Last updated:
27th July 2023
Sustainability and development
What is sustainable development?
Sustainable development is a means of meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Promoting sustainable development
We are undertaking a number of measures to encourage sustainable development including
- Adopting our Core Strategy, Managing Development Delivery Local Plan and Sustainable Design and Construction Supplementary Planning Document to encourage sustainable living, construction methods and building design
- Having a Sustainable Environment Strategy (PDF document) which sets out priorities for improving the local environment over the next 10 years
What is a Sustainability Appraisal?
A Sustainability Appraisal (SA) is carried out on certain planning policies to make sure they effectively balance economic, environmental and social matters. It also provides a powerful means of proving to decision makers and the public, that a policy is the most appropriate given reasonable alternatives.
Under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 all Local Plan documents have to have an SA carried out on them. We can also decide to carry out an SA for a Supplementary Planning Document if we think its necessary, although this is not mandatory.
Scoping reports
A Scoping Report is produced before a Sustainability Appraisal is written. It sets out the context and aims of the appraisal, e.g. what issues it should look at.
These aims are publically consulted on for up to 5 weeks to make sure all considerations are taken into account before writing the Sustainability Appraisal.
Strategic Environmental Impact Assessment (SEA)
As part of carrying out a sustainability appraisal, we will also produce an SEA.
This looks at whether a future development meets the needs of people living and working in a given area, whilst at the same time ensuring that it is sited in a way that protects the environment.
