Sustainability Appraisal - Mid Devon Local Plan Review Appendix 2: Sustainability Appraisal of Policies and Sites Strategic Policies Policy S1: Sustainable development priorities The Policy sets out the strategic priorities that will need to be achieved to deliver the vision and address key issues within Mid Devon to support sustainable communities. Sustainability Commentary Impact Mitigation Post objective Mitigation A) Protection of This policy has a significant positive contribution towards this objective. It +3 +3 the natural aims to conserve and enhance the natural environment and valued environment landscapes, including the Blackdown Hills AONB and National Parks on the periphery of the district. The policy aims to prevent unacceptable impact on the soil, air and water quality in the area and it also requires good design to conserve and enhance the natural environment and supports green infrastructure. The policy aspires to minimise impacts on biodiversity and geodiversity by recognising the wider benefits of ecosystems, delivering natural environment objectives, a net gain in biodiversity and by protecting International, European, National and local designated wildlife sites. It strengthens the existing policy which did not include a priority to conserve and enhance the natural environment or the objective to minimise the impact on biodiversity and geodiversity. B) Protection This policy has a significant positive contribution towards achieving this +3 +3 and promotion objective. The policy requires well designed development which reflects of a quality built local surroundings and materials, creates safe and accessible environments and establishes a strong sense of place. The policy also aims and historic to conserve and enhance the historic environment through the protection environment of both designated and non-designated heritage assets and assessing the 108 | P a g e Sustainability Appraisal - Mid Devon Local Plan Review Sustainability Commentary Impact Mitigation Post objective Mitigation impact of new development on the historic character of Mid Devon’s landscapes and townscapes. It strengthens the existing policy which did not include a priority to protect heritage assets or the historic character or Mid Devon. C) Mitigating the This policy has a significant positive contribution towards achieving this +3 Other policies in the plan refer to +3 effects of objective. It aims to meet the challenge of climate change by supporting a the sequential approach to flood climate change low carbon future, energy efficiency, increase the use and supply of risk. renewable and low carbon energy and conserving natural resources. The policy refers to managing flood risk and sustainable design. The option also promotes sustainable transport by reducing the need to travel by car and integrating sustainable travel such as walking and cycling, and aims to prevent unacceptable pollution levels in soil, noise, air and water. These priorities will have a secondary effect of minimising greenhouse gas emissions. This option builds on the existing policy by supporting a low carbon future and increasing the use and supply of renewable and low carbon energy. D) Safeguarding This policy has a positive impact in contributing towards achieving this +2 Policy should be read alongside +2 and minimising objective through supporting the effective use of land and aiming to other polices within the plan. resource use prevent unacceptable levels of soil and water pollution as well as reducing pollution through good sustainable design. The policy enhances the existing adopted policy which does not prevent unacceptable pollution to soil or water. The option is silent on the management of waste however the option should be read in the context of other policies in the plan. E) Promoting The policy will have a significant positive contribution on building a strong, +3 +3 economic competitive economy. It encourages access to education, training and growth and jobs, infrastructure as well as the creation of new enterprise, economic regeneration and flexibility of use. The option aims to enhance and employment diversify the economy in general. The policy has a similar contribution to promoting the economic growth and employment of the area as the existing policy. 109 | P a g e Sustainability Appraisal - Mid Devon Local Plan Review Sustainability Commentary Impact Mitigation Post objective Mitigation F) Supporting This policy aims to ensure the vitality of town centres and will have a +3 +3 retail significant contribution towards achieving the objective to support retail. It suggests a hierarchy of centres, defined town centre shopping areas and a diverse retail offer at the three main towns (Tiverton, Crediton and Cullompton). The option supports a prosperous rural economy including through the retention and development of local services and community facilities in villages. This policy builds on the current adopted Local Plan policy which did not directly mention the importance of supporting the vitality of town centres. G) Meeting The policy promotes a delivery of a wide choice of high quality homes +3 +3 housing needs through a development focus at the three main towns as Mid Devon’s most sustainable settlements where services and facilities are located. The option also refers to the long-term requirement for a new community at East of Cullompton and limited development in identified villages. In this case there may be a requirement for the provision of new services and facilities to meet the needs of the new housing development. The policy supports the housing needs of all sectors of the community including housing for the elderly and disabled, affordable housing and gypsy and traveller pitches, this enhances the existing policy. Overall the option is likely to have a significant positive impact on meeting housing needs. H) Ensuring The policy will have a significant positive impact in contributing towards +3 +3 community this objective. It supports walking, cycling, public transport and the health and provision of social recreational, sport and cultural facilities and services. The policy enhances the existing policy as it aims to prevent unacceptable wellbeing levels of pollution as a whole and highlights Crediton and Cullompton as areas where this is a particular local issue. Good sustainable design is required to create safe accessible environments. The policy also aims to create jobs and a wide choice of high quality homes while meeting the needs of all sectors of the community which helps to reduce poverty and 110 | P a g e Sustainability Appraisal - Mid Devon Local Plan Review Sustainability Commentary Impact Mitigation Post objective Mitigation social exclusion. I) Delivering the The policy overall will have a positive impact on this objective. The policy +2 The option is silent on the specific +2 necessary aims to build a strong completive economy through access to provision of new transport infrastructure infrastructure. It promotes sustainable travel and supports the delivery of infrastructure but the option social, recreational, accessible green infrastructure, cultural services and should be read in the context of facilities. The option enhances the existing policy as it supports the the Local Plan Review as a whole. expansion of telecommunications and high speed broadband. Development focus at the main towns (Tiverton, Cullompton and Crediton) and the new community East of Cullompton contributes to making efficient use of existing infrastructure and is likely to reduce the overall need to travel. Secondary/cumulative/synergistic effects: This policy provides a strategic overview of sustainable development priorities in Mid Devon. It aims to meet the needs of the community and protect the natural and cultural environment. A number of issues are silent in the policy; these issues are however set out in detail by other policies in the plan which should be read as a whole. Temporary/permanent effects: Timescale: The aims of the policy are over the lifetime of the plan. A number of impacts such as new housing Short (1-5 years), Medium (6-15 years) Long development to meet the needs of the community will be permanent, whereas other effects of the policy (15+ years) will be dependent on market demand and may change over time, for example, economic development. The policy provides flexibility to respond to changing circumstances. Spatial extent: (District wide / local) The policy option aims to meet the needs across the district. Housing development is focussed at the three main towns (Tiverton, Cullompton and Crediton) with long term growth East of Cullompton. Policy S2: Amount and Distribution of Development Preferred Option: Amount of Residential Development Meet Housing Need (7,200 dwellings) 111 | P a g e Sustainability Appraisal - Mid Devon Local Plan Review The development needs of the community will be met through the provision of approximately 7,200 dwellings between 1 April 2013 and 31 March 2033. Sustainability Commentary Impact Mitigation Post objective Mitigation A) Protection of A housing target set at a level to meet the objectively assessed need of Mid 0 The policy should however be 0 the natural Devon is capable of being met without negatively impacting on the existing considered in the context of environment environmental limits of the districts towns and villages. The SHLAA has other policies which aim to identified a sufficient number of alternative sites to avoid adverse protect the natural environmental impact. The level