Sustainability Appraisal Report for the Stroud District Local Plan Review – Pre-submission Draft Local Plan Appendices Prepared by LUC May 2021 Project Title: Sustainability Appraisal of the Stroud District Local Plan Review – Pre-submission Draft Local Plan Client: Stroud District Council Version Date Version Details Prepared by Checked by Approved by 1 27/04/2021 WORKING DRAFT for H. Briggs K. Moroney T. Livingston Full Council Meeting E. Smith K. Nicholls K. Moroney T. Livingston 2 14/05/2021 Full Draft for comment H. Briggs K. Moroney T. Livingston E. Smith K. Nicholls K. Moroney T. Livingston 3 25/05/2021 Final Draft K. Moroney T. Livingston T. Livingston SA Report Appendices for Stroud District Local Plan Review - Pre-submission Draft Local Plan (May 2021) Last saved: 26/05/2021 11:02 Sustainability Appraisal Report for the Stroud District Local Plan Review – Pre-submission Draft Local Plan Appendices Prepared by LUC May 2021 Planning & EIA LUC BRISTOL Offices also in: Land Use Consultants Ltd th Registered in England Design 12 Floor Beacon Tower Edinburgh Registered number: 2549296 Landscape Planning Colston Street Bristol Glasgow Registered Office: Landscape Management BS1 4XE London 43 Chalton Street Ecology T +44 (0)117 929 1997 Manchester London NW1 1JD GIS & Visualisation [email protected] FS 566056 EMS 566057 LUC uses 100% recycled paper Contents Appendix 1 1 Consultation comments on SA Scoping Report and SA Reports for the Emerging Strategy Paper, Draft Plan and Additional Housing Options paper 1 Appendix 2 114 Baseline Information 114 Geography 115 Population 116 Housing 116 Social Inclusion and Deprivation 118 Health 119 Culture, Leisure and Recreation 119 Education 120 Crime 121 Landscape, Biodiversity and Geodiversity 121 Historic Environment 124 Air and Water 126 Flood Risk 128 Energy and Climate Change 129 Soils 131 Resource Use/Waste and Recycling 132 Employment and Economic Activity 133 Transport 136 Tourism 138 Appendix 3 149 SA findings for Policy Options considered at the Issues and Options stage (2017) 149 Introduction 150 Chapter 1: Key Issues 150 Chapter 2: Needs 150 Chapter 3: Future Growth Strategy 153 Chapter 4: Background Studies 156 Appendix 4 157 Assumptions Informing the Appraisal of Site Options 157 Appendix 5 192 Summary of effects for and detailed SA matrices for all of the site options considered to date 192 Summary of Sustainability Appraisal findings for all of the Reasonable Site Options considered to date 193 Residential site options 218 Employment site options 488 Mixed use site options 520 Open space site options 564 Site options considered following the Emerging Strategy Paper (prior to consultation on the Draft Plan) 570 Sites options considered following the Draft Plan (November 2019) including those considered as part of the Additional Housing Options consultation (October 2020) 626 Appendix 6 660 Summary of SA effects identified for the Draft Plan and Emerging Strategy Paper 660 Stroud Draft Plan 661 Emerging Strategy Paper 679 Appendix 7 681 Detailed SA Matrices for site allocations in the Draft Plan and the Pre-submission Draft Local Plan 681 Appendix 8 810 Summary of SA Findings for the Strategic Growth Options 810 Summary of growth options appraised 811 Appendix 9 820 Audit Trail of Policy and Site Options 820 Appendix 1 Consultation comments on SA Scoping Report and SA Reports for the Emerging Strategy Paper, Draft Plan and Additional Housing Options paper Sustainability Appraisal Report Appendices for the Stroud District Local Plan Review: Pre-submission Draft 1 May 2021 Table A1.1: Scoping consultation responses Consultee Issues raised in relation to Sustainability Appraisal Response/how comment has been addressed in this SA Report (summarised where appropriate) Historic England Overview Comment Comment noted, no action required. Consideration of the historic environment looks fine and provides an appropriate framework to assess relative sustainability from a heritage perspective. Natural England Relevant Plans and Programmes Noted. The relevant documents are already included in the review of plans and policies now set out in Chapter 3 of this report, i.e.: Natural England has not reviewed the plans listed in the review of • Strategic Framework for Green Infrastructure in Gloucestershire relevant plans and programmes. However, we advise that the 2015 following types of plans relating to the natural environment should • Gloucestershire Nature Map be considered where applicable to your plan area; • Stroud District Environment Strategy 2007-2027 • Green infrastructure strategies • 2017-2027 Severn Estuary Strategy • Biodiversity plans • The Severn Estuary Shoreline Management Plan Review (SMP2) • Rights of Way Improvement Plans • Cotswolds AONB Management Plan 2013-2018 • Shoreline management plans • Emerging Cotswolds AONB Management Plan 2018-2023 • Coastal access plans • Severn Estuary Flood Risk Management Strategy • River basin management plans • The 25 Year Plan to Improve the Environment • AONB and National Park management plans. • Gloucestershire Local Flood Risk Management Strategy • Relevant landscape plans and strategies. The policy review will be updated at each forthcoming stage of the SA and any new or updated plans and strategies will be included as relevant. Key Sustainability Issues – Biodiversity The Key Sustainability Issues now presented in Table 3.1 of this report have been updated to reflect the need to promote the Natural England recommends that the restoration or enhancement restoration and enhancement of biodiversity in line with the NPPF. of biodiversity is included in line with the National Planning Policy Framework. This is to be included in addition to the avoidance of damage which is already included. SA Framework - Public Health The assumptions that have been used in the SA of development site options (see Appendix 4) determines that potential significant Natural England recommends that while references relating to negative effects are identified where development in a particular enhancing provision of recreational resources are included, there location could result in the loss of an existing green are none relating to impacts on existing recreational assets (quality infrastructure/recreation asset. and/or extent). It is suggested that the text “… avoids impacts on the quality and extent of existing recreational assets, such as Sustainability Appraisal Report Appendices for the Stroud District Local Plan Review: Pre-submission Draft 2 May 2021 Consultee Issues raised in relation to Sustainability Appraisal Response/how comment has been addressed in this SA Report (summarised where appropriate) formal or informal footpaths?” should be added to address this issue. SA Framework - Ecological Connectivity SA objective 7.1 has been amended to make reference to the need to avoid damage to ecological networks (see Table 2.2 of this report). Natural England recommends that there is a danger that development at land of limited biodiversity value in its own right can lead to the creation of islands of biodiversity, permanently severed from other areas. It is therefore suggested to add a sub- objective to SA objective 7 that reads “(Does the Plan) ensure current ecological networks are not compromised, and future improvements in habitat connectivity are not prejudiced?” Monitoring Framework Commented noted. The monitoring framework which is now set out in Chapter 7 of this report has drawn on the indicators suggested by Natural England highlights that the significant environmental Natural England as appropriate. effects of implementing the current local plan will need to be monitoring including the indicators relating to the effects of the plan on biodiversity. Natural England suggests including adopting the following indicators: Biodiversity: • Number of planning approvals that generated any adverse impacts on sites of acknowledged biodiversity importance. • Percentage of major developments generating overall biodiversity enhancement. • Hectares of biodiversity habitat delivered through strategic site allocations. Landscape: • Amount of new development in AONB/National Park/Heritage Coast with commentary on likely impact. Green infrastructure: • Percentage of the city's population having access to a natural greenspace within 400 metres of their home. • Length of greenways constructed. Sustainability Appraisal Report Appendices for the Stroud District Local Plan Review: Pre-submission Draft 3 May 2021 Consultee Issues raised in relation to Sustainability Appraisal Response/how comment has been addressed in this SA Report (summarised where appropriate) • Hectares of accessible open space per 1000 population. Gloucestershire Relevant Plans and Programmes - Public Health The review of relevant plans and programmes in this SA Report (see County Council Chapter 3) has been updated to include reference to the Stroud DC may wish to consider including the Gloucestershire Gloucestershire Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2012 – 2032. Health and Wellbeing Strategy in Chapter 2 – this is a statutory document and its priorities are referenced in Chapter 3. Baseline Information - Public Health The review of relevant plans and programmes in this SA Report (see Chapter 3) has been updated to include the priorities identified in the Paragraph 3.31 refers to priorities identified by Public Health Gloucestershire Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2012 – 2032. England. These are quoted in the Public Health England document Furthermore the part of the baseline information