Level 3 -Sustainability Appraisal
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A sustainability appraisal (SA) considers the likely impacts that a plan or policy will have on the sustainability of an area. It also explores ways of promoting any positive impacts, and managing and monitoring potentially negative impacts the plan or policy may have on sustainable development objectives.
Relevance to Runnymede Borough Council ............................................................................
The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 requires a Sustainability Appraisal be conducted on documents contained within the Local Development Framework (LDF).
Level 3 of the SA/SEA process can be summarised as follows:
1. A planning policy that has the potential to affect the sustainability of the Borough and has been described at Level 2 and may not trigger Level 4 assessment directly will be assessed within this Level 3. A Level 3 assessment will primarily consider impacts identified and described in Level 2 that are deemed to be significantly beneficial or significantly adverse to the sustainability objectives of the Borough.
2. The requirement to carry out a Level 3 assessment will be that baseline data including trend data , precedent policy or similar policy is actually in existence and available to the assessment.
3. In the event that the impact as evaluated has the potential for a negative impact on the sustainability of the Borough, a statement recommending mitigation measures to be introduced and monitored.
4. In the event that the impact identified is not considered either to have a positive or negative effect, the impact would be monitored as part of the Runnymede State Report and/or the Annual Monitoring Report of the LDF.
5. Where an impact has been evaluated to have a positive effect on the sustainability of the Borough a statement, and if appropriate a recommendation of enhancement measures will be produced, again the impact would be monitored as part of the Runnymede State Report and/or the Annual Monitoring Report of the LDF.
6. At all stages through Level 2 and Level 3 assessments where data is lacking or missing, and/or assumptions are being made; a data and process risk assessment will be used to evaluate assumptions.
7. The output of a Level 3 assessment is likely to include the answers to the following questions:
a. What is the evidence base?
b. What assumptions have been made in determining the impact?
c. Is there any precedent or literature that indicates the impact's severity or likelihood?
d. Sustainability threshold or assessment.
e. Mitigation options tables expressing key positive and negative effects of the plan, policy or project, and the potential for enhancement or mitigation according to the threshold criteria.
*Definitions Drawn from Draft Sustainability Report September 2005*