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

3.16 Monitoring reports will be augmented with data derived from planning applications for Environmental
Impact Assessment (EIA) developments considered by the Council and where applicable neighbouring
authorities.
3.17 At all stages throughout Level 2 and Level 3 assessments where data was lacking or missing, there
necessitated a reliance to be placed upon the professional assumptions made by the assessment team.
Level 4 Assessments – Meeting the requirements of the SEA Directive
3.18 An SEA assessment is an assessment of likely significant effects, where as, an SA is an appraisal against
sustainable development objectives. As indicated above the Government believes that an integrated
assessment framework simultaneously meets the requirements of the SEA and the SA and is thus its
preferred method. In practice this is difficult to achieve as it requires considerable structure to be
embedded around both processes. Specific to SEA, and in order to meet the requirements of the SEA
Directive, each policy was subjected a series of questions related to how the policy could interact with
the impact pathway of the relative environmental receptor, as set out in Table 6 .
3.19 This is not to say that the requirements of SA have been overlooked, on the contrary Figure 4 –
Compatibility between SA Objectives and SEA Factors indicates substantial compatibility between the
SA Objectives and the SEA Factors. This table also presents the current baseline condition of the SA
Objectives as indicated by a change in the border colour 22 .
3.20 Experience suggests that the objectives of an emerging plan such as the Local Plan evolve over time
rather than appearing in a precise form at the start of the process. Inevitably this lag period has to be
accommodated within the appraisal/assessment framework. This was done by applying a process to
consider various broad development parameters within a number of scenarios and consider predicted
impacts where it is possible to do so.
3.21 The preliminary phases of the Core Strategy identified the wider scope of the assessment that was
carried out as the plan emerged. It is considered to be a preferable approach to waiting for a
completed first draft that has its direction largely fixed. This iterative approach ensures that
consideration is given to the plans ability to positively and negatively affect indicators and receptors.
Together with an opportunity to identify gaps in baseline data and impact uncertainties. Where
possible, data gaps were filled and or recommendations made for the establishment of a programme of
work required through monitoring, further data collection or generic impact studies. This information
will be used to refine the progression of the final SA and SEA.
3.22 In November 2005 the Government published its guidance on the preparation of SA for LDFs and how
this process would interface with the DPD [plan making] process. This process has recently been
amended and captured in Figure 3 below. The Council has largely followed this process in undertaking
the preparation of its Local Plan.
22 Figure 4 – Compatibility between SA Objectives and SEA Factors border colour key; Red = Currently not meeting SO target, Amber =
Uncertainty whether or not SO target can be met, and Green = SO target likely to be met.
Page | 33 Runnymede BC FINAL Sustainability Appraisal Report – Feb 2013