Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent Joint Waste Core Strategy Interim SA of Draft Issues and options Sept 2008 Issue 4 : How should the overall pattern of waste management facilities in Staffordshire and Stoke- on-Trent be defined? Appraisal scoring system Symbol Meaning ++ Significant positive effect on sustainability objective (normally direct) + Minor positive effect on sustainability objective (normally indirect) 0 Neutral effect on sustainability objective - Minor negative effect on sustainability objective (normally indirect) -- Significant negative effect on sustainability objective (normally direct) ? Uncertain effect on sustainability objective N/A Not relevant to sustainability objective 1 Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent Joint Waste Core Strategy Interim SA of Draft Issues and options Sept 2008 Issue 5: It is proposed that as a general principle the development of additional waste management facilities primarily occurs within or in close proximity to urban areas, following the hierarchy of urban areas as defined in the draft West Midlands RSS. SA Objectives Score Comments 1. Deliver sustainable development through driving N/A Issue 5 is concerned with the location of additional waste management facilities in Staffordshire waste management up the waste hierarchy and Stoke-on-Trent, as opposed to the type of waste management facility. As such, the location of future waste management facilities is not relevant to driving waste management up the waste hierarchy. 2. Encourage schemes that contribute to self sufficiency ++ The location of additional waste management facilities within or in close proximity to major urban in waste treatment and encourage local communities to areas and settlements will encourage local communities to take more responsibility for the waste take responsibility for the waste that they generate they generate, as urban areas in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent are where the greatest amount of waste is produced. Furthermore, locating waste management facilities within or in close proximity to urban areas and settlements corresponds with the national policy objective of communities taking more responsibility for their waste. As such, locating additional waste management facilities within or close to urban areas will have a significant positive effect on encouraging self sufficiency in waste management and local communities in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent taking more responsibility for the waste they generate. 3. Avoid net losses of ‘tranquil’ areas ++ The areas in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent that are considered to be the least tranquil are the major urban areas and settlements, such as Stoke-on-Trent, Stafford, Cannock, Lichfield, Burton and Tamworth. Furthermore, the main concentrations of opportunity sites for waste management facilities are within these urban areas. The most tranquil areas in the County are in the north, east and south of Staffordshire Moorlands, the western fringe of Stafford and in East Staffordshire around Abbots Bromley. As such, the location of additional waste management facilities within or in close proximity to these urban areas will have a significant positive effect on avoiding a net loss of the most tranquil areas in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent. 2 Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent Joint Waste Core Strategy Interim SA of Draft Issues and options Sept 2008 Issue 5: It is proposed that as a general principle the development of additional waste management facilities primarily occurs within or in close proximity to urban areas, following the hierarchy of urban areas as defined in the draft West Midlands RSS. SA Objectives Score Comments 4. Reduce the impact of HGV traffic on the local +/- According to SLR’s Evidence Base Report, quantities of municipal and commercial and industrial community and environment waste in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent are forecast to exceed 3 million tonnes per annum by 2025/26, and so there is a need for additional waste management facilities to treat the increase in waste arisings. This will inevitably lead to an increase in HGVs needed to transport waste, which will continue to have a negative impact on the local community and environment. However, locating additional waste management facilities within or in close proximity to major urban areas and settlements will reduce the negative effect on the local environment, as this would reduce the distance travelled between where waste is produced and treated. However, this may increase effects on local communities. 5. Provide local facilities to minimise the distance travelled to handle and treat wastes particularly in rural -/? Most of the small settlements that are outside the urban hierarchy are in close proximity to one or areas more types of waste facilities. However, the type of facility varies (i.e. large landfill site) and there are some small settlements with no facility. Therefore, with a spatial strategy that is concentrated on urban areas, rural settlements will have to travel further to treat certain types of waste, although certain types of waste management facility may be more appropriate in rural areas (i.e. composting). As such, the location of additional waste management facilities within or in close proximity to major urban areas and settlements could potentially have a negative effect on providing local facilities to minimise the distance travelled to handle and treat wastes in rural areas. 6. Reduce greenhouse gas emissions According to SLR’s Evidence Base Report, quantities of municipal and commercial and industrial - - waste in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent are forecast to exceed 3 million tonnes per annum by 2025/26, and so there is a need for additional waste management facilities to treat the increase 3 Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent Joint Waste Core Strategy Interim SA of Draft Issues and options Sept 2008 Issue 5: It is proposed that as a general principle the development of additional waste management facilities primarily occurs within or in close proximity to urban areas, following the hierarchy of urban areas as defined in the draft West Midlands RSS. SA Objectives Score Comments in waste arisings. Issue 5 encourages a movement to a more sustainable pattern on waste facilities, which will likely result in travel distances for waste being reduced overall. However, the need for additional waste management facilities to treat the increase in waste arisings will inevitably lead to an increase in HGVs needed to transport waste, thus increasing the amount of greenhouse gas emissions produced from the transport of waste. 7. Protect floodplains and associated watercourses +/- The majority of the floodplain in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent (Flood Zones 2 and 3) is located outside of the major urban areas and settlements. However there are parts of Stafford, Burton upon Trent and Tamworth that are at high risk of flooding (Flood Zone 3), notably Burton upon Trent, which has a high concentration of opportunity sites within Flood Zone 3. As such, although the location of additional waste management facilities within or in close proximity to major urban areas and settlements will have an overall positive effect on protecting floodplains from waste development, there are certain urban areas, most notably Burton upon Trent, where the location of waste management facilities could have a negative effect on floodplain protection. However, this is dependent upon whether there is an increase in hardstanding. Effects on watercourses are considered under SA Objective 10. 8. Protect and enhance designated sites of ecological The HRA Screening findings show that the possibility of significant impacts from future waste and geological importance +/- -/? management activities within or in close proximity to major urban areas or settlements in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent has been identified for 20 of the 24 Natura 2000 sites within or in close proximity to (<15km) Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent. As such, the location of additional waste management facilities within or in close proximity to major urban areas and settlements could potentially have a negative effect on the protection and enhancement of designated sites of ecological importance. Impacts are likely to vary depending on the type of 4 Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent Joint Waste Core Strategy Interim SA of Draft Issues and options Sept 2008 Issue 5: It is proposed that as a general principle the development of additional waste management facilities primarily occurs within or in close proximity to urban areas, following the hierarchy of urban areas as defined in the draft West Midlands RSS. SA Objectives Score Comments facility and proximity of N2K sites, as set out in the HRA screening report and the appraisal of issues 6a, 6b and 6c. The identification or uncertainty of likely significant impacts does not necessarily mean that the location of future waste facilities in major urban areas and settlements would have an adverse impact on the integrity of all 20 of these Natura 2000 sites, as it is likely that mitigation measures would alleviate or reduce any negative impacts. 9. Protect and enhance biodiversity, especially BAP +/? The majority of major urban areas and settlements are not located in any Zone 1 biodiversity priority species and habitats areas, which are considered to be the core biodiversity resource of the region, containing the highest proportion of BAP habitats and existing ecological networks. However, parts of Cannock and Rugeley fall within a Zone 1 biodiversity area, and have high concentrations