Strategic Environment Assessment and Sustainability Appraisal
Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is a systematic process for evaluating the environmental consequences of proposed policies, plans or programmes to ensure environmental issues are fully integrated and addressed at the earliest appropriate stage of decision making. Sustainability Appraisals (SA) are broader and promote sustainable development through integration of environmental, social and economic considerations into the plan’s preparation.
Strategic Environmental Assessment has been introduced to the UK through the EU Directive 2001 / 42 / EC, and in England the Directive has been implemented via the Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes Regulations 2004. In addition, Sustainability Appraisal (SA) is a requirement of Planning Policy Statement 12 (ODPM, September 2004). Recent guidance (Sustainability Appraisal of Regional Spatial Strategies and Local Development Frameworks. ODPM, November 2005) has merged this process to allow for a single joint appraisal to be carried out (SA / SEA).
The basic principles behind the merged SA / SEA process are to:
- Start early in the formulation of the related plan and run alongside the production of the plan, informing and improving its development.
- Focus on balancing sustainability issues to achieve a successful outcome.
- Consider alternatives.
- Involve and consult stakeholders throughout the process.
- Bracknell Forest Council is carrying out an SA / SEA on spatial plans and strategies currently being developed. This includes Development Plan Documents and Supplementary Planning Documents listed within the Local Development Framework.
Scoping
A Scoping Exercise was carried out for the whole Local Development Framework (LDF) to: identify related plans and policies, develop baseline information, identify key sustainability issues within the Borough and set out the appraisal methodology. This LDF Scoping Report can be downloaded from the section to the right.
How to get Involved
Please see the section relating to the specific document for more details on how to get involved and reports to download. Sections are listed to the right under 'related areas'.
 |
Listen |  |
Feedback |  |
