DRAFT Sustainability Appraisal Report for the Emerging Local Plan ...

agricultural land). The natural landscape of the borough is characterised by the Thames Basin
Lowland and urban fringe location that maintains a rural appearance including tree and
woodland cover. Its underlying geology is a mixture of light clay or sandy soils, Thames Valley
gravels, and poor sandy, acidic solids in the heath and woodlands areas in the west of the
borough.
16.42 Current indicator data suggests that the condition of this land and soil receptor is in overall
favourable condition (see: Table 48). There appears to be scope (albeit small) for
revitalisation of town centres and supporting infrastructure, including transportation, to
affect the quality and usability of land and soil, and the accessibility of mineral resources.
However, Runnymede has no good quality agricultural land, in this respect the ability of the
Local Plan to directly affect the land and soil receptor is low. The borough’s geology
determines it is one of the few locations in Surrey for mineral resources. Primarily this
consists of sands and gravels, which are considered an important input to the Surrey
economy and protected by the Surrey Minerals Plan (2011).
16.43 The Local Plan could have brought forward policies to prioritise the minimisation of the
reduction in primary aggregates use in development and supporting infrastructure. Policies
could have been included that requires aggregate developers to adopt a phased approach to
working mineral resource locations and planning the eventual integration open space and
leisure activities that provide additional capacity for climate change events such as flooding.
The Local Plan makes no specific references to either the protection, minimisation of use,
extraction management or site restoration of land and soil resources.
16.44 The pattern of potential impacts policies and their alternatives’ are expected to have on this
environmental receptor is similar to those displayed in ER01 and ER02. This presents as a
limited number of policies and some alternatives having potentially adverse effects on ER03.
16.45 LP01 is considered to result in a neutral effect on this receptor, in comparison to the more
positive mixed effect expected from both alternatives. The assessment team did not expect
any difference between policy or alternatives in terms of SA.
16.46 Policy LP02 and its six alternatives, exhibit a considerable mixture of effects overall for this
environmental receptor. This is more pronounced in terms of the SEA particularly in respect
of LP02‐A2(b) and LP02‐A3(a). The most severe effect was expected from LP02‐A3(a) which
has been assessed as significantly adverse. This mix and therefore differentiation is less
evident in terms of SA where the effects range from uncertain to neutral.
16.47 Policy LP08 and its three alternatives, all exhibit similar overall potential effects across the
range of assessments L2 – L5. In terms of SEA, policy LP08 and its three alternative is assessed
as having the potential to result in a neutral effect. In terms of SA, LP08 scores equal to LP08‐
A3 being considered to result in a neutral effect on ER03. Alternatives LP08‐A1 and A2 both
score uncertain. The Level 5 assessment did not differentiate significantly between any of the
policies.
16.48 Overall, the effect of the accepted policies contained within this Local Plan on ER03 is
considered to be neutral.
ER04 – Water Resources & Management
16.49 The water resources and management receptor covers effects on the biological and chemical
quality of surface water and ground waters. It included consideration of safeguarding, use
management and the management of flood risk.
16.50 The South East the per capita consumption of water with data taken in 2008/9 showing an
average usage of 156 litres per person per day (pppd). There are 31km of waterways within
Runnymede with the water quality of the borough’s rivers generally good. The Thames region
also records 100% compliance with EC Bathing Waters Directive (2009 data).
16.51 In contrast it is noted that in February 2012; 21,603 residential and commercial properties
within the borough were at risk of flooding.
16.52 Current indicator data suggests (see: Table 53) that the condition of this environmental
receptor overall is unfavourable. The data suggests particular concern regarding the SO01
Page | 208 Runnymede BC FINAL Sustainability Appraisal Report – Feb 2013