Introduction to the Integrated Sustainability Assessment Process

Ended on the 10 October 2022

Introduction to the Integrated Sustainability Appraisal Process

How to Give Us Your Views

We would welcome your views on any aspect of this document. However, we would particularly welcome responses to the following questions:

  1. Do you agree with the proposed approach to the ISA of the Local Development Plan?
  2. Do the ISA objectives and guide questions that comprise the ISA Framework cover a sufficient range of environmental, social, cultural and economic topics? If not, which objectives should be amended and which other objectives do you believe should be included?

Overview

A Replacement Local Development Plan (LDP) is being prepared by Powys County Council (the Council) which needs to be accompanied by an Integrated Sustainability Appraisal (ISA). The ISA is being undertaken on behalf of the Council by Wood and will appraise the environmental, social and economic performance of the Replacement LDP and any reasonable alternatives, helping to ensure its contribution towards sustainable development of the area's communities, economy and environment. The Replacement LDP will plan for the needs of the Powys LDP area (the County of Powys excluding the area within the Brecon Beacons National Park) over the period 2022 to 2037.

Requirements

The ISA is a process that incorporates six appraisals that are required by legislation and other commitments: Sustainability Appraisal (SA), Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA), Health Impact Assessment (HIA), Equalities Impact Assessment (EqIA) and Welsh Language Impact Assessment (WLIA), all of which are related to one another (Figure 1).

A yellow central circle has the letters "SEA / SA" written on it, four smaller blue circles overlap the central yellow one. They are annotated with "WLIA", "EqIA", "HIA" and "HRA" respectively.

Figure 1 Overlaps between the different forms of assessment

The Integrated Sustainability Appraisal Process

The ISA process starts with the production of a Scoping Report and Appraisal Framework (see below) which will be used to appraise the effects of the emerging LDP (the Plan vision, objectives, spatial strategy including level of growth, policies and site allocations, including reasonable alternatives). A final ISA Report will be prepared to accompany the submission draft LDP. This will be prepared to meet the requirements of the SEA Regulations and will be available for consultation alongside the draft Replacement LDP prior to consideration by an independent planning inspector at Examination.

Following Examination, and subject to any significant changes to the draft Replacement LDP may require appraisal as a result of the Examination, the Council will issue a Post Adoption Statement as soon as reasonably practicable after the adoption of the Replacement LDP. This will set out the results of the consultation and ISA process and how the findings of the ISA have been accommodated in the adopted Replacement LDP. During the period of the LDP, the Council will monitor its implementation and any significant social, economic and environmental effects.

What is the Proposed Appraisal Framework?

The main purpose of the scoping stage of the ISA is to identify the framework for the appraisal of the Replacement LDP. The framework contains a series of objectives and guide questions developed to reflect both the current socio-economic and environmental issues which may affect (or be affected by) the Replacement LDP and the objectives contained within other plans and programmes. The proposed objectives, guide questions and supporting National Well-being Goals for the assessment of the Replacement LDP are as follows:

ISA Objective 1: To provide good quality homes and community infrastructure to meet identified needs

Will the policy or proposal …

  • Meet the identified housing needs, including affordable and specialist requirements?
  • Ensure an appropriate mix of dwelling sizes, types and tenures to meet the needs of all sectors of the community?
  • Provide housing in sustainable locations that allow easy access to a range of local services and facilities?
  • Promote the development of a range of high quality, accessible community facilities, including specialist services?

Supporting National Well-Being Goals: A Wales of cohesive communities; A healthier Wales; A more equal Wales

ISA Objective 2: To create and support a strong, diverse and resilient economy and workforce

Will the policy or proposal …

  • Provide sufficient land for businesses to grow?
  • Support the creation of accessible new jobs?
  • Ensure the capacity of educational facilities keep pace with population growth?
  • Enhance the vitality and resilience of communities?
  • Safeguard existing employment areas?
  • Create opportunities for and promote sustainable tourism, sensitively capitalising on environmental, cultural, heritage and leisure assets?
  • Create opportunities for enhancements to the rural economy and rural diversification (including agriculture, forestry, small and medium sized employers (SMEs), micro businesses and the development of digital connectivity)?

Supporting National Well-Being Goals: A prosperous Wales; A resilient Wales; A more equal Wales; A Wales of cohesive communities

ISA Objective 3: To reduce poverty and inequality; tackle social exclusion and promote community cohesion

Will the policy or proposal …

  • Assist with providing employment opportunities for those most in need?
  • Address directly and indirectly areas suffering deprivation and/or decline?
  • Help to provide better education opportunities and attainment?

Supporting National Well-Being Goals: A healthier Wales; A more equal Wales; A Wales of cohesive communities

ISA Objective 4: To protect, promote and enhance the Welsh language and culture

Will the policy or proposal …

  • Protect and enhance opportunities for the promotion and development of the Welsh Language?
  • Affect the sustainability of Welsh speaking communities (both positive and/or adverse effects)?
  • Affect Welsh medium education and Welsh learners of all ages, including adults (both positive and/or adverse effects)?
  • Affect services available in Welsh (both positive and/or adverse effects)? (e.g. health and social services, transport, housing, digital, youth, infrastructure, environment, local government etc.)

Supporting National Well-Being Goals: A Wales of vibrant culture and thriving Welsh Language; A Wales of cohesive communities

ISA Objective 5: To improve the health and well-being of all sectors of society

Will the policy or proposal …

  • Contribute towards an improvement in access to health and social care services especially in isolated/rural areas?
  • Contribute towards a reduction in health inequalities amongst different groups in the community including specifically children and older people?
  • Contribute towards healthy lifestyles and promote well-being including walking and cycling?
  • Contribute towards improving access to natural green space, wildlife, open space including opportunities for play, leisure and recreation?
  • Contribute towards an increase in green infrastructure?

Supporting National Well-Being Goals: A prosperous Wales; A resilient Wales; A healthier Wales; A more equal Wales; A Wales of cohesive communities

ISA Objective 6: To make the best use of previously developed land and existing buildings and protect higher grade agricultural land

Will the policy or proposal …

  • Create opportunities to develop brownfield land where this is sustainable?
  • Protect the best and most versatile land from development?

Supporting National Well-Being Goals: A resilient Wales; A healthier Wales

ISA Objective 7: To conserve, protect and enhance water quality and water resources

Will the policy or proposal …

  • Reduce water consumption?
  • Ensure an adequate supply of water can be provided considering current and future projections of water availability and water use?
  • Reduce the potential for contamination of waterbodies and courses?
  • Reduce the potential for agricultural practices to contribute towards nitrate-based pollution of waterbodies and courses?

Supporting National Well-Being Goals: A resilient Wales; A healthier Wales

ISA Objective 8: To minimise or reduce the sources and effects of air pollution

Will the policy or proposal …

  • Reduce the need to travel?
  • Encourage journeys to be made by sustainable means (active travel or public transport)?
  • Avoid any adverse effects on air quality and for people exposed to poor air quality?
  • Improve air quality in areas identified as of concern?
  • Promote and facilitate the use of electric vehicles?
  • Promote and facilitate enhancements to green infrastructure networks to facilitate increased absorption and dissipation of NO2 and other pollutants?

Supporting National Well-Being Goals: A resilient Wales; A healthier Wales; A more equal Wales; A globally responsible Wales

ISA Objective 9: To minimise waste generation, encourage re-use and recycling and promote efficient use of mineral resources

Will the policy or proposal …

  • Promote the remediation of contaminated land and prevention of further contamination?
  • Create opportunities to increase the proportion of waste recycling and re-use?
  • Promote opportunities to use recycled and secondary materials in construction?
  • Promote the use of locally sourced sustainable materials?
  • Create opportunities to safeguard protected mineral resources?

Supporting National Well-Being Goals: A resilient Wales; A healthier Wales; A globally responsible Wales

ISA Objective 10: To support the resilience of Powys to the potential effects of climate change, including flooding and other extreme events

Will the policy or proposal …

  • Avoid development in areas at risk of flooding, taking into account the likely future effects of climate change?
  • Increase resilience of the built and natural environment to the effects of climate change?
  • Ensure that the potential risks associated with climate change are considered in new developments?
  • Improve and extend green infrastructure networks to support climate change adaptation?
  • Sustainably manage water run-off, reducing surface water runoff?

Supporting National Well-Being Goals: A resilient Wales; A more equal Wales; A Wales of cohesive communities; A globally responsible Wales

ISA Objective 11: To reduce the contribution to climate change from greenhouse gas emissions

Will the policy or proposal …

  • Increase the number of new developments meeting or exceeding sustainable design criteria?
  • Reduce energy consumption from non-renewable sources?
  • Generate energy from low or zero carbon sources?
  • Reduce the need to travel or the number of journeys made?
  • Promote the use of sustainable modes of transport, including walking, cycling and public transport?
  • Ensure that development does not contribute towards further increases in high energy use and unstainable travel?
  • Improve the provision of nature-based solutions to adapt and mitigate climate change?

Supporting National Well-Being Goals: A resilient Wales; A more equal Wales; A Wales of cohesive communities; A globally responsible Wales

ISA Objective 12: To promote sustainable transport use and reduce the need to travel

Will the policy or proposal …

  • Reduce the need to travel through sustainable patterns of land use and development?
  • Encourage modal shift to more sustainable forms of travel?
  • Enable transport infrastructure improvements?
  • Support the uptake of low carbon transport?
  • Contribute towards the electric vehicle (EV) charging network?
  • Facilitate working from home and remote working?
  • Provide improvements to and/ or reduce congestion on the existing highway network?

Supporting National Well-Being Goals: A resilient Wales; A more equal Wales; A Wales of cohesive communities; A Wales of vibrant culture and thriving Welsh Language; A globally responsible Wales

ISA Objective 13: To preserve and enhance the Powys' heritage resource, including built and archaeological assets

Will the policy or proposal …

  • Conserve and enhance the significance of buildings and structures of architectural, historic and cultural interest, both designated and non-designated, and their setting?
  • Conserve and enhance the special interest, character and appearance of Conservation Areas and their settings?
  • Conserve and enhance archaeological remains, and archaeologically sensitive areas?

Supporting National Well-Being Goals: A resilient Wales; A more equal Wales; A Wales of cohesive communities

ISA Objective 14: To conserve and enhance biodiversity and geodiversity and promote improvements to the multifunctional green infrastructure network

Will the policy or proposal …

  • Minimise impacts on biodiversity and provide net gains where possible?
  • Protect and enhance ecological networks, including those that cross administrative boundaries?
  • Protect geologically valuable sites, including their setting?

Supporting National Well-Being Goals: A Resilient Wales; A Healthier Wales; A Globally Responsible Wales

ISA Objective 15: To protect the quality and diversity of the County's landscapes and townscapes

Will the policy or proposal …

  • Ensure that Powys' valued landscapes and townscapes are conserved and enhanced?
  • Ensure that design quality is considered as part of all development activity?

Supporting National Well-Being Goals: A Prosperous Wales; A Resilient Wales; A Healthier Wales; A More Equal Wales; A Wales of Cohesive Communities; A Wales of Vibrant Culture and Thriving Welsh Language; A Globally Responsible Wales

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