North Essex Authorities – Common Strategic Part 1 for Local Plans Sustainability Appraisal (SA) and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Environmental Report – Preferred Options June 2016 Strategic Part 1 - Sustainability Appraisal: Preferred Options (June 2016) i Strategic Part 1 - Sustainability Appraisal: Preferred Options (June 2016) Contents 1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Background ....................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Common Strategic Part 1 for Local Plans .......................................................................... 1 2 Sustainability Appraisal / Strategic Environmental Assessment ................................... 3 2.1 The Requirement for Sustainability Appraisal .................................................................... 3 2.2 The Sustainability Appraisal Process ................................................................................. 4 2.3 The Aim and Structure of this Report ................................................................................. 5 3 Local Plan Progress of the Relevant Authorities ............................................................. 6 3.1 Braintree District Council Local Plan .................................................................................. 6 3.2 Colchester Borough Council .............................................................................................. 6 3.3 Tendring District Council .................................................................................................... 7 4 Sustainability Context, Baseline and Objectives ............................................................. 9 4.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 9 4.2 Plans and Programmes (Stage A1) ................................................................................... 9 4.3 Baseline Information (Stage A2) ...................................................................................... 16 4.3.1 Economy................................................................................................................... 16 4.3.2 Housing .................................................................................................................... 17 4.3.3 Biodiversity ............................................................................................................... 17 4.3.4 Landscapes .............................................................................................................. 18 4.3.5 Population and Social ............................................................................................... 19 4.3.6 Air Quality and Noise ................................................................................................ 20 4.3.7 Climatic Factors ........................................................................................................ 21 4.3.8 Transport .................................................................................................................. 21 4.3.9 Water ........................................................................................................................ 22 4.3.10 Flooding .................................................................................................................... 23 4.3.11 Cultural Heritage and Townscape ............................................................................. 24 4.3.12 Minerals and Waste .................................................................................................. 24 4.3.13 Data Limitations ........................................................................................................ 25 4.4 Key Sustainability Issues and Problems and Sustainability Objectives (Stage A3) .......... 26 5 The Approach to Assessing Strategic Content within the Sustainability Appraisal ... 35 5.1 An Overview of the Three Authorities Local Plan SA Sustainability Objectives ................ 35 5.2 Developing a Common Sustainability Framework for Assessing Options: The Level of ii Strategic Part 1 - Sustainability Appraisal: Preferred Options (June 2016) Growth & Strategic Objectives ......................................................................................... 37 5.2.1 The Appraisal of Non-Site Related Policy Content .................................................... 44 5.2.2 Description of ‘Significant Effects’ ............................................................................. 44 5.2.3 Description of ‘Temporal Effects’ .............................................................................. 45 5.2.4 Description of ‘Secondary, Cumulative and Synergistic Effects’ ................................ 45 5.2.5 Description of ‘Alternatives Considered’ .................................................................... 45 5.2.6 Description of ‘Proposed Mitigation Measures / Recommendations’ ......................... 46 5.3 Developing a Common Sustainability Framework for Assessing Options: Garden Communities ................................................................................................................... 46 6 The Appraisal of the Common Strategic Part 1 for Local Plans including Reasonable Alternatives ...................................................................................................................... 52 6.1 The Vision for the Strategic Area ..................................................................................... 53 6.1.1 Context / Justification ................................................................................................ 53 6.1.2 Significant and Temporal Effects .............................................................................. 54 6.1.3 Secondary Effects ..................................................................................................... 54 6.1.4 Alternatives Considered ............................................................................................ 55 6.1.5 Proposed Mitigation Measures / Recommendations ................................................. 55 6.2 The Strategic Objectives for the Strategic Area ............................................................... 56 6.2.1 Context / Justification ................................................................................................ 56 6.2.2 Significant and Temporal Effects .............................................................................. 58 6.2.3 Secondary Effects ..................................................................................................... 58 6.2.4 Alternatives Considered ............................................................................................ 58 6.2.5 Proposed Mitigation Measures / Recommendations ................................................. 58 6.3 Policy SP1 – Presumption in Favour of Sustainable Development .................................. 59 6.3.1 Context / Justification ................................................................................................ 59 6.3.2 Significant and Temporal Effects .............................................................................. 59 6.3.3 Secondary Effects ..................................................................................................... 60 6.3.4 Alternatives Considered ............................................................................................ 60 6.3.5 Proposed Mitigation Measures / Recommendations ................................................. 60 6.4 Policy SP2 – Meeting Housing Needs ............................................................................. 61 6.4.1 Context / Justification ................................................................................................ 61 6.4.2 Significant and Temporal Effects .............................................................................. 62 6.4.3 Secondary Effects ..................................................................................................... 63 6.4.4 Alternatives Considered ............................................................................................ 63 iii Strategic Part 1 - Sustainability Appraisal: Preferred Options (June 2016) 6.4.5 Proposed Mitigation Measures / Recommendations ................................................. 65 6.5 Policy SP3 – Providing for Employment ........................................................................... 66 6.5.1 Context / Justification ................................................................................................ 66 6.5.2 Significant and Temporal Effects .............................................................................. 68 6.5.3 Secondary Effects ..................................................................................................... 68 6.5.4 Alternatives Considered ............................................................................................ 68 6.5.5 Proposed Mitigation Measures / Recommendations ................................................. 70 6.6 Policy SP4 – Infrastructure and Connectivity ................................................................... 71 6.6.1 Context / Justification ................................................................................................ 71 6.6.2 Significant