Strategic Environmental Assessment for the Lyminster and Crossbush Neighbourhood Development Plan Environmental Report to accompany the Regulation 14 version of the Neighbourhood Development Plan Lyminster & Crossbush Parish Council August 2021 Strategic Environmental Assessment for the Lyminster Environmental Report to accompany the Regulation and Crossbush Neighbourhood Development Plan 14 version of the Neighbourhood Development Plan Quality information Prepared by Checked by Verified by Approved by Lauren Egan Nick Chisholm-Batten Alastair Peattie Alastair Peattie Graduate Consultant Associate Director Associate Director Associate Director Ryan Putt Environmental Consultant Revision History Revision Revision date Details Authorized Name Position V1.0 12th August 2021 Version for 12th August Nick Associate Director Neighbourhood 2021 Chisholm- Group comment Batten Prepared for: Lyminster & Crossbush Parish Council Prepared by: AECOM Limited Portwall Place Portwall Lane Bristol BS1 6NA United Kingdom aecom.com © 2021 AECOM Limited. All Rights Reserved. This document has been prepared by AECOM Limited (“AECOM”) for use of Locality (the “Client”) in accordance with generally accepted consultancy principles, the budget for fees and the terms of reference agreed between AECOM and the Client. Any information provided by third parties and referred to herein has not been checked or verified by AECOM, unless otherwise expressly stated in the document. No third party may rely upon this document without the prior and express written agreement of AECOM. Front cover: View to Arundel Castle, which is located to the north west of the Neighbourhood Plan area Prepared for: Lyminster and Crossbush Parish Council AECOM Strategic Environmental Assessment for the Lyminster Environmental Report to accompany the Regulation and Crossbush Neighbourhood Development Plan 14 version of the Neighbourhood Development Plan Table of Contents Non-Technical Summary .................................................................. 1. Introduction ........................................................................... 1 Background ................................................................................................................ 1 SEA Screening for the LCNDP ................................................................................... 2 SEA explained ............................................................................................................ 2 Structure of this SEA Environmental Report ............................................................... 3 2. Local Plan context and vision for the LCNDP ......................... 4 Local Plan context for the Neighbourhood Development Plan ................................... 4 Vision, aims, and objectives for the Neighbourhood Development Plan .................... 5 3. What is the scope of the SEA? .............................................. 6 Summary of SEA Scoping .......................................................................................... 6 Key Sustainability Issues ............................................................................................ 8 SEA Framework ....................................................................................................... 10 4. What has plan making / SEA involved up to this point? ........ 14 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 14 Overview of plan making / SEA work undertaken to date ......................................... 14 Housing numbers to deliver through the Neighbourhood Development Plan ........... 14 Potential site options considered through the SEA .................................................. 15 Appraisal findings ..................................................................................................... 17 Current approach in the Neighbourhood Development Plan .................................... 34 5. What are the appraisal findings at this current stage? .......... 36 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 36 Approach to this appraisal ........................................................................................ 36 Biodiversity and Geodiversity ................................................................................... 36 Climate Change........................................................................................................ 36 Landscape ................................................................................................................ 39 Historic Environment ................................................................................................ 42 Land, Soil, and Water Resources ............................................................................. 43 Vibrant and Healthy Communities ............................................................................ 43 Transportation .......................................................................................................... 45 Conclusion at this current stage ............................................................................... 46 6. What are the next steps? ..................................................... 47 Appendix A Context Review and Baseline .................................... 49 Prepared for: Lyminster and Crossbush Parish Council AECOM Strategic Environmental Assessment for the Lyminster Environmental Report to accompany the Regulation and Crossbush Neighbourhood Development Plan 14 version of the Neighbourhood Development Plan This page is intentionally blank. Prepared for: Lyminster and Crossbush Parish Council AECOM Strategic Environmental Assessment for the Lyminster Environmental Report to accompany the Regulation and Crossbush Neighbourhood Development Plan 14 version of the Neighbourhood Development Plan Non-Technical Summary What is Strategic Environmental Assessment? A strategic environmental assessment (SEA) has been undertaken to inform the Lyminster & Crossbush Neighbourhood Development Plan (LCNDP). This process is required by the SEA Regulations. Neighbourhood Plan groups use SEA to assess Neighbourhood Plans against a set of sustainability objectives developed in consultation with interested parties. The purpose of the assessment is to avoid adverse environmental and socio-economic effects through the Neighbourhood Plan, and identify opportunities to improve the environmental quality of the area covered by the Neighbourhood Plan and the quality of life of residents. What is the LCNDP? The LCNDP is currently being prepared as a Neighbourhood Development Plan under the Localism Act 2011 and the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012. The Neighbourhood Plan is being prepared in the context of the Arun Local Plan (adopted in 2018). It is currently anticipated that the LCNDP will be submitted to Arun District Council later in 2021 for subsequent independent examination. Purpose of this Environmental Report This Environmental Report, which accompanies the Regulation 14 consultation version of the LCNDP, is the latest document to be produced as part of the SEA process. The initial document was the SEA Scoping Report (June 2021), which includes information about the Neighbourhood Plan area’s environment and community. The purpose of this Environmental Report is to: • Identify, describe and evaluate the likely significant effects of the LCNDP and alternatives; and • Provide an opportunity for consultees to offer views on any aspect of the SEA process which has been carried out to date. The Environmental Report contains: • An outline of the contents and main objectives of the Neighbourhood Plan and its relationship with other relevant policies, plans and programmes; • Relevant aspects of the current and future state of the environment and key sustainability issues; • The SEA Framework of objectives against which the Neighbourhood Plan has been assessed; • The appraisal of alternative development strategies for the Neighbourhood Plan; • The likely significant environmental effects of the current version of the Neighbourhood Plan; Prepared for: Lyminster and Crossbush Parish Council AECOM Strategic Environmental Assessment for the Lyminster Environmental Report to accompany the Regulation and Crossbush Neighbourhood Development Plan 14 version of the Neighbourhood Development Plan • The measures envisaged to prevent, reduce and as fully as possible offset any significant adverse effects as a result of the Neighbourhood Plan; and • The next steps for the Neighbourhood Plan and accompanying SEA process. Assessment of reasonable alternatives for the LCNDP Housing numbers to deliver through the LCNDP Arun District Council have advised Lyminster & Crossbush Parish Council that the parish is required to deliver sites(s) for at least six new dwellings. With a view to meeting the housing target for the parish, Lyminster & Crossbush Parish Council were keen to consider where homes should be delivered within the Neighbourhood Plan area. In response to this, Lyminster & Crossbush Parish Council undertook a Call for Sites process for the Neighbourhood Plan in October 2020, which brought forward five potential sites. In addition, two sites in the parish had previously been considered through the Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment (HELAA) undertaken by Arun District Council. The seven sites, which are mapped in Figure 4.1 in the main body