................................................................................................................... 45 6 Transport and Access............................................................................................................... 46 6.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 46 6.2 Context ........................................................................................................................ 46 6.3 Baseline ....................................................................................................................... 48 6.4 Issues .......................................................................................................................... 54 7 Air Quality and Noise ................................................................................................................ 55 7.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 55 7.2 Context ........................................................................................................................ 55 7.3 Baseline ....................................................................................................................... 56 7.4 Issues .......................................................................................................................... 58 8 Climate Change ......................................................................................................................... 59 8.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 59 8.2 Context ........................................................................................................................ 59 H:\Katie\SA\Scoping report\URS\URS amends to iii Scoping Report FINAL V1.docx North West Leicestershire SA/SEA Scoping Report 8.3 Baseline ....................................................................................................................... 61 8.4 Issues .......................................................................................................................... 67 9 Biodiversity and Geodiversity ................................................................................................. 68 9.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 68 9.2 Context ........................................................................................................................ 68 9.3 Baseline ....................................................................................................................... 70 9.4 Issues .......................................................................................................................... 77 10 Landscape and Land................................................................................................................. 78 10.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 78 10.2 Context ........................................................................................................................ 78 10.3 Baseline ....................................................................................................................... 79 10.4 Issues .......................................................................................................................... 85 11 Cultural Heritage ....................................................................................................................... 86 11.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 86 11.2 Context ........................................................................................................................ 86 11.3 Baseline ....................................................................................................................... 86 11.4 Issues .......................................................................................................................... 96 12 Water .......................................................................................................................................... 97 12.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................