Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report

Ended on the 30 October 2017

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Chapter 8 - Developing SA Objectives and testing their compatibility (Task A4)

8.1 It is important that the SA Objectives which are to be used are up to date, relevant for the district and can also provide a consistent approach between strategic level policies and site/area specific policies as part of the Local Plan Review.

8.2 The Local Plan Review provides opportunity to reconsider the SA objectives in a collaborative approach. The local authorities have undertaken numerous pieces of evidence jointly to consider the issues and relationships facing the wider area (as opposed to individual districts) and in order to address the evidence base an aligned approach to SA will be beneficial.

8.3 Baseline information is fundamentally linked to the Sustainability Framework and the objectives act as a basis against which sites can be assessed and indicators will be used to collect data as to how well progress towards the objectives is being achieved.

8.4 Table 46 provides the headline objectives and related indicators which have been developed to enable the Council to consider the impacts and alternatives of plans, programmes and policies. The Objectives, guide questions and indicators in table 46 are common across Ipswich and Suffolk Coastal.

8.5 The Babergh/Mid Suffolk SA Framework was developed at an earlier stage, but is reflected in IBC/SCDC framework. Any differences in the framework are shown highlighted in yellow and the equivalent Babergh/Mid Suffolk objective number is shown in brackets after each objective.

8.6 Table 46 also states how our SA Framework addresses the requirements of the SEA Directive.

Table 46: The SA Framework:

SA Objective	Guide Question	Indicator	Topic in the SEA Directive
Population
1. To reduce poverty and social exclusion (3^[109])	Will it reduce poverty and social exclusion in those areas most affected? Will it reduce benefit dependency?^[110] Does it support the changing population profile of the area? Will it encourage engagement/participation in community/cultural activities? Will it contribute to regeneration activities? Will it enhance the public realm?	Long term unemployment rate (Suffolk Observatory) Proportion of the population who live in wards that rank within the most deprived 10% and 25% of wards in the country (Index of Multiple Deprivation)	Human health Population
Housing
2. To meet the housing requirements of the whole community (5)	Will it contribute to the supply of housing? Will it reduce homelessness? Will it contribute to meeting demand for a range and mix of housing including affordable housing and specialist housing? Will it reduce the number of unfit homes? Will it contribute to the delivery of sustainable homes?	New homes completed in the monitoring year (council records) New homes approved in the monitoring year (council records) Recorded homeless rates (ONS) Net additional dwellings – size, type, affordable (Council records)	Human health Population Material assets
Health and Wellbeing
3. To improve the health of the population overall and reduce health inequalities (1) 4. To improve the quality of where people live and work (4)	Will it improve access to health facilities and social care services? Will it encourage healthy lifestyles? Will it support the diverse range of health needs within the community? Will it contribute to a healthy living environment? (noise, odour etc?) Will it reduce crime/ fear of crime and anti-social activity? Will it promote design that discourages crime? Will lit avoid locating development in locations that could adversely affect people's health? Will it support those with disabilities?	Condition of residents general health (Census - QS302EW) Change in the amount of Accessible Natural Greenspace (Natural England) Level of recorded crime and anti-social behaviour (Suffolk Observatory)	Water Climate factor Human health Fauna Biodiversity Flora
Education
5. To improve levels of education and skills in the population overall (2)	Will it improve qualifications and skills of young people and adults? Will it support the provision of an adequate range of educational and child care facilities?	GCSE and equivalent results for young people (Department for Education) % of working age population with NVQ level 4+ or equivalent qualification (Census 2011 - QS501EW)	Population Human health
Water
6. To conserve and enhance water quality and resources (6)	Will it support the achievement of Water Framework Directive Targets Will it protect and improve the quality of inland waters? Will it protect and improve the quality of coastal waters? Will it promote sustainable use of water? Will it maintain water availability of water dependent habitats? Will it support the provision of sufficient water supply and treatment infrastructure in a timely manner to support new development? Will it improve ground water quality?	Recorded water quality in rivers, estuaries and groundwater from River Basin Management Plans (Environment Agency) Recorded Water Resource Availability Status (Environment Agency, Anglian Water, Essex & Suffolk Water) Bathing water quality (EA)	Soil Material Assets Landscape Flora
Air
7. To maintain and where possible improve air quality (7)	Will it protect and improve air quality? Will it avoid exacerbating existing air quality issues in designated AQMAs?	Number of designated AQMAs (Council records) Estimated district CO2 emissions (Department of Energy and Climate Change)	Air Human health Fauna
Material Assets (including Soil)
8. To conserve and enhance soil and mineral resources (8) 9. To promote the sustainable management of waste (9)	Will it encourage the efficient use of land? Will it minimise the loss of open countryside to development? Will it minimise loss of the best and most versatile agricultural land to development? Will it maintain and enhance soil quality? Will it promote sustainable use of minerals? Will it encourage the use of previously developed land and/or the reuse of existing buildings? Will it prevent land contamination and facilitate remediation of contaminated sites? Will it reduce household waste generated/ head of population? Will it reduce commercial and industrial waste generated/ head of population? Will it increase rate/head of population of waste reuse and recycling?	Percentage of development recorded on greenfield / brownfield land (Council records) Change in recorded soil quality (Environment Agency) Allocations recorded on best agricultural land quality (1,2,3) (Council records/DEFRA) Estimated household waste produced (Council records) Estimated quantity of household waste recycled (Council records)	Human health Landscape
Climatic Change and flooding
10. To reduce emissions of greenhouse gases from energy consumption (10) 11. To reduce vulnerability to climatic events and flooding (11)	Will it ensure suitable adaptation to climate change? Will it reduce emission of greenhouse gases/head of population by reducing energy consumption? Will it increase the proportion of energy needs being met by renewable sources? Will it minimise the risk of flooding from rivers and watercourses? Will it minimise the risk of flooding on the coasts/estuaries? Will it reduce the risk of coastal/ estuarine erosion? Will it reduce the risk of damage from extreme weather events?	Estimated district CO2 emissions (Department of Energy and Climate Change) Installed MWs of commercial scale renewable energy schemes (Council records) Estimated number of properties at risk from flooding (Environment Agency) Number of schemes incorporating SUDs mechanisms (Suffolk County Council)	Biodiversity Flora Fauna Cultural heritage including architectural & archaeological heritage Landscape
The Coast and Estuaries
12. To safeguard the integrity of the coast and estuaries (-)	Will it support sustainable tourism? Will protect environmentally designated sites? Will it protect the special character and setting of the coast and estuaries?	Recorded visitor numbers on designated European sites (AONB unit, Natural England, Council records)	Biodiversity Flora Fauna Landscape Water
Biodiversity
13. To conserve and enhance biodiversity and geodiversity (12)	Will it maintain and enhance European designated nature conservation sites? Will it maintain and enhance nationally designated nature conservation sites? Will it maintain and enhance locally designated nature conservation sites? Will it avoid disturbance or damage to protected species and their habitats? Will it help deliver the targets and actions in the Biodiversity Action Plan? Will it help to reverse the national decline in at risk species? Will it protect and enhance sites, features and areas of geological value in both urban and rural areas? Will it lead to the creation of new habitat?	Change in the number and area of designated ecological sites (Natural England) Recorded condition/status of designated ecological sites (Natural England) Recorded visitor numbers on designated European sites (AONB unit, Natural England, Council records)	Cultural heritage Landscape Biodiversity Flora Fauna Water
Cultural Heritage
14. To conserve and where appropriate enhance areas and assets of historical and archaeological importance (13)	Will it protect and enhance buildings, monuments, sites, places, areas and landscapes of heritage interest or cultural value (including their setting) meriting consideration in planning decisions? Will it protect and enhance sites, features and areas or archaeological value in both urban and rural areas? Will it enhance accessibility to and the enjoyments of cultural heritage assets?	Change in the number of designated and non-designated heritage assets (English Heritage, Council records) Number of heritage assets recorded as 'at risk' (English Heritage, Council records)	Cultural heritage
Landscape
15. To conserve and enhance the quality and local distinctiveness of landscapes and townscapes (14)	Will it conserve and enhance the AONB? Will it reduce the amount of derelict, degraded and underused land? Will it protect and enhance the settlement and its setting within the landscape? Will it protect and enhance landscape character and townscapes? Will it promote high quality design in context with its urban and rural landscape?	Development brought forward through regeneration projects (Council records) Development granted in AONB or Special Landscape Area designations. (Council records)	Air Material assets Water Cultural heritage Population Biodiversity Climate factors
Economy
16. To achieve sustainable levels of prosperity and growth throughout the plan area (15) 17. To maintain and enhance the vitality and viability of town and retail centres (16)	Will it improve business development and enhance competitiveness? Will it improve the resilience of business and the economy? Will it promote growth in key sectors? Will it improve economic performance in disadvantaged areas? Will it encourage rural diversification? Will it encourage indigenous business? Will it encourage inward investment? Will it make land available for business development? Will it increase the range of employment opportunities, shops and services available in town centres? Will it decrease the number of vacant units in town centres? Will it enhance the local distinctiveness within the centre?	Estimated new job creation (Council records) Net additional gains in employment land development (Council records) Business formation rate (Suffolk Observatory) Number of business paying business rates (Council records) Numbers employed by industry (Oxford Economics - East of England Forecast Model) % of A1 use class and vacant units in town centres (Council records)	Population Human health Material assets
Transport, Travel and Access
18. To encourage efficient patterns of movement, promote sustainable travel of transport and ensure good access to services. (17)	Will it reduce commuting? Will it improve accessibility to work by public transport, walking and cycling? Would it promote the use of sustainable travel modes and reduce dependence on the private car? Will it increase the proportion of freight transported by rail or other sustainable modes? Will it maintain and improve access to key services and facilities for all sectors of the population? Will it increase access to the open countryside? Will it increase access to public open space? Will it improve access to cultural facilities? Will it improve access to community facilities? Will it reduce journey times? Will it help to enhance the connectivity of more remote, rural settlements?	Loss of key services (council records) Provision of key infrastructure projects (IDP, Council records) Travel to work distances (Census) Travel to work modes (Census)	Material assets Climate factors Landscape Population
Digital Infrastructure
19. To ensure that the digital infrastructure available meets the needs of current and future generations	Will it improve digital infrastructure provision? Will it increase opportunities to improve the digital economy?	Average Broadband speeds (County records)	Population Material assets

Table 46: The SA Framework

8.7 As well as setting the SA objectives, it is necessary to test their compatibility against one another in order to identify any areas of conflict and support which need further consideration. In order to understand and demonstrate the areas of conflict and support a matrix has been prepared (see table 47, overleaf) to show the positive or negative impact one objective may have on another. Considering the range of objectives there are instances where positive progress in one area causes deterioration in another – such as the conflict between economic growth and protection of the environment.

8.8 The key theme throughout the National Planning Policy Framework is the achievement of sustainable development and this is only achieved through balancing the economic, social and environmental roles. It will be essential that the Local Plan Review balances these roles as well to ensure that future growth and development takes place in the most appropriate locations across the district (and the wider Housing Market Area). The Local Plan Review will consider strategic issues, cross boundary relationships and local level policies.

8.9 Individual sites and policies will be identified through consideration of the SA objectives and SA analysis to ensure that the needs of the district are met throughout the plan period. Undertaking SA alongside policy formulation and site selection will enable the Council to consider the cumulative impacts of developments and policies and how these may be mitigated.

SA Objective	SA Objective
SA Objective	1. To reduce poverty and social exclusion	2. To meet the housing requirements of the whole community	3. To improve the health of the population overall and reduce health inequalities 3	4. To improve the quality of where people live and work 4	5. To improve levels of education and skills in the population overall	6. To conserve and enhance water quality and resources	7. To maintain and where possible improve air quality	8. To conserve and enhance soil and mineral resources	9. To promote the sustainable management of waste	10. To reduce emissions of greenhouse gases from energy consumption	11. To reduce vulnerability to climatic events and flooding	12. To safeguard the integrity of the coast and estuaries	13. To conserve and enhance biodiversity and geodiversity	14. To conserve and where appropriate enhance areas and assets of historical and archaeological importance	15. To conserve and enhance the quality and local distinctiveness of landscapes and townscapes	16. To achieve sustainable levels of prosperity and growth throughout the plan area	17. To maintain and enhance the vitality and viability of town and retail centres.	18. To encourage efficient patterns of movement, promote sustainable travel of transport and ensure good access to services.	19. To ensure that the digital infrastructure available meets the needs of current and future generations
1. To reduce poverty and social exclusion		+	+	+	+	0	0	0	?	?	+	0	0	0	0	+	+	+	+
2. To meet the housing requirements of the whole community	+		+	+	0	-	-	-	-	?	?	-	-	-		+	-	?	?
3. To improve the health of the population overall and reduce health inequalities	+	+		+	+	+	+	?	+	+	+	?	+	0	+	+	+	+	+
4. To improve the quality of where people live and work	+	+	+		?	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+
5. To improve levels of education and skills in the population overall	+	0	+	?		0	0	0	+	?	?	0	+	+	?	+	+	+	+
6. To conserve and enhance water quality and resources	0	-	+	+	0		?	+	+	?	+	+	+	0	+	?	?	+	0
7. To maintain and where possible improve air quality	0	-	+	+	⁰	?		?	+	+	+	?	+	+	+	?	?	+	?
8. To conserve and enhance soil and mineral resources	0	-	?	+	⁰		?		+	0	+	+	+	?	+	?		0	0
9. To promote the sustainable management of waste	?	-	+	+	+	+	+	+		+	+	+	+	?	+	+	+	0	+
10. To reduce emissions of greenhouse gases from energy consumption	?	?	+	+	?	?	+	0	+		+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	?
11. To reduce vulnerability to climatic events and flooding		?	+	+	?	+	+	+	+	+		+	+	+	+	+	?	+	?
12. To safeguard the integrity of the coast and estuaries	0	-	^?	+	0	+	?	+	+	+	+		+	+	+	?		?	0
13. To conserve and enhance biodiversity and geodiversity	0	-	+	+	0	+	+	+	+	+	+			+	+	?	0	+	0
14. To conserve and where appropriate enhance areas and assets of historical and archaeological importance	0	-	0	+	+	0	+	?	?	+	+	+	+		+	?	+	+	0
15. To conserve and enhance the quality and local distinctiveness of landscapes and townscapes	0	?	+	+	?	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+		?	+	+	0
16. To achieve sustainable levels of prosperity and growth throughout the plan area	+	+	+	+	+	?	?	?	+	+	+	?	?	?	?		+	+	+
17. To maintain and enhance the vitality and viability of town and retail centres.	+	-	+	+	+	?	?	+	+	+	?	+	0	+	+	+		+	?
18. To encourage efficient patterns of movement, promote sustainable travel of transport and ensure good access to services.	+	?	+	+	+	+	+	0	0	+	+	?	+	+	+	+	+		+
19. To ensure that the digital infrastructure available meets the needs of current and future generations	+	?	+	+	+	0	?	0		?	?	0	0	0	0	+	?	+

Table 47: Matrix depicting Positive/Negative impact on objectives

Key
+	Compatible
0	Neutral

-	Possible conflict
?	Uncertain

^[109] Figures in brackets show the equivalent Babergh Mid Suffolk DC objective

^[110] Highlighted text shows areas of difference between SCDC/IBC framework and BMSDC framework.

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