Strategic Environmental Assessment and Sustainability Appraisal - Proposed Submission Core Strategy and Policies DPD

Ended on the 5 March 2015

(2) 5 CUMMULATIVE EFFECTS

The SEA Directive requires that the assessment includes identification of cumulative and synergistic effects (where the combined effects are greater than the sum of their component parts).

The assessment of the policies has been undertaken in a manner which has enabled the cumulative effects of the policies to be assessed. This is important as none of the policies would ever be implemented in isolation and the plan has to be read as a whole. There is also the potential for the plan to have cumulative effects with other plans and programmes that are produced by other authorities such as neighbouring local authorities or the Environment Agency.

Table 5-1 summarises the cumulative and synergistic impacts of the plan. The approach identifies receptors, for example the air quality or crime levels that may be affected by cumulative impacts. It also acknowledges where uncertainty has influenced the assessment. The cumulative and synergistic effects identified below are considered to be significant effects.

Table 5-1 Cumulative and Synergistic Impacts

Receptor	Cumulative / Synergistic Effect (Positive, Negative, Neutral)	Commentary and Causes
Education provision and educational attainment (CL1 To maintain and improve access to education and skills for both young people and adults)	Positive	Educational attainment in the borough is generally low. The policies are likely to generate positive impacts upon educational attainment through: New and diverse employment provision which would provide skills and training opportunities; through allocating sites for education uses; through local partnerships and initiatives; and also through the provision of new educational facilities at the Garden Suburb.
Crime and fear of crime (CD1 To minimise potential opportunities for crime and anti-social activity)	Neutral / Positive	Crime levels are generally higher across the Borough when compared to national average figures. The projected housing and population growth may result in an influx of new residents and thus have a negative effect on crime level figures in the short-term. However, effects are assessed as neutral/positive in the long-term as cumulatively it is considered that the policies in the Core Strategy would contribute to the achievement of social and economic objectives which may indirectly result in reduced crime levels. The level of certainty of prediction is low.
Access to goods and services (ET5 To improve access to key services for all sectors of the population)	Positive	There is a clear focus on ensuring adequate local service provision is provided as part of new development along with making sure that new development is accessible by public transport, walking and cycling links.
Health and wellbeing (HW1 To improve the health of those most in need HW2 To improve the quality of life where people live and encourage community participation)	Positive	Life expectancy from birth for males is slightly lower than the national average and life expectancy from birth for females is slightly higher than national averages. Whilst health and well-being is affected by a number of factors, there is the potential for policies and their application to contribute to improved well-being. This could be achieved through ensuring new housing and employment development is well designed and accessible along with developing a green infrastructure network and ensuring that areas of green space are available for formal and informal recreation. There would also be an ongoing benefit on health and well-being that would increase cumulatively over time.
Housing (ER3 To help meet the housing requirements for the whole community)	Positive	Cumulatively, the policies in the Core Strategy that address housing ensure that new housing development occurs in the most appropriate locations and meets the needs of a wide range of people. These policies, combined with those addressing infrastructure provision and accessibility all cumulatively ensure housing is supported by the appropriate range of facilities and is accessible to local services creating a high quality housing offer.
Sustainable economic growth (ER4 To achieve sustainable levels of prosperity and economic growth throughout the plan area)	Positive	Cumulatively, the proposals in the Core Strategy would have a positive effect on sustainable growth throughout the Borough as employment opportunities would increase both in the short-term and the long-term through increasing the housing provision and the provision of employment land. This in combination with infrastructure improvements would create an attractive environment which may attract inward investment and encourage business growth.
Biodiversity (ET8 To conserve and enhance biodiversity and geodiversity, including favourable conditions on SSSIs, SPAs and SACs)	Positive / Negative	The policies in the Core Strategy on the whole would have both negative and positive effects on biodiversity and designated sites within the Borough. Cumulatively, land take for new development may have a negative effect associated with fragmentation and potential loss of habitats and species. However, the Core Strategy would present opportunities to enhance wildlife corridors, which cumulatively would benefit biodiversity. Positive effects may also occur as a result of the delivery of green infrastructure, enhancement of habitats within new developments (through the country park at the Garden Suburb and opportunities to enhance and provide new open space) and the remediation of contaminated land.
Landscape / townscape (ET10 To conserve and enhance the quality and local distinctiveness of landscapes and townscapes)	Positive / Negative	Cumulatively, it is considered that urban expansion and projected growth would have both positive and negative effects on landscape due to significant changes in landscape character as a general result of new development and the direct loss of agricultural land at the Garden Suburb. However, policies in the Core Strategy cumulatively ensure that local distinctiveness is protected, in addition to ensuring that rural character is protected. Some town centre regeneration projects may also improve existing derelict or run-down sites.
Climate change Air quality Energy efficiency Natural resources Sustainable travel / transport (ET1 To improve air quality ET4 To reduce the effects of traffic upon the environment ET6 To limit and adapt to climate change ER6 To encourage efficient patterns of movement in support of economic growth ET3 To reduce waste)	Positive / Negative	The policies in the Core Strategy has a strong focus upon ensuring new development is accessible by public transport, walking and cycling links and that new housing, services and employment opportunities are appropriately sited. All of these measures should contribute in the long-term to enabling sustainable patterns of living and travel to be developed which could have a positive effect upon reducing carbon emissions from transportation sources and upon improving local air quality. Conversely, growth as proposed by the Core Strategy is likely to nevertheless increase the number of cars in the Borough which would have adverse effects on sustainable travel, air quality and climate change (i.e. emissions from transport). There is a degree of uncertainty about these cumulative effects being realised as this is reliant upon travel choices of individual residents and workers (however, they do seek to encourage the use of sustainable modes of transport as far as practical). The delivery of Ipswich Flood Defence infrastructure will also provide benefits associated with increased resilience to climate change effects. All new development across the borough has the potential to result in a cumulative increase in the use of natural resources and waste generation.
Water resources (ET7 To protect and enhance the quality of water features and resources and reduce the risk of flooding)	Negative / Positive	New development is likely to place pressure on water resources and increase consumption of water resources. However, there is mitigation suggested within the policies to ensure sustainable design, appropriate flood risk management and sustainable (urban) drainage systems are incorporated into new development. The enhancement of the green infrastructure and ecological network across the borough will also provide benefits for infiltration and water management. Mitigation is also provided in the Core Strategy encourage measures to reduce potable demand, use of rain water harvesting and greywater recycling systems to reduce domestic water use through encouraging sustainable design.

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