Sustainability Appraisal (Sa) of Conservation Area Management Plans Spd

SCOPING REPORT ADDENDUM

SUSTAINABILITY APPRAISAL (SA) OF THE TRURO AND THREEMILESTONE AREA ACTION PLAN

Carrick District Council

April 2008

INTRODUCTION

This report is being submitted by Carrick District Council as an addendum to the Sustainability Appraisal (SA) Scoping Report for the Carrick Local Development Framework (LDF), for consultation in line with the requirements of the Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes Regulations 2004. The LDF SA Scoping Report was sent for consultation in early 2005 and has now been adopted. It can be viewed on the Council’s website.

This report extends the Scoping Report to the Area Action Plan for Truro and Threemilestone.

BACKGROUND

Legislative Background

In summer 2001, the European Union legislated for Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) with the adoption of Directive 2001/42/EC on the Assessment of the Effects or Certain Plans and Programmes on the Environment (the ‘SEA Directive’ 2001/42/EC). The Directive is transposed into UK law through the Environmental Assessments of Plans and Programmes Regulations 2004 (the SEA Regulations) and applies to a range of UK plans and programmes whose preparation began after 21st July 2004, or whose formal adoption is not complete by 21st July 2006. There is therefore the need for both SA and SEA of local planning documents under UK law. Current ODPM guidance provides for an integrated approach to both assessments.

The intention is that the Truro and Threemilestone Area Action Plan will be adopted in due course by Carrick District Council. Consequently SA/SEA will be necessary and should conform to current ODPM guidance.

The SA scoping report supports the public consultation on the SPD, as required by Regulation 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Development) (England) Regulations 2004. Issuing the SA Report alongside the SPDs helps provide objective information for consultees, so that their responses can be made in full awareness of the predicted sustainability impacts of different ‘options’. It also shows what information is being fed into the decision making process and how this was arrived at.

Contents of this Report.

There are five stages advocated in the ODPM Guidance on SA/SEA. This Report documents the Scoping or Stage A of the process.

Stage A sets the context and objectives of the SA / SEA and is itself divided into five distinct tasks. Steps A1 to A5 are the subject of this Draft Scoping Report and are undertaken in advance of the appraisal of policy and site options which will be considered in the later Sustainability Appraisal Report.

  • A1 Identifying links to other relevant plans and strategies and sustainability objectives: identifying the relationships and main implications of international, national, regional and local documents for the Area Action Plan and outlining the objectives set out within these documents.
  • A2 Setting out the scope of the baseline: identification existing and emerging evidence base associated with the Area Action Plan, and the outcome if no plan is implemented.
  • A3 Identifying sustainability issues and problems: identification of key sustainability issues and problems likely to affect the area covered by the Area Action Plan.
  • A4 Development of the draft sustainability appraisal framework: identifying and agreeing the key environmental, social and economic objectives that will be used to appraise the Truro and Threemilestone Area Action Plan.
  • A5 Consultation on the scope of the plan: ensuring the Draft Scoping Report considers the relevant sustainability issues and that the forthcoming appraisal is comprehensive.

The material in this Draft Scoping Report supplements the LDF SA Scoping Report which was adopted by Carrick District Council in January 2005. It extends the scope of the original report to cover issues associated with Truro and Threemilestone Area Action Plan.

The Next Steps

Following consultation on this Draft Scoping Report, the District Council will assess any responses received from consultees and use them to inform a second stage of work which will consist of:

  • Appraising policy and site options
  • Selecting preferred policy and site options.
  • Establishing a monitoring framework.

A Sustainability Appraisal Report will record the work undertaken by the District Council inassessing the sustainability of various options considered appropriate for theTruro and Threemilestone Area Action Plan and record the decisions made by the Council in choosing its preferred options.

Area Action Plans in the LDF Process.

Background

What is an Area Action Plan?

Area Action Plans form part of the new Local Development Framework system. Their purpose is to provide the planning framework for areas where significant change or conservation is expected or required, by:

  • Assisting in the delivery of planned development
  • Stimulating regeneration
  • Identifying the distribution of uses and their interrelationships
  • Making site specific allocations
  • Setting the timetable for the implementation of proposals
  • Providing guidance on layout and design.

A key feature of an Area Action Plan will be its focus on the implementation of policies to achieve these aims.

STAGE A: Task A1

IDENTIFYING OTHER RELEVANT PLANS,PROGRAMMES, STRATEGIES AND INITIATIVES

An initial review of Policies, Plans, Programmes, Strategies and Initiatives(PPPSIs) was carried out as part of the LDF SA Scoping Report.

Appendix 1contains details of this review, updated and revised to highlight relevant plans and strategies which are considered to be of particular relevance to the Truro and Threemilestone Area Action Plan. It identifies the key messages that should be taken intoaccount in the Area Action Plan (and the Sustainability Appraisal). The list is not definitive and will be updated as new strategies are published.

The different plans and strategies scoped for the purpose of informing and appraising the Area Action Planhave identified a series of key messages, relevant to the Area Action Plan:

  • Promote the use of sustainable construction techniques
  • Protect, enhance and improve access to the countryside, greenbelt, AONB and other green infrastructure
  • Promote business development and employment creation
  • Promote sustainable tourism
  • Promote urban regeneration and rural renaissance
  • Make the best use of previously developed land and buildings
  • Promote higher density development in accessible locations
  • Focus developments that attract a large number of people (especially retail, office and leisure development) in existing centres
  • Reduce the need to travel and secure more sustainable patterns of transport development
  • Create mixed communities and promote social inclusion and community cohesion
  • Create safer and more secure communities
  • Reduce the impacts of antisocial behaviour
  • Reduce health inequalities
  • Reduce educational inequalities and promote lifelong learning
  • Promote participation in cultural and recreational activities
  • Protect and enhance the historic and archaeological environment
  • Protect and improve urban and rural character and local distinctiveness and promote good design
  • Conserve and enhance biodiversity and geodiversity
  • Reduce the level of harmful emissions to soil, water and air
  • Increase energy efficiency
  • Reduce the emission of green house gases
  • Maintain the reliability of energy supplies

STAGE A: Task A2

COLLECTING BASELINE DATA

The Scoping Report, prepared for the Carrick District Council LDF identified the key characteristicsof the District. This has been supplemented by revised baseline information which is particularly relevant for the T&TAAP. Below is a summary based upon the ‘Baseline Characterisation Figures’ within the Scoping Report and revised baseline information contained in Appendix 2 of the Scoping Report, available online at

Characterisation: Truro

Truro is a cathedral City and market town with a small working port. With a population of over 22,000 it is the centre of public administration for the whole of Cornwall; a key location for health services and education; an important transport node, and the county’s main retail centre with a mix of major retailers and specialist shops. It is currently the location of over 25,000 jobs, about 15,000 of which are filled daily by commuters into the urban area. In recent years the city has virtually merged with the smaller settlement of Threemilestone, along the western corridor.

The City has developed around the confluence of two minor rivers, the Kenwyn and Allen. These combine to form the TruroRiver which flows south as one of a number of tidal creeks making up the Fal Estuary. A large area to the south east of the city is designated as part of the AONB and a tract of land and wooded valley to the north east is classified as an Area of Great Landscape Value. Numerous areas around the city have been specified as Protected Open Space (POS). The TruroRiver basin has been designated as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and a Site of Scientific Interest (SSSI).

The Conservation Area covers the historic core of the City and covers 89.9 hectares in total, with potential for some small scale amendments to the boundary. Within the designated Conservation Area there are approximately 300 listed building entries.

Truro’s centre seems likely to experience continuing pressure for new development as retail demand remains healthy. By contrast the commercial office market in the city centre is limited to a small number of key locations with a lack of suitable sized premises available, although there are potential brownfield sites both within and adjacent to the historic city centre.

As with Cornwall as a whole unemployment has declined in recent years. However there are pockets of deprivation in the city that are amongst the 30% most disadvantaged areas in Cornwall, with real issues of long term unemployment and high levels of incapacity benefit.

House prices are high in comparison with other main settlements, approximately 8% higher than average house prices for Cornwall, and there is a recognised need for new housing development to meet demand and reduce commuting levels. Unfortunately, there is no data available to show the number of new buildings meeting EcoHomes and BREEAM Very Good Standards.

Between 2002 and 2006 the volume of traffic on Cornwall’s roads increased by over 5 %, with the volume of traffic on the main approaches to Truro increasing by over 4% in the same period.

Flooding is recognised as the greatest natural hazard threat in Carrick. From the Environment Agency on-line flood risk map the chance of flooding each year from rivers or sea in parts of Truro is 1.3%.

Data gaps and availability

Inevitably there are gaps in data provision. Key areas / topics / indicators for which data for the baselining information is lacking include:

  • Streetscape in need of repair
  • Embodied energy in historic and new buildings
  • Average energy efficiency of buildings – both historic and new development
  • Percentage of commercial buildings meeting BREEAM Very Good standard
  • Percentage of new build and retrofit homes meeting EcoHomes Very Good standard
  • Percentage of brownfield sites

Future Trends under the ‘business-as-usual’ option

Predicting the nature of future trends is fraught with difficulty. These will depend on a wide range of factors including the global and national economic climate and decisions made at the national, regional and county level. It is likely, given the current information that:

  • Inappropriate development resulting from pressure for new housing, industrial and commercial space and leisure facilities could dilute landscape and historic local character
  • Neglect/lack of maintenance of buildings and streets could lead to demolition, vandalism and low self esteem for communities
  • There could be a loss of local distinctiveness and authenticity through poor understanding, globalisation and homogenisation
  • Managerial conflicts could arise between different stakeholders from lack of joint working and co-ordinated management of the conservation areas
  • There could be an increase in traffic congestion and traffic management issues
  • House pricescould continue to remain high
  • There could be deprivation inequalities across the District
  • Extreme weather conditions could continue with localised flooding and damage.

STAGE A: Task 3

KEY ENVIRONMENTAL AND SUSTAINABILITY ISSUES

The Carrick LDF Scoping Report identified key social, environmental and economic issues that affect the whole District: these can be viewed on the Carrick District Council website ( and are of general relevance to the Truro and Threemilestone Area Action Plan.

Through an analysis of the original baseline data and the revised baseline data set out in Appendix 2, a number of key sustainability issues affecting the Truro area.

Sustainability Issue / Supporting Evidence
Economic
Average house prices and the shortage of low cost affordable housing / There is a substantial housing pressure in Carrick as a result of a growing incoming population (retirement and second homes) and household growth causing a serious shortage of affordable housing. Average house prices are six times the average annual salary of people living in Carrick (Carrick Community Strategy).
New housing is vital for sustained economic and social regeneration, and is more likely to be constructed in brownfield sites within existing urban envelopes and on the periphery of major village settlements such as St Agnes. (WHS management plan)
Lack of industrial and commercial space for small to medium sized enterprises / There is growing demand for industrial and commercial space. Initiatives aimed at adding value to goods, fostering start-up companies and expanding niche markets all require new and expanded business premises. (LDF Scoping report)
Environmental
Inappropriate, homogenous development / A pressure for new housing, industrial and commercial space, combined with a lack of high quality, locally distinctive design solutions is resulting in inappropriate development of poor quality that is diluting the character of conservation areas. (CISI and CSUS reports; Conservation Area Appraisals; Carrick Design Guide)
Erosion of character and local distinctiveness / A lack of planning control, the non-availability or the higher costs associated with the use of traditional building materials, combined with locally depressed economies is resulting in the widespread use of inappropriate materials, finishes and detailing in works undertaken to many private dwellings. This in turn is leading to a significant loss of historic character. (CISI and CSUS reports; Conservation Area Appraisals)
Energy efficiency / The new Part L of the Building Regulations aims to improve energy efficiency in buildings.
Social
Civic pride / Thedeclining quality of the public realm in some parts of the City Centreis having a negative impact on local cultural distinctiveness and civic pride. (SWHES)
Access & social cohesion / Poor design, planning and management is compromising physical access to parts of the city centre and the surrounding countryside. Intellectual access could be improved with better information, including the use of technology and effective and meaningful community involvement. There is a need to remove social, cultural and economic barriers that discourage involvement, understanding and enjoyment of the historic environment and surrounding countryside.
Average house prices and the availability of low cost affordable housing / There is a substantial housing pressure in Carrick as a result of a growing incoming population (retirement and second homes) and household growth causing a serious shortage of affordable housing. New housing is vital for sustained economic and social regeneration; whilst some can be constructed in brownfield sites within existing urban envelopes there will be a need to allocate Greenfield sites, which could erode the landscape setting of the city.

STAGE A: Task A4

SUSTAINABILITY APPRAISAL FRAMEWORK

The 9 SA objectives set out in the LDF Scoping Report are shown below.Changes may be made to these in light of the consultation on this Scoping ReportAddendum.

SEA/SA Objectives

  1. To promote and increase social inclusion
  1. To promote and create strong and vibrant communities
  1. To protect and enhance the quality of the natural and built environment
  1. To achieve and promote sustainable land use and sustainable built development
  1. To achieve and promote a high level of provision and use of sustainable transport modes in Carrick
  1. To reduce Carrick’s contribution to climate change
  1. To minimise consumption of natural resources
  1. To develop a vibrant and sustainable economy in Carrick
  1. To improve the social and environmental performance of the economy in Carrick

In a stakeholder workshop (Partnership Delivery Group 14th January 2008) guiding the collation of Masterplanning Studies commissioned to inform the Truro and Threemilestone Area Action Plan, it was agreed that the sustainability framework set out in the Scoping Report for the LDF were appropriate. The group emphasised the importance of Objectives 3, 4, 5, 8 and 9in terms of assessing the implications of the T&TAAP.

Do you agree that the SA objectives encompass all the necessary issues?

CONSULTING ON THE SCOPE OF THE SUSTAINABILITY APPRAISAL

Consultation is critical for the development of a sound Local Development Framework. The District Council’s Adopted Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) provides an overview of how the Council will seek to involve Carrick’s community in the production of the District’s Local Development Framework and associated documents.

Consultation is an also an essential part of the Sustainability Appraisal process and Government guidance issued by the ODPM requires consultation to be undertaken to identify the scope of the appraisal.

For the purposes of this Scoping Report consultation the Government requires that the three statutory environmental consultation bodies should be consulted. These are:

  • Natural England
  • Environment Agency
  • English Heritage

A full public consultation is not required at this stage of the Sustainability Appraisal process, however the Council will publish a copy of this scoping report on its website to enable the wider community to comment if they choose.

In considering this Scoping Report, consultees and interested parties are asked to consider the four questions set out at the end of each section.

Comments regarding this draft Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report should be sent in writing to:

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