Sustainability Appraisal (incorporating Strategic Environmental Assessment) for the Truro and Kenwyn Neighbourhood Plan SA Report to accompany the Regulation 14 version of the Neighbourhood Plan Truro Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group February 2020 Sustainability Appraisal (incorporating SA Report to accompany the Regulation 14 Strategic Environmental Assessment) for the consultation version Truro and Kenwyn Neighbourhood Plan Quality information Prepared by Checked by Verified by Approved by Ryan Putt Nick Chisholm-Batten Alastair Peattie Alastair Peattie Environmental Associate Director Associate Director Associate Director Consultant Revision History Revision Revision date Details Authorized Name Position V2.0 13th February Regulation 14 13th February Nick Chisholm- Associate 2020 consultation 2020 Batten Director version Prepared for: Truro Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group Prepared by: AECOM Infrastructure & Environment UK Limited Plumer House Third Floor, East Wing Tailyour Road Crownhill Plymouth PL6 5DH United Kingdom T: +44 (1752) 676700 aecom.com © 2020 AECOM Infrastructure & Environment UK 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. Prepared for: Truro and Kenwyn Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group AECOM Sustainability Appraisal (incorporating SA Report to accompany the Regulation 14 Strategic Environmental Assessment) for the consultation version Truro and Kenwyn Neighbourhood Plan Table of Contents Non-Technical Summary ............................................................................................................... 1. Introduction .............................................................................................. 1 Background ............................................................................................................................................. 1 SA explained ........................................................................................................................................... 2 Structure of this SA Report...................................................................................................................... 3 2. Local Plan context and vision for the Truro Neighbourhood Plan ........... 4 Local Plan context for the Neighbourhood Plan ..................................................................................... 4 Cornwall Local Plan: Strategic Policies ................................................................................................... 4 Site Allocations DPD ............................................................................................................................... 4 Provisions relating to the Truro and Roseland CNA ............................................................................... 5 Vision, aims and objectives for the Neighbourhood Plan ....................................................................... 6 3. What is the scope of the SA? .................................................................. 7 SA Scoping Report .................................................................................................................................. 7 Key Sustainability Issues ........................................................................................................................ 7 SA Framework ......................................................................................................................................... 8 4. What has plan making / SA involved up to this point? .......................... 12 Introduction............................................................................................................................................ 12 Overview of plan making / SA work undertaken since 2011 ................................................................. 12 Growth to deliver through the Neighbourhood Plan .............................................................................. 12 Assessment of reasonable alternatives for broad areas of growth ....................................................... 13 Key proposals in the Neighbourhood Plan ............................................................................................ 28 Neighbourhood Plan policies ................................................................................................................ 28 5. What are the appraisal findings at this current stage? .......................... 30 Introduction............................................................................................................................................ 30 Approach to this appraisal..................................................................................................................... 30 Air Quality .............................................................................................................................................. 30 Biodiversity and Geodiversity ................................................................................................................ 31 Climate Change .................................................................................................................................... 33 Landscape ............................................................................................................................................. 34 Historic Environment ............................................................................................................................. 35 Land, Soil and Water Resources .......................................................................................................... 45 Population and Community ................................................................................................................... 46 Health and Wellbeing ............................................................................................................................ 48 Transportation ....................................................................................................................................... 49 Conclusions at this current stage .......................................................................................................... 50 6. Next Steps ............................................................................................. 52 Appendix A Context Review and Baseline ...................................................... 53 Prepared for: Truro and Kenwyn Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group AECOM Sustainability Appraisal (incorporating SA Report to accompany the Regulation 14 Strategic Environmental Assessment) for the consultation version Truro and Kenwyn Neighbourhood Plan This page is intentionally blank Prepared for: Truro and Kenwyn Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group AECOM Sustainability Appraisal (incorporating SA Report to accompany the Regulation 14 Strategic Environmental Assessment) for the consultation version Truro and Kenwyn Neighbourhood Plan Non-Technical Summary What is a Sustainability Appraisal? A sustainability appraisal (SA) has been undertaken to inform the Truro and Kenwyn Neighbourhood Plan. This process has been undertaken to meet the requirements of the Strategic Environmental Assessment Regulations. Neighbourhood Plan groups use SA 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 Truro and Kenwyn Neighbourhood Plan? The Truro and Kenwyn Neighbourhood Plan is currently being prepared as a Neighbourhood Development Plan under the Localism Act 2011 and the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012. Replacing the Truro and Kenwyn Neighbourhood Plan which was ‘made’ in late 2016, the Neighbourhood Plan is being prepared in the context of the adopted Cornwall Local Plan. It is anticipated that the Neighbourhood Plan will be submitted to Cornwall Council in spring 2020 for subsequent Independent Examination. Purpose of this SA Report This SA Report, which accompanies the pre-submission ‘Regulation 14’ consultation version of the Neighbourhood Plan, is the latest document to be produced as part of the SA process. Earlier SA documents were prepared to accompany the previous version of the Neighbourhood Plan. The purpose of this SA Report is to: • Identify, describe and evaluate the likely significant effects of the Truro and Kenwyn Neighbourhood Plan and alternatives; and • Provide an opportunity for consultees to offer views on any aspect of the SA process which has been carried out to date. The SA 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; •