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

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actual contributions will be subject to the influences of a range of factors, including the legislative and market conditions, partnership working and Council resources. Background to Runnymede Borough Council’s Local Plan 4.13 The RBC Local Plan (Local Plan) is an essential part of the Council's policy and delivery planning framework and it should be read in conjunction with this SAR. It provides an explicit statutory link to the Borough’s Sustainable Community Strategy (SCS). In addition, it will inform and be informed by the direction taken by the Council on the emerging Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEP), as well as the requirement for both its Infrastructure Delivery Plan (IDP) and the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) charge. 4.14 Nationally, government policy is another key driver in the formation of this Local Plan, and is currently seeking to prioritise the promotion of sustainable economic growth in order to mitigate the effects of the economic downturn. The Council as a local government body must follow national policy unless it has significant evidence that would lead it to conclude otherwise. 4.15 The Council’s evidence base suggests that in terms of housing, the economy and employment land, and the retail sector ‐ future requirements in the Borough might best be met from within the Borough. The results of these studies have led the Council to conclude that planned growth can be met sustainably from within its existing urban areas and a number of extant planning permission (LP02) plus the comprehensive redevelopment of the Ex‐MOD Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) site at Longcross (LP08). 4.16 The Local Plan is underpinned by a cross section of 18 policies comprising of 8 ‘Location Policies (LP01 – LP08)’ and 10 Strategic Policies (SP01 – SP10), as detailed below in Table 14 – Local Plan Policies. These policies reflect key broad considerations that directly relate to development in Runnymede. With the exception of the former DERA site (LP08), the policies promote development within the existing urban areas with the main focus on the town centres (LP01) of Addlestone (LP03), Chertsey (LP06), Egham/ Englefield Green (LP04). It also promotes the continued protection of the Green Belt (SP01) and the maintenance and enhancement of the employment base (SP08). A level of 25% (SP02) affordable housing on qualifying sites is will be periodically reviewed following adoption. 4.17 In terms of housing numbers, the Local Plan is not proposing to allocate any strategic sites (LP02). It is of the view, that the current rate of housing completions coupled with the existing level of approved schemes adequately meets its proposed quantum of 161 units per annum. This conclusion is predicated on the successful redevelopment of the DERA site and the delivery of up to 1,500 residential units in the second half of the plan period (LP08). 4.18 The 116 hectare DERA site was originally a MoD research establishment for testing military vehicles and was decommissioned in 2001, a small area of which is within the administrative boundary of Surrey Heath Borough Council (SHBC). The South East Plan identified and allocated it for redevelopment for a mix of uses, including 2,500 new homes, all of which would be within the Borough of Runnymede. The Borough’s SCS states that the site provides a unique opportunity to provide a mixed use community with: headquarter development for a global high‐tech enterprise; a new sustainable ‘village’ with homes of varying size and tenure which meet the housing needs of the borough; and, modern sustainable infrastructure as well as a site of major employment opportunity. 4.19 Other policies consider issues such as Gypsy and Traveller provision (SP03), Design (SP04) and Development and Flood Risk (SP10). All are assessed in terms to their contribution to towards meeting the objectives of sustainable development where the baseline condition is set out in Table 5. Table 14 – Local Plan Policies No. Policy Location Policies LP01 LP02 LP03 Strategy for the Location of Development Housing Provision and Distribution Development in Addlestone Urban Area Page | 50 Runnymede BC FINAL Sustainability Appraisal Report – Feb 2013
No. Policy LP04 Development in Egham / Englefield Green Urban Area LP05 Royal Holloway UOL LP06 Development in Chertsey Urban Area LP07 Development in Virginia Water LP08 The former DERA site, Longcross Strategic Policies SP01 Green Belt Areas SP02 Affordable Housing SP03 Gypsy and Travelling Populations SP04 Provision and Retention of Infrastructure and Service SP05 Design SP06 Tourism, Recreation and Leisure SP07 Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area SP08 Employment Development SP09 Sustainable Transport SP10 Development and Flood Risk Local Plan Strategic alternatives 4.20 The policies put forward in the Local Plan are considered to be the preferred alternatives which have been derived from a series of considerations and consultations on issues and options facing Runnymede. The Planning Inspectorate 32 advise that; “Meaningful options should be developed on such matters as the broad location and balance of development across the authority area, the management of housing supply, the balance between employment and housing and the delivery of affordable housing.” 4.21 Formally, reasonable alternatives require consideration pursuant to Article 5(1) Annex I (f) of the SEA Directive as transposed into UK law by regulation 12(2)(b) requires the plan maker to identify, describe and evaluate the likely significant effects on the environment of the reasonable alternatives to the chosen policy taking into account the geographical scope of the plan. 4.22 Clearly the duty to identify, describe, and evaluate the likely significant effects of reasonable alternative is triggered following a determination of its likely significant effects on an environmental receptor. It follows, that where a conclusion of no likely significant effect is reached, then there can be no effect and therefore will not be subjected to this consideration. 4.23 In the case of the Local Plan, not all policies resulted in the generation and therefore consideration of alternatives. The Council considered that ‘no alternative exists’ for Strategic Policy SP01, SP04, SP05, SP07, SP09 and SP10. This conclusion is based on the argument that there are no useful choices available to the policy authors at this time. 4.24 Where reasonable alternatives exist and considered to be likely to result in significant effects on the environment, they have been subjected to both an SA and SEA the results of which have been attached to Appendix 2 and are summarised in Appendices 3 and 4. These results are incorporated into the SAR introduced in a table describing each Local Plan policy and its alternative against L3, L4, L5 and L6, for example environmental receptor ER01 the relevant table is Table 38 ‐ Summary of Local Plan Policies and alternatives on ER01. 32 Planning Inspectorate (2007). Local Development Frameworks: Lessons Learnt Examining Development Plan Documents [online]: http://www.pas.gov.uk/pas/aio/41411 (accessed May 2012). Page | 51 Runnymede BC FINAL Sustainability Appraisal Report – Feb 2013
Page 1 and 2: 2013 DRAFT Sustainability Appraisal
Page 3 and 4: Draft Sustainability Appraisal Repo
Page 5 and 6: CONTENTS List of Tables ...........
Page 7 and 8: SECTION 8. [ER04] WATER RESOURCES A
Page 9 and 10: Local Plan Policy Context Conclusio
Page 11 and 12: Table 59 - ER04 - Water Resource an
Page 13 and 14: Commenting on this SAR Report Pleas
Page 15 and 16: Glossary of terms TERM Baseline Dat
Page 17 and 18: Section 1. Section 1 Introduction t
Page 19 and 20: Section 16 Conclusions 1.17 This se
Page 21 and 22: Section 2. Legal and Statutory Requ
Page 23 and 24: effects on the environment of certa
Page 25 and 26: Box 1 ‐ Elements of an Environmen
Page 27 and 28: Table 2 - Assessment Chapter Compon
Page 29 and 30: Date Key stage in SA/SEA Effect on
Page 31 and 32: Section 3. Introduction Framework a
Page 33 and 34: 3.16 Monitoring reports will be aug
Page 35 and 36: Figure 4 - Compatibility between SA
Page 37 and 38: Table 6 - Meeting the requirements
Page 39 and 40: Environmental Receptor ER03 Land an
Page 41 and 42: the SEA. Each policy and its altern
Page 43 and 44: Table 10 - Additive and interactive
Page 45 and 46: 3.43 In terms of environment, asses
Page 47 and 48: Section 4. Assessment of RBC’s Lo
Page 49: LP Objective Strategic Policy Objec
Page 53 and 54: Location Policy 2 (LP02) - Housing
Page 55 and 56: 4.41 The approach in Policy LP04 ac
Page 57 and 58: 4.56 Policy LP08 seeks to provide
Page 59 and 60: 4.73 To summarise, Policy SP03 prom
Page 61 and 62: 4.90 However, the policy appears to
Page 63 and 64: Policy and Alternatives Considered
Page 65 and 66: Section 5. Introduction [ER01] Natu
Page 67 and 68: Protecting and enhancing valued lan
Page 69 and 70: Sites of International Importance a
Page 71 and 72: SSSI Area (ha) Reason for designati
Page 73 and 74: Evolution of Baseline in Absence of
Page 75 and 76: scenario) will have a similar impac
Page 77 and 78: 5.63 LP07 overall in the SA conside
Page 79 and 80: Policy SP08 - Employment Developmen
Page 81 and 82: Cumulative Effects Assessment 5.100
Page 83 and 84: Section 6. Introduction [ER02] Welf
Page 85 and 86: European Nitrates Directive (1991)
Page 87 and 88: Figure 8 ‐ Projected Population i
Page 89 and 90: for community gain. Across the rang
Page 91 and 92: alternative to leave the site in th
Page 93 and 94: the policy requires all development
Page 95 and 96: 6.96 With regard to WHWB5 (opportun
Page 97 and 98: Section 7. Introduction [ER03] Land
Page 99 and 100: County 7.12 Surrey Waste Plan (2008
Page 101 and 102:
Evolution of Baseline condition in
Page 103 and 104:
through the appropriate re‐use of
Page 105 and 106:
Policy SP07: Thames Basin Heaths Sp
Page 107 and 108:
Table 52 - Suggested Monitoring of
Page 109 and 110:
Section 8. Introduction [ER04] Wate
Page 111 and 112:
Local 8.11 Strategic Flood Risk Ass
Page 113 and 114:
Figure 11 - Source Protection Zone
Page 115 and 116:
8.32 An increase in population with
Page 117 and 118:
the final development schemes. Ther
Page 119 and 120:
encourages proposals that enhance t
Page 121 and 122:
Cumulative Effects Assessment 8.87
Page 123 and 124:
Section 9. Introduction [ER05] Air
Page 125 and 126:
9.11 The Air Quality Strategy for E
Page 127 and 128:
to 23 μg/m 3 in 2011 55 . It is as
Page 129 and 130:
9.45 LP02 overall in the SA conside
Page 131 and 132:
9.67 The overall conclusion of the
Page 133 and 134:
Policy SP08: Employment Development
Page 135 and 136:
and from ER06 Climate change. Syner
Page 137 and 138:
The dispersion software used to mod
Page 139 and 140:
not been approved yet and can be re
Page 141 and 142:
Table 66 - Suggested Monitoring of
Page 143 and 144:
Section 11. Introduction [ER06] Cli
Page 145 and 146:
11.8 The Directive requires buildin
Page 147 and 148:
Local to reduce distance travelled
Page 149 and 150:
11.36 By the 2050s, it has been pro
Page 151 and 152:
is a reflection of the scale of dev
Page 153 and 154:
the receptors, but the impact of th
Page 155 and 156:
11.83 SP06 has a neutral effect on
Page 157 and 158:
No. Policy Impact 66 Location Polic
Page 159 and 160:
Suggested Monitoring Regime Table 7
Page 161 and 162:
Section 12. Introduction [ER07] Mat
Page 163 and 164:
12.14 With regard to waste manageme
Page 165 and 166:
(MEW2). However, the impact is unce
Page 167 and 168:
Policy SP06: Tourism, Recreation an
Page 169 and 170:
Cumulative Effects Assessment 12.67
Page 171 and 172:
Section 13. Introduction [ER08] Bui
Page 173 and 174:
Runnymede Urban Area Character Appr
Page 175 and 176:
13.29 Having regard to the conclusi
Page 177 and 178:
13.52 Having regard to the conclusi
Page 179 and 180:
Table 83 - Summary of Local Plan Po
Page 181 and 182:
Section 14. Introduction [ER09] His
Page 183 and 184:
Table 87 - ER09 Summary Key Environ
Page 185 and 186:
whilst it also has a negative impac
Page 187 and 188:
14.53 LP07 overall in the SA consid
Page 189 and 190:
14.74 SP06 has an adverse effect on
Page 191 and 192:
Page 193 and 194:
Section 15. Introduction [ER10] Lan
Page 195 and 196:
15.11 Soil Strategy for England (20
Page 197 and 198:
whilst it also has a negative impac
Page 199 and 200:
Policy SP01: Green Belt Areas 15.44
Page 201 and 202:
Page 203 and 204:
Section 16. Introduction Conclusion
Page 205 and 206:
16.14 Cumulative effects are consid
Page 207 and 208:
covers the capacity to create oppor
Page 209 and 210:
Provision of sustainable homes for
Page 211 and 212:
16.70 Policy LP03 and its two alter
Page 213 and 214:
of urban developments and supportin
Page 215 and 216:
of their natural beauty). Runnymede
Page 217 and 218:
SEA and SA Conclusion of the Local
Page 219 and 220:
the Core Strategy have identified s
Page 221 and 222:
16.154 The overall conclusion in th
Page 223 and 224:
16.173 The approach in LP07‐A1 is
Page 225 and 226:
16.191 Alternative SP02 ‐ A1 does
Page 227 and 228:
16.210 The overall conclusion of SE
Page 229 and 230:
16.232 The overall conclusion of SA
Page 231 and 232:
team saw a positive effect due in p
Page 233 and 234:
Section 17. Data Used Data, Data Un
Page 235 and 236:
Section 18. Plan Uncertainty and Ri
Page 237 and 238:
Section 19. Monitoring 19.1 The SEA
Page 239 and 240:
Section 20. Next Stages 20.1 A key
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