Local Development Plan 2 - Integrated Sustainability Appraisal and Habitats Regulations Assessment

There is a statutory requirement for Local Development Plans (LDPs) to be subject to Sustainability Appraisal (SA). The Sustainability Appraisal should incorporate the requirements of the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Regulations; an assessment of the Local Development Plan 2 (LDP2) on the Welsh language; and Health Impact Assessment. As such is it commonly known as an Integrated Sustainability Appraisal (ISA). 

The role of the ISA is to assess the means to which the emerging policies and proposals of the LDP2 will help achieve the wider environmental, economic, social and cultural objectives. 

Integrated Sustainability Appraisal of the Pre Deposit Plan Preferred Strategy

The ISA report of the Pre Deposit Plan Preferred Strategy contains an assessment of Vision, Objectives and the options for the strategic growth options and spatial approaches. It provides an assessment and reasoning for the chosen Placemaking Strategy and the identified strategic policies. The report incorporates a Welsh Language Impact Assessment, Equalites Impact Assessment and consideration of Health Impact Assessment and is available in the consultation portal. A non-technical summary (PDF, 1 MB) of the ISA is also available.

Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report 

The first stage of the ISA is the 'scoping' stage. This is an evidence gathering stage, reviewing plans, programmes, strategies and policies relevant to the preparation of the LDP2 in order to set out an evidence base of the County's current economic, social, environmental, health and cultural well-being. Significant issues in the area relevant to the land use planning system are presented. The final Scoping Report (PDF, 1 MB) also includes the ISA Framework which consists of objectives/criteria which are being used in the assessment of the LDP2 strategy, policies and proposals.

Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) of the Pre Deposit Plan Preferred Strategy

The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 (England and Wales) as amended by the Conservation of Habitats and Species (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 sets out the need for the Council to undertake a Habitat Regulations Assessment (HRA) (including Appropriate Assessment if necessary) of the Local Development Plan 2 (LDP2). 

The purpose of the HRA is to ascertain whether the LDP2 will have any significant adverse effects on the integrity of internationally important wildlife sites that are part of the UK National Site Network, specifically Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and Special Protection Areas (SPAs) (previously known as Naura 2000 sites) and, as a matter of Government policy, Ramsar sites, either in isolation or in combination with other plans and projects, and to advise on appropriate policy mechanisms for delivering mitigation where such effects are identified.

The Habitats Regulations Assessment Screening of the Pre Deposit Plan (Preferred Strategy) is published as part of the consultation process and is available in the consultation portal. A non-technical summary (PDF, 130 KB) of the document is also available.