Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and Sustainability Appraisal (SA) of Minerals and Waste Development Plan Documents

Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and Sustainability Appraisal (SA)

European legislation requires that plans and programmes prepared by local authorities, that may have an effect on the environment, go through a process of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). This predicts the likely environmental impacts of the plan, and all the practical alternatives, in order to develop policies that avoid adverse impacts wherever possible, and mitigate any such impacts that remain.

In addition, the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act of 2004 required local authorities to carry out a Sustainability Appraisals (SA) of all new Development Plan Documents (DPDs) they produce. This is a very similar process to SEA, but widens the scope to address a broader range of economic and social impacts.

The emerging development plan documents within Minerals and Waste Development Framework being prepared by Staffordshire County Council to update their existing planning policy documentation, will require both assessments, though there is a substantial overlap and the two processes can be carried out in parallel.

The SA/SEA work involves assessments of short and long-term economic, environmental, and social impacts different policy alternatives for future minerals and waste development across the county. The outcome will feed into the decision making process to determine a set of preferred options.

The department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) provide guidance to ensure that we carry out these appraisals successfully by following a systematic and professional process in our work. The guidance sets out 18 stages that must be adhered to before we can issue a copy of the final SA report, and also requires that formal consultation is carried throughout the process.  To find out more click  SA and SEA process and CLG advice.

The SEA/SA process should help to ensure that we are providing the right conditions to meet local resource needs without compromising the needs of others, both today and in future. However, it is only with widespread public input throughout the consultation stages that we can ensure that the development framework strikes the right balance.

 

Current State of Progress

Minerals Core Strategy SA

We published a 'Scoping Report for the Minerals Core Strategy' which brings together the results of initial stages of the Sustainability Appraisal work. It sets out a proposed 'sustainability framework' which will be used to appraise the policies and proposals of the Minerals Core Strategy as they emerge.

The consultation period for our 'Scoping Report for the Minerals Core Strategy' ran from 15 July to 19 August 2005.

To see a copy of the draft SEA/SA report, click on the links below;

 SA/SEA Scoping Report for the Minerals Core Strategy (Main Report)

 Appendix A  - Analysis of relevant plans, programmes and sustainability objectives

 Appendix B - Baseline Data

Since publishing the scoping report in 2005, we have made a range of amendments to incorporate comments received during the initial consultation period, and to develop the sustainability framework to reflect changing guidance.  We have also taken advice from the Government Office for the West Midlands (GOWM) and the Planning Inspectorate to widen the scope of the Minerals Core Strategy to identify strategic sites for future minerals production.  For more information about the Minerals Core Strategy click here

To accommodate these changes, the SEA/SA process will be required to predict impacts in greater detail than was originally envisaged, so more sensitive indicators, and a more detailed baseline, will be required.  A progress report is in preparation, setting out the changes, and will be sent to statutory consultees.  Whilst this document has not been prepared for formal consultation, we will be pleased to receive all comments.

Waste Core Strategy SA

June 2008 - In conjunction with the preparation of the 'issues and options 2' document, a revised SEA/SA scoping report and interim SA of the document are due to be published shortly.

We published a 'Scoping Report for the Waste Core Strategy' in November 2006, bringing together the results of initial stages of our SEA/SA work relating to our first issues and options document. It set out a proposed 'sustainability framework' to be used in appraising the policies and proposals of the Waste Core Strategy as it emerges.

The consultation period for our 'Scoping Report for the Waste Core Strategy' ran for 7 weeks from 6 November 2006 to 22 December 2006.

A Response Form was available to provide comments.

To see a copy of the 'Scoping Report for the Waste Core Strategy' and Response Forms, click on the links below;

 

 SA/SEA Scoping Report for the Waste Core Strategy 

 Response Form (the consultation period has closed)

 Response Form (the consultation period has closed)

Since issuing the initial scoping report in November 2006, we have incorporated comments received, and have developed and revised the sustainability framework. As with the Minerals Core Strategy described above, we have taken advice from the Government Office for the West Midlands (GOWM) and the Planning Inspectorate to widen the scope of the Waste Core Strategy to identify strategic sites for future waste treatment.  For more information about the Waste Core Strategy click here

As a result of these changes, the SEA/SA process and framework has also had to undergo additional adjustment in preparation for assessment of strategic sites.  Due to the substantial changes involved, we have prepared an updated progress report, with supporting background papers, available below:

 SEA/SA Progress Report - September 2007

 Background Paper (Task A1) - September 2007

 Background Paper (Task A3) - Stages A and B - September 2007

 Background Paper (Task A3) - Stage C - September 2007

 Background Paper (Task A4) - September 2007

Sustainability Criteria for Strategic Site Development Options

A guide to the submission of strategic site proposals has been prepared to help those putting forward potential minerals sites to provide appropriate evidence to demonstrate the benefits of their preferred site(s) as clearly as possible.  The list includes a number of sustainability requirements which will allow developers to set out why they believe their sites should be assessed positively through the SEA/SA process.  For more information about the Minerals Core Strategy click here

A similar guide, incorporating sustainability criteria, will be developed for potential strategic waste sites, once the Waste Core Strategy has reached an appropriate stage to invite such proposals.  For more information about the Waste Core Strategy click here

Additional Requirements: Habitats Regulations Assessment and Strategic Flood Risk Assessment

Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA)

Running in parallel with the SEA/SA process, the EU Habitats Directive also requires local authorities to carry out an assessment of any plans or proposals to ensure that they do not adversely affect the integrity of sites designated as being of European importance for nature conservation (namely Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and Special Protection Areas (SPAs)).

A screening process has been developed to assess whether any of the proposals contained within the emerging plans would require such assessment.  For more information about click here.

June 2008 - In conjunction with the preparation of the 'issues and options 2' document, an initial Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) screening report of the 'issues & options 2' is due to be published shortly.

Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA)

Staffordshire County Council also has a duty to assess their minerals and waste policies, and strategic site options, to ensure that they will not create any additional risks of flooding. For more information about 'SFRA' click here.

Further Information

The department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) have published more information about SEA and SA on their web site - click here.

For further information on the Sustainability Appraisal or Strategic Environmental Assessment process please contact Andrew Christelow on (01785) 277252, e-mail andy.christelow@staffordshire.gov.uk.

Alternatively write to:

Andrew Christelow
Staffordshire County Council,
Development Services Directorate,
Development and Waste Management Unit,
Riverway,
Stafford,
ST16 3TJ.

Last Modified: 26/06/2008 15:09:49
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