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Work areas
Sustainability Appraisal and
Strategic Environmental Assessment
Sustainability appraisal and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) are tools for assessing how well plans and strategies meet sustainable development or environmental objectives. As the result of the European SEA Directive, SEA is now legally required for many strategic plans and programmes throughout the EU. Scottish legislation extends this requirement to more plans and programmes where there is a significant environmental impact. Sustainability appraisal is required for land use plans in England and Wales.
CAG can provide rigorous independent appraisal, taking account of the latest guidance and good practice. Our preferred approach is to work closely with local stakeholders and with the people preparing a plan from an early stage, to help them improve the plan as it progresses. This can achieve far more, and with far less stress, than proposing changes at the end of the process.
We offer:
- Training on appraisal methodology
- Development of guidance materials
- Support for clients to undertake their own appraisals
- Independent Sustainability Appraisals and Strategic Environmental Assessments
- Assistance and facilitation for in-house or stakeholder appraisals
- Development of monitoring frameworks (see sustainability indicators)
- Developing and running consultation events and programmes linked to Plan development and appraisal
Some examples of our work include:
Sustainability Appraisal/SEA of the Bedfordshire and Luton Minerals & Waste Development Framework
We are currently working with Environ and the Centre for Sustainability on a Sustainability Appraisal and Strategic Environmental Assessment of the Minerals Core Strategy and Site Allocation Development document for Bedfordshire and Luton. The appraisal involves extensive engagement with a wide range of key stakeholders and consultation with the wider public. The Scoping and Issues and Options Consultation reports are available online.
North Hertfordshire LDF
We have undertaken a range of SA/SEA work on the new Local Development Framework for the District Council. We are currently undertaking an appraisal of the Issues and Options stage of the Land Allocation DPD. We have completed the Scoping Report and Options Appraisal of the Core Strategy and Development Policies. Both reports are available on North Hertfordshire's website. We have just completed the draft Environmental Report, which will shortly be available online. We have also completed an appraisal of the draft Supplementary Planning Document on Planning Obligations.
London Skills and Employment Strategy
We have completed a Sustainability Appraisal of the Draft Strategy on behalf of the London Development Agency. The appraisal report is available on the London Skills and Employment Board website.
South East Regional Sustainability Framework
We have recently undertaken a hjgh level sustainability appraisal of the RSF on behalf of the South East England Regional Assembly. The report is available on their website.
West Dunbartonshire Community Strategy SEA
We completed all stages of the SEA of the Community Strategy on behalf of the Community Partnership. The reports are available on their website.
Scottish Executive
Working in partnership with other consultancies, we contributed to the Strategic Environmental Assessment of the West Edinburgh Planning Framework review for the Executive.
Southern and Eastern Regional Operational Programme, Ireland
We have completed a draft Environmental Report for the SEA of the Operational Programme, on behalf of the Southern and Eastern Regional Assembly. This is the programme for administering European funding throughout the region, covering most of the population of Ireland.
Leeds City Council
We developed an SA/SEA methodology for Leeds City Council (with the University of Hull). For this we developed the overall appraisal methodology based on the latest ODPM guidance on “Sustainability Appraisal of RSS and LDF”. We completed much of the initial pre-production stage of the appraisal (identify relevant plans, policies and programmes, collect baseline data, identify key sustainability issues, develop the SA framework). We also prepared guidance on undertaking appraisals of DPDs and SPDs for use by planning officers, as well as running “hands-on” training in the appraisal methodology for the city council’s planning officers.
Orkney SEA
We undertook a Strategic Environmental Assessment of the Orkney Islands Structure Plan following the Draft Scottish Guidance on SEA. We worked with a group of local stakeholders to identify the assessment criteria and local trends and conditions, and provided training on the SEA process.
Blackpool facilitated appraisal
We facilitated Blackpool Environmental Action Team in conducting the sustainability appraisal of the 2nd Deposit Blackpool Local Plan. We supported the group in undertaking some of the appraisal, completed the rest, and wrote up the results.
Angus Local Plan appraisal
We undertook a sustainability appraisal of the draft Angus Local Plan, including village statements and potential development sites. A copy of the report can be downloaded from Angus Council's website.
Newcastle SEA Pilot
We piloted the draft guidance on Strategic Environmental Assessment as part of the review of the Newcastle UDP. This was for ODPM as part of a consortium of consultancies led by Levett-Therivel.
Hertfordshire Guidance
We prepared guidance and provided training for Hertfordshire County Council on sustainability appraisal of all the council's strategic and operational plans.
Training on sustainability appraisal
We also provided training for Devon Sustainability Group and Cotswold District Council.
Structure Plan appraisals
We carried out a sustainability appraisal of the joint Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire Structure Plan review and the draft and final Dundee and Angus Structure Plans.
Lancashire Structure Plan Review
We undertook sustainability appraisals of the challenges and choices paper, draft deposit plan, and parking standards for the joint Lancashire Structure Plan review.
Supported appraisals
We supported Cotswold and Westminster Councils in undertaking their own sustainability appraisals.
For more information contact:
Gerard Couper
01364 653003
gc@cagconsult.co.uk
Tim Maiden
0191 224 1390
tm@cagconsult.co.uk
