Joint Merseyside & Halton Waste Local Plan Sustainability Appraisal and Strategic Environmental Assessment Re-issued report including assessment of main modifications following the Examination Hearings August 2012 Waste Planning Merseyside SA of the Joint Merseyside Waste Local Plan Revision Schedule August 2012 Rev Date Details Prepared by Reviewed by Approved by 01 August 2011 Draft J. Boca Colin Bush Colin Bush 02 Final J. Boca Colin Bush Colin Bush 03 August 2012 Revised Final Colin Bush A. Wooddisse A. Wooddisse Limitations URS Infrastructure & Environment UK Limited (“URS”) has prepared this Report for the use of Merseyside Environmental Advisory Service (“Client”) in accordance with the Agreement under which our services were performed. No other warranty, expressed or implied, is made as to the professional advice included in this Report or any other services provided by URS. 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URS Infrastructure & Environment UK Limited Scott House Alençon Link Basingstoke Hampshire RG21 7PP Tel. 01256 310200 Fax. 01256 310201 Waste Planning Merseyside SA of the Joint Merseyside Waste Local Plan Table of Contents 1.1 This Report ..................................................................................................................... 5 1.2 The Joint Waste Local Plan ............................................................................................ 5 1.3 Sustainability Appraisal ................................................................................................... 5 1.4 Approach adopted to the SA ........................................................................................... 6 1.5 Alternatives ..................................................................................................................... 8 1.6 Compliance with SEA Directive....................................................................................... 8 2.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 10 2.2 Policy Context Review .................................................................................................. 10 2.3 Baseline summary ........................................................................................................ 11 2.4 Sustainability Issues and Problems .............................................................................. 35 2.5 Sustainability Objectives ............................................................................................... 42 2.6 Waste Local Plan Issues and Options........................................................................... 43 3.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 45 3.2 Appraisal Methodology ................................................................................................. 45 4.1 Strategic Vision ............................................................................................................. 46 4.2 Strategic Objectives ...................................................................................................... 46 4.3 Overarching Strategic Approach for the Waste Local Plan ............................................ 49 4.4 Waste Local Plan Policies ............................................................................................. 50 4.5 Uncertainties and risks ................................................................................................. 66 5.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 67 5.2 Monitoring of Significant Effects .................................................................................... 67 5.3 Baseline Indicator Monitoring ........................................................................................ 68 6.1 Commenting on the Sustainability Appraisal ................................................................. 78 6.2 The SEA Statement ...................................................................................................... 78 Appraisal of the Vision ................................................................................................................ 79 Appraisal of Overarching Strategic approach and Spatial Strategy ............................................. 84 Policy Appraisal .......................................................................................................................... 89 Sites Appraisal – Strategic Sites ............................................................................................... 144 3 Waste Planning Merseyside SA of the Joint Merseyside Waste Local Plan Sites Appraisal – District Sites .................................................................................................. 145 Sites Appraisal – Landfill Sites ................................................................................................. 152 4 Waste Planning Merseyside SA of the Joint Merseyside Waste Local Plan 1.1 This Report URS was commissioned by the districts of Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, St. Helens, Sefton and Wirral to undertake an independent Sustainability Appraisal (SA) of the Joint Merseyside and Halton Waste Local Plan (‘Waste Local Plan’). SA seeks to identify the economic, social and environmental impacts of a plan and suggests ways to avoid or minimise negative impacts and maximise positive ones. This report provides the findings of the SA. 1.2 The Joint Waste Local Plan The Joint Merseyside and Halton Waste Local Plan is being produced by the six Merseyside Waste Planning Authorities; Halton Borough Council, Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council, Liverpool City Council, St. Helens Council, Sefton Council and Wirral Metropolitan Council. It will form part of each of the districts Local Development Framework (LDF). The Waste Local Plan seeks to facilitate the development of waste management facilities across the sub-region. It will address the facilities needed to manage all types of waste including municipal, commercial, industrial, construction and demolition and hazardous waste. The scale, location and type of facilities needed will be considered. The Waste Local Plan will put in place a planning policy framework, which will enable the six Merseyside Waste Planning Authorities to take decisions on the locations of new waste management facilities. Criteria-based policies within the Waste Local Plan will provide a consistent approach for dealing with waste planning applications across the six authorities. Merseyside Environmental Advisory Service (‘Merseyside EAS’) has published the proposed Submission Draft Waste Local Plan on behalf of the joint authorities. That document was submitted to the Secretary of State for Examination in Public by an independent Inspector and the Hearings into representations on the Plan took place in late June 2012. A number of modifications were proposed to the Inspector and these proposals have been incorporated into the Waste Local Plan along with some amendments to policies reflecting the recently published National Planning Policy Framework (‘NPPF’), which sets out the Government’s vision for planning policy in England. The proposed changes remain subject to approval by the respective Councils and the outcome of further public consultation on the proposed changes which will begin later in 2012. 1.3 Sustainability Appraisal The purpose of SA is to ensure that social, environmental and economic considerations are taken into account during the preparation of land use plans. According to the NPPF: “A sustainability appraisal which meets the requirements of the European Directive on strategic environmental assessment [SEA] should be an integral part of the plan preparation process, and should consider all the likely significant effects on the environment, economic and social factors.” SA seeks to identify the likely significant economic, social and environmental impacts of a plan and suggests ways to avoid or minimise adverse impacts and maximise the