Final Draft Ipswich Local Plan 2018 - 2036 Sustainability Appraisal Report (SEA and SA)
(3) 4. Stage C: Prepare the SA Report
4.1 Requirements for an Environmental Report
4.1.1 This SA Report is intended to satisfy the requirements of the 'environmental report' referred to in Article 5(1) of the SEA Directive, which states:
"Where an environmental assessment is required under Article 3(1), an environmental report shall be prepared in which the likely significant effects on the environment of implementing the plan or programme, and reasonable alternatives taking into account the objectives and the geographical scope of the plan or programme, are identified, described and evaluated. The information to be given for this purpose is referred to in Annex I."
4.1.2 Annex 1 of the SEA Directive necessitates the provision of ten types of information in an environmental report. Table 1-3 presents the list of what information is required and where it has been provided for in this report. It should be noted that this information can result in large amounts of data that render a report unwieldy and inaccessible for laypeople. Guidance from the European Council on the implementation of SEA[1] notes that:
"In order to form an identifiable report, the relevant information must be brought together: it should not be necessary to embark on a paper-chase in order to understand the environmental effects of a proposal. Depending on the case, it might be appropriate to summarise earlier material, refer to it, or repeat it. But there is no need to repeat large amounts of data in a new context in which it is not appropriate."
4.1.3 In order to avoid unnecessary repetition of large amounts of data, this report provides a summary of earlier material and refers to the publicly accessible location where the information can be found in full, where appropriate. Table 4-1 clarifies for which data this is the case.
Table 4-1: Requirements for an SEA Environmental Report and where these have been completed
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Requirement for an environmental report |
Where completed |
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SEA Directive Annex I - Information referred to in Article 5(1) |
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(a) an outline of the contents, main objectives of the plan or programme and relationship with other relevant plans and programmes |
Section 1.4 of this report. |
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(b) the relevant aspects of the current state of the environment and the likely evolution thereof without implementation of the plan or programme; |
Summarised in Chapter 2 & Appendix B. Available in full in the SA Scoping Report. |
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(c) the environmental characteristics of areas likely to be significantly affected; |
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(d) any existing environmental problems which are relevant to the plan or programme including, in particular, those relating to any areas of a particular environmental importance, such as areas designated pursuant to Directives 79/409/EEC and 92/43/EEC; |
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(e) the environmental protection objectives, established at international, Community or Member State level, which are relevant to the plan or programme and the way those objectives and any environmental considerations have been taken into account during its preparation; |
Summarised in Chapter 2 & Appendix A. Available in full in the SA Scoping Report. |
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(f) the likely significant effects (1) on the environment, including on issues such as biodiversity, population, human health, fauna, flora, soil, water, air, climatic factors, material assets, cultural heritage including architectural and archaeological heritage, landscape and the interrelationship between the above factors; |
Chapter 3 and Appendices C, D & E of this report. |
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(g) the measures envisaged to prevent, reduce and as fully as possible offset any significant adverse effects on the environment of implementing the plan or programme; |
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(h) an outline of the reasons for selecting the alternatives dealt with, and a description of how the assessment was undertaken including any difficulties (such as technical deficiencies or lack of know-how) encountered in compiling the required information; |
Section 3.3 |
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(i) a description of the measures envisaged concerning monitoring in accordance with Article 10; |
Table 3.11 of this report. |
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(j) a non-technical summary of the information provided under the above headings. |
Front of this report. |
[1] SA Scoping Report, IBC, August 2017, Available online at: https://www.ipswich.gov.uk/sites/default/files/sustainability_appraisal_scoping_report_final_-_aug17_v2.pdf
