An introduction to Strategic Environmental Assessments and Sustainability Appraisals

Sustainability Appraisal (SA) is a mechanism for considering and communicating the likely effects of a draft plan and alternatives, in terms of sustainability issues, with a view to avoiding and mitigating adverse effects / maximising the positives. 

It is a legal requirement (under the P&CP Act 2004 as transposed by the Local Planning Regulations 2012) that Local Plans are developed alongside a process of SA.  The process is prescribed by the Environmental Assessment of Plans Regulations 2004, which transpose the EU Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Directive.

With regard to Neighbourhood Plans (and SPDs), SA is not a legal requirement; however, these plans are 'captured' by the SEA Directive if significant environmental effects are likely.  Other types of plans and programmes (e.g. Local Transport Plans) can also be captured.

This masterclass aims to introduce the process in simple terms.  There are four stages, each of which will be examined it turn:

1. Scoping
2. Identifying and appraising reasonable alternatives
3. Appraising the draft plan and preparing the SA Report for consultation
4. Preparing the SA Statement for publication alongside the adopted plan

Benefits of attending
This masterclass will help you understand:

1. Legal requirements for SEA/SA
2. How to collect and format baseline sustainability/environmental data for SEA/SA
3. How to analyse and format the plan's links to other policies, plans, programmes and sustainability/environmental objectives
4. How to identify sustainability/ environmental problems
5. How to devise SEA/SA objectives
6. Which parts of a plan and what 'reasonable alternatives' to assess and how
7. Mitigation and monitoring of plan impacts
8. What resources are needed for SEA/SA
9. What can be expected of SEA/SA consultants

Who should attend?

• Planners (land use, transport, minerals, waste, etc.) - how do I do it?
• Planning consultants - how to support planners in doing it?
• Sustainability/LA 21 officers - how do I ensure that sustainability is fully integrated?

Programme 

9.00 Registration and coffee

9.30 Welcome and introduction

9.40 SEA requirements: the SEA Directive and Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes Regulations 2004

• A detailed look at the requirements of the SEA Directive, with reference to current best practice and successful legal challenges

11.00 Coffee and networking

11.20 SA requirements: the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004

• Links between SA and SEA
• Documenting how the SA fulfils SEA requirements

12.00   The scoping stage 1:

• Identifying what policies, plans and projects need to be analysed
• Analysing other policies, plans and projects, and the 'do nothing' scenario
• Describing the environmental/sustainability baseline: current status, likely future without the plan, characteristics of areas likely to be significantly affected
• Documenting the baseline: use of tables, maps etc.
• Data sources for the baseline

12.30   Lunch

1.15     The scoping stage 2:

• Identifying and describing existing environmental problems and sustainability issues
• Developing an SA/SEA framework

1.45     Workshop: assessing a plan policy

• What is the basis of assessment, objectivity/bias
• Importance of documentation of assessment findings
• Need to focus on avoidance, mitigation and enhancement
• Who should carry out the assessment: group v. individual assessment, stakeholders, involving the planners
• Resourcing the assessment

2.30     Tea/coffee

2.45     Alternatives

• What are 'reasonable alternatives'
• Documenting the assessment and the choice of preferred options/alternatives

3.10     Assessment and mitigation

• What parts of the draft plan to assess
• Site specific assessment
• Documenting the assessment and proposed mitigation measures

3.40    Monitoring and the SEA Statement

4.00     Close

Run by Steve Smith and Mark Fessey, URS 

A linked masterclass - 'SA (SEA) in Practice' - looks in greater detail at how key tasks can (rather than should) be undertaken in practice.