Environmental Assessment of Development Plans

Description	Contains advice on how the likely environmental effects of structure and local plans can be assessed.
ISBN	0 7559 0904 6
Official Print Publication Date
Website Publication Date	August 29, 2003

Listen

Environmental Assessment of Development Plans

David Tyldesley and Associates
Scottish Executive Social Research

SR Logo

August 2003

Interim Planning Advice

This document is also available in pdf format (548k)

	Paragraph
Introduction	1
Part 1 Overview
Background
The origins of environmental assessment	9
The benefits of assessment	12
The environmental policy context
Sustainable development	14
National and international environmental policy context	17
The approach to assessment
Key elements of the process	18
Integrating assessment with the development plan process	19
Structure plans and local plans	20
Team approach and expert advice	21
Choice of method	24
Overview of assessment method	26
Part 2 The Assessment Process
The key stages of assessment	31
Screening alterations	33
Collating and forecasting baseline environmental information	44
Collation and updating Forecast of environmental change	44
Collation and updating Forecast of environmental change	54
Scoping the environmental report and environmental effects	59
Adopting environmental objectives and criteria	71
Assessing the plan's aims and vision	82
Consultations and consideration of transboundary effects	89
Assessing alternative policy frameworks and locational strategies	90
Checking the policy range	99
Assessing the plan's policies and proposals	103
Assessing policies Assessing proposals Identifying uncertainties and mitigating adverse effects	103
	111
	121
Preparing the environmental report	125
Developing proposals for monitoring	126
Modifying the draft plan and revising the environmental report	129
Depositing the environmental report with the submitted/finalised plan	132
Procedures in respect of the adoption/approval of the plan	134
Preparing the Article 9.1(b) statement Finalising proposals for monitoring Adoption/approval of the plan and making information available	138
	139
	140
Monitoring and review	142
Quality control	156
Conclusions	157
Glossary	55
Bibliography	58
Appendices
A Preliminary checklist of environmental information to be included in the environmental report of a local plan B Developing environmental objectives and criteria C Checking the policy range in local plans: example of a checklist derived from SPP/NPPG expectations D Example of an assessment of a plan's strategy/vision Consultative Draft Midlothian Local Plan 1998 E Example of an assessment of a plan's policies Consultative Draft Aberdeenshire Local Plan 2000 F Example of an assessment of a plan's proposals The South East Wedge joint Development Study 1999 G Example of a cumulative impact assessment schedule H Further guidance on monitoring I Sustainability Appraisal J Directive 2001/42/EC

Note

All references to Annexes and Articles are references to annexes and articles in the EC Directive 2001/42/EC. All references to Appendices are to appendices in this Interim Advice.

If you wish further copies of this report, or have any queries about the Planning Division please contact us at:

Scottish Executive Planning Division
Victoria Quay
Edinburgh
EH6 6QQ

Tel: 08457 741 741
E-mail: planningdivision@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
Website: www.scotland.gov.uk/planning

The views expressed in this report are those of the consultants and do not necessarily represent those of the Department or Scottish Ministers

The preparation of this advice benefited from the discussions of the Advisory Group and the contributions they made on working papers and drafts.

Membership of the Advisory Group:

Nick Evans	Scottish Executive Development Department (Chair)
Alan Cameron	Scottish Executive Development Department (Secretary)
George Burgess	Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department
Amanda Chisholm	Scottish Executive Development Department - Trunk Roads
Neil Deasley	Scottish Environment Protection Agency
Pamela Ewen	Fife Council
Anne McCall	Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
Peter Rawcliffe	Scottish Natural Heritage
Beth Staffell	Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department

Limited extracts from the text may be produced provided the source is acknowledged.
For more extensive reproduction, please write to Chief Research Officer at the Office of Chief Researcher, 3rd Floor West Rear, St Andrew's House, Edinburgh, EH1 3DG

The Scottish Government

Consultations

On this page: