RSS East Of England Plan - Broads Authority

2 Section 1 Introduction
1.8 Preparation was informed by Sustainability Appraisal at both the draft submission and Proposed Changes stages
incorporating Strategic Environmental Appraisal. The Secretary of State’s Proposed Changes were assessed against the
requirements of the European Habitats Directive (East of England Regional Spatial Strategy Habitats Directive
Assessment, ERM, December 2006). In response to representations on that assessment by the Regional Assembly,
Natural England and others, the assessment was revisited (Draft Regional Spatial Strategy for the East of England:
Appropriate Assessment under the Habitats Regulations, RPS, September 2007) and a number of additional changes
made to ensure the Regional Spatial Strategy is fully compliant with the Directive (Secretary of State’s Further Proposed
Changes, October 2007). Taking account of the Assessment and the Further Proposed Changes we conclude that the
policies of this Plan will not give rise to any adverse effects on the integrity of sites of European or international importance
for nature conservation. Sites of European importance for wildlife comprise Special Areas of Conservation, Special
Protection Areas, together with Offshore Marine Sites when designated. Sites of international importance for wildlife
refers to those designated under the 1971 Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. They are not subject to the requirements of
the Habitats Directive but, as a matter of Government policy, receive the same protection.
1.9 This RSS covers the period to 2021 but sets a vision, objectives and core strategy for the longer term. In particular it seeks
to reduce the region’s impact on, and exposure to, the effects of climate change and to put in place a development
strategy with the potential to support continued sustainable growth beyond 2021. It incorporates the Regional Transport
Strategy.
1.10 The RSS is accompanied by a Monitoring Framework and Implementation Plan produced by EERA and its partners and
by EERA’s Annual RSS Monitoring Report (see Section 14, Implementation, Monitoring and Review).
Key Drivers of Policy in the East of England
1.11 This RSS responds to a number of regional policy drivers by:
• Fostering and developing European and inter-regional links. The region has global, European, and inter-regional links,
e.g. via inward-investment, transport and communications, trading links and key employment clusters. It is also a
conduit between the rest of the UK and Europe;
• Recognising London’s role as a world city and national economic powerhouse, directly or indirectly employing a
significant proportion of the region’s population and contributing to regional prosperity, whilst exerting pressures on
the region – for example in terms of migration, impact on transport networks and waste management;
• Putting in place a framework that promotes sustainable development, especially to address housing shortages,
support the continued growth of the economy and enable all areas to share in prosperity, whilst driving up energy
efficiency and carbon performance, improving water efficiency and recycling an increasing percentage of waste;
• Reconciling growth with protection of the environment and avoiding adverse effect on sites of European or
international importance for nature conservation;
• Concentrating growth at the key centres for development and change, which include all the region’s main urban areas
and have potential to accommodate substantial development in sustainable ways to 2021 and beyond, whilst
maintaining the general extent of the green belt;
• Recognising the importance of a number of priority areas for regeneration, which include many of the key centres for
development and change, whilst not overlooking pockets of deprivation in otherwise relatively buoyant towns and
rural areas;