All our other documents can be accessed on the DMBC website: www.doncaster.gov.uk If you are unable to access this website or need any further information please contact the LDF team: Telephone: 01302 734419 Address: LDF Team, Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council Directorate of Development FREEPOST NEA 196 Doncaster, DN1 1BR E mail: [email protected] Sustainability Appraisal of the Local Development Framework Scoping Report The purpose of the Scoping Report is to establish out a framework, setting out how the Sustainability Appraisal of the Local Development Framework Documents will be undertaken. Any questions or comments should be sent to: LDF Team, Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council Directorate of Development FREEPOST NEA 196 Doncaster, DN1 1BR E mail: [email protected] Please note that all representations received will be held at Development and Planning and be available to view by members of the public. CONTENTS List of abbreviations 1 INTRODUCTION The Local Development Framework Sustainability Appraisal Integrated Impact Assessment Purpose of the Report 2 SA STAGE A: SETTING THE CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVES, ESTABLISHING THE BASELINE AND DECIDING THE SCOPE SA Stage A1: Identifying other relevant policies, plans, programmes and sustainability objectives SA Stage A2 Collecting Baseline Information SA Stage A3 Identifying Sustainability issues and problems SA Stage A4: Development the Sa Framework SA Stage A5: Consulting on the scope of the SA 3 RESPONSIBILITY, CONSTRAINTS, CHALLENGES AND CONFLICTS Responsibilities Constraints Challenges Conflicts APPENDICES APPENDIX 1 - Plan Review (SA Stage 1) APPENDIX 2 - Baseline (SA Stage 2) APPENDIX 3 - Sustainability Issues (SA Stage 4) APPENDIX 4 - Sustainability Framework (SA Stage 5) Relationship between sustainability issues and sustainability appraisal objectives Inter-relationship between SEA directive and SA objectives Comparing the SA objectives to each other SA objectives, decision making criteria and proposed indicators LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AA Appropriate Assessment BVPI Best Value Performance Indicator C&D Construction and Demolition DBEA Doncaster Baseline Economic Assessment DCP Doncaster Community Partnership (from 2001 Census data) DMBC Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council DPD Development Plan Document EQIA Equalities Impact Assessment EW England and Wales HIA Health Impact Assessment LDD Local Development Document LDF Local Development Framework LDS Local Development Scheme NPFA National Playing Field Association MPA Mineral Planning Authority MPG Mineral Planning Guidance MPS Mineral Policy Statement ODPM Office Deputy Prime Minister PI Performance Indicator PO Preferred Options PPG Planning Policy Guidance PPS Planning Policy Statement PROW Public Rights of Way RP Rural Proofing SA Sustainability Appraisal SAC Special Area of Conservation SEA Strategic Environmental Assessment SOC Sectors and Communities SPA Special Protection Area SPD Supplementary Planning Document UDP Unitary Development Plan YH Yorkshire and Humber Region 1 Introduction 1.1 This Scoping Report outlines how the Sustainability Appraisal (SA) of the documents produced by Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council (DMBC) as part of the Local Development Framework (LDF) will be undertaken, including the identification of the main issues and sources of information. The Local Development Framework 1.2 The Doncaster Local Development Framework (LDF) will be produced, and once adopted, will replace the existing Unitary Development Plan (UDP). Unlike the UDP, the LDF will not be a single document but will consist of several smaller documents, which will allow quicker revision and alteration. 1.3 As part of the Doncaster LDF, an overarching Core Strategy Development Plan Document (DPD) will be produced, supported by a number of topic based DPDs and more detailed Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs). 1.4 Although not referred to as part of this appraisal, the DMBC Local Development Scheme (the LDF ‘project management’ document) and Statement of Community Involvement (which relates to all LDF documents) may be of interest to those wishing to comment on the DPDs and SPDs, and the accompanying Sustainability Appraisals. These additional documents can be found on the DMBC website (www.doncaster.gov.uk). Sustainability Appraisal 1.5 The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act (2004) requires the production of DPDs and SPDs to incorporate a SA; a process that appraises the social, environmental and economic effects of the strategies and policies to ensure that decisions are made in accordance with the principles of sustainable development. 1.6 There are many definitions of “sustainability” but a widely accepted definition was included in The Brundtland Report (Our Common Future, 1987), which stated that sustainability is “development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” 1.7 ‘Securing the Future, delivering UK Sustainable Development Strategy’ (2005) includes a set of UK principles to achieve sustainable development: Living within Environmental Limits Ensuring a Strong, Healthy and Just Society Achieving a Sustainable Economy Promoting Good Governance Using Sound Science Responsibly 1.8 The DPDs and SPDs expand on the high level policies contained in national policy (Planning Policy Statements and Mineral Policy Statements) and regional policy (the Regional Spatial Strategy). The SA of these DPDs will therefore draw on the SAs of the higher tiers of policy. Where SPDs expand on policies within the UDP, which was not subject to SA, Government Guidance (Sustainability Appraisal of Regional Spatial Strategies and Local Development Documents, ODPM, 2005) indicates that in such circumstances the SA of the SPDs will be required to set out the likely significant effects of the UDP policies to which it relates, to provide the SPD SA with a baseline. However, the appraisal of the whole UDP or alternatives to the adopted policies is not required. Integrated Impact Assessment 1.9 Sustainability Appraisals (SA) consider economic, social and environmental impacts. However, more specific forms of assessment are also required by legislation; Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and Appropriate Assessment (AA). 1.10 The Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes Regulations 2004 requires the production of DPDs and SPDs to incorporate a SEA, where they are likely to give rise to significant environmental impacts. As the requirements of a SEA are clearly prescribed by the legislation, the table below sets out how these have been incorporated into the SA process: SEA Directive Requirements Location Outline relationship of LDF document to other Scoping Report (SA Stage A1) relevant plans and programmes [Article 5(1), Annex 1(a)] Set out the relevant aspects of the current state Scoping Report (SA Stage A2-3) and of the environment and the evolution of the SA Report environment if the LDF document was not implemented [Annex 1(b)] Set out the environmental characteristics of Scoping Report (SA Stage A2-A3) areas likely to be significantly affected by the LDF [Annex 1(c)] Describe any existing environmental problems Scoping Report (SA Stage A3) [Annex 1(d)] Identify the environmental protection objectives Scoping Report (SA Stage A1) established at international, community or national level [Annex 1(e)] Authorities with specific environmental Scoping Report (SA Stage A5) responsibilities [Article 6(3)] to be consulted when deciding on the scope and level of detail of the information to be included in the environment report [Article 5(4)] Environmental report to consider ‘reasonable SA Report alternatives’, taking into account the objectives and geographical scope of the LDF [Article 5(1)] Outline the reasons for selecting the SA Report alternatives dealt with include a description of any difficulties encountered in compiling the required information Set out the likely significant effects of the LDF SA Report on the environment Set out the measures envisaged to prevent, SA Report reduce or offset any significant adverse effects of the LDF Member States shall monitor the significant SA Report environmental effects of the implementation of plans and programmes in order to identify, at an early stage, unforeseen adverse effects and be able to undertake appropriate remedial action [Article 10] Provide a description of the measures SA Report envisaged concerning monitoring in accordance with Article 10 1.11 The Habitat Regulations indicate that a plan or project which is likely to have a significant effect on a Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) or Special Protection Area (SPA) and is not directly connected with or necessary to the management of the site, shall make an AA of the implications for the site. Within Doncaster, Thorne and Hatfield Moors are designated as SPA/SACs. 1.12 The purpose of the AA is to assess whether any aspects of the relevant LDF document will adversely affect the integrity of these sites in relation to their designation as SPA/SAC only, which in the case of Thorne and Hatfield Moors is the Nightjar (Caprimulgus europaeus) population and the degraded peat bogs (lowland raised mires) still capable of natural regeneration. AA will be carried out as a separate process in line with emerging guidance, however there are links to the SA/SEA process, and these have been identified in Appendix 4. 1.13 There are other forms of assessment which are not required by legislation, such as Equalities Impact Assessment (EQIA), Health