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

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Section 18.<br />

<strong>Plan</strong> Uncertainty and Risks<br />

18.1 As with all planning <strong>the</strong>re are inherent uncertainty and risks. The economic downturn has<br />

placed a particular level of uncertainty and risk on <strong>the</strong> plan making regime – are plans<br />

planning proactively <strong>for</strong> growth, or reactively <strong>for</strong> contraction. Changes to government policy<br />

such as that driven by <strong>the</strong> national guidance (NPPF), and o<strong>the</strong>rs mean that plans such as <strong>the</strong><br />

Council’s <strong>Local</strong> <strong>Plan</strong> will be produced in uncertainty; however, <strong>the</strong>y must continue to be<br />

produced.<br />

18.2 Housing numbers are considered to be a key component of <strong>the</strong> <strong>Local</strong> <strong>Plan</strong>. Runnymede’s<br />

<strong>Local</strong> <strong>Plan</strong> places delivery of all its planned housing within <strong>the</strong> confines of a single policy ‐<br />

LP08 DERA. As a result of its location and <strong>the</strong> nature of <strong>the</strong> policy, <strong>the</strong> <strong>Local</strong> <strong>Plan</strong> has been<br />

subjected to a HRA. It will only proceed to final submission following a conclusion of no likely<br />

significant effect in ei<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong> integrity of <strong>the</strong> Thames Basin Heaths SPA and Thursley, Ash,<br />

Pirbright and Chobham SAC. The Council’s HRA has considered three <strong>Local</strong> <strong>Plan</strong> policies –<br />

LP01, LP02 and LP08 and <strong>the</strong>ir ability alone or in combination with o<strong>the</strong>r plans or projects to<br />

adversely affect <strong>the</strong> integrity of two European site – Thames Basin Heaths SPA and Thursley,<br />

Ash, Pirbright and Chobham SAC. Based on <strong>the</strong> in<strong>for</strong>mation available but against <strong>the</strong> advice of<br />

Natural England, <strong>the</strong> Council was able to ascertain that implementation of policies LP01, LP02<br />

and LP03 would not alone or in combination with o<strong>the</strong>r plans or projects adversely affect <strong>the</strong><br />

integrity of ei<strong>the</strong>r European site.<br />

18.3 The wider economic climate continues to remain flat, and as such could have profound<br />

effects on <strong>the</strong> deliverability of housing and infrastructure in <strong>the</strong> early part of <strong>the</strong> plan and<br />

could mean an early review in approach to <strong>the</strong> plan. The <strong>Local</strong> <strong>Plan</strong> sets out <strong>the</strong>se plan risks<br />

and contingencies under each of <strong>the</strong> policy sections within <strong>the</strong> document.<br />

Page | 235 Runnymede BC FINAL <strong>Sustainability</strong> <strong>Appraisal</strong> <strong>Report</strong> – Feb 2013

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