1.1 The aim of the Waste Local Plan is to ensure that waste management development occurs in the most appropriate locations, while taking into account environmental, social and economic well-being. That is, a strategy which successfully addresses sustainable development issues. Incorporating the objectives of sustainable development requires a new way of thinking that will help to ensure the overall quality of life for people will be improved. The Appraisal of emerging policies is an important mechanism that will ensure the objectives of sustainable development are incorporated into the Plan.

1.2 The Government is committed to the principles of sustainable development. "Sustainable Development: The UK Strategy" (1994) is now being updated following recent public consultation and a revised strategy will be published early in 1999. In November 1998 a consultation paper, "Sustainability Counts", was published setting out headline indicators of sustainable development. The intention is that these indicators will help measures progress in achieving sustainable developments and inform policy decisions. The Government’s revised strategy will reflect these indicators and set out more detailed objectives. It will be based on four broad objectives:

(i) maintenance of high and stable levels of economic growth and employment;

(ii) social progress which recognises the needs of everyone;

(iii) effective protection of the environment; and

(iv) prudent use of natural resources.

1.3 Since the publication of Planning Policy Guidance Note 12 (Development Plans and Regional Planning Guidance) in 1992, the Government has made it clear that an environmental appraisal is expected to form a central part of development plan preparation. Revised Planning Policy Guidance Note 12: Development Plans: Public Consultation Draft published in February 1999 confirms that local planning authorities are expected to carry out a full environmental appraisal of their development plans. However, as indicated above, sustainable development is not limited to environmental concerns. The same methodologies used for environmental appraisal can be developed to encompass economic and social issues. The Department has issued advice on how this might be done in "Planning for Sustainable Development: Towards Better Practice" (DETR, 1998).

1.4 In 1993, to assist planning authorities in fulfilling this requirement, the Department of the Environment produced a Good Practice Guide for carrying out the environmental appraisal process. In December 1996 the European Commission released a proposal for a Directive to extend environmental assessment requirements from projects to land-use plans and programmes.

1.5 The three Councils have developed an appraisal methodology which addresses the issue of sustainable development. The appraisal process ensures that the potential impact of policies on people’s environmental, social and cultural and economic well-being is systematically and comprehensively assessed while the policies are being developed. This provides the opportunity, where feasible, to revise policies to mitigate any identified potential negative impacts and enhance identified beneficial impacts. The appraisal is a means of ensuring consistency between the aims and policies of the Plan and provides greater justification for policy decisions.

1.6 Sustainability appraisals are also being carried out at other tiers of land use planning within the East Midlands including the emerging Regional Spatial Development Guidance, Structure Plans and district-wide Local Plans. This appraisal process helps to ensure that the concept of sustainable development is integrated into the policy formulation process at all these levels.

1.7 The fact that the Waste Local Plan is subject to environmental appraisal does not take away the requirements for environmental assessment of individual development proposals where they are required by legislation. Even where an environmental appraisal of a plan has been undertaken and a subsequent development is proposed which is in accordance with the plan, an Environmental Impact Assessment must still be carried out if required by the Town and Country Planning Environmental Impact Assessment (England and Wales) Regulations 1999 (SI 1999 No. 293).

1.8 This document outlines the methodology used to carry out the appraisal of the Waste Local Plan policies and describes the main findings.

2.1 The appraisal process was co-ordinated by an officer group set up to address sustainable development issues. The group comprised representatives from Leicestershire County Council, Leicester City Council, Rutland County Council and the Environment Agency. This enabled the potential impacts of policies to be better understood and allowed the results to be incorporated into the Proposed Changes to the Deposit Draft.

2.2 The first stage of establishing the appraisal methodology was to define the factors that were to provide the framework for the appraisal. The factors form the basis of the appraisal. Each factor has been defined in conjunction with Core Groups that were established for the Structure Plan Review. The factors chosen were those used for Structure Plan Review Sustainability Appraisal and were considered appropriate for Waste Local Plan Sustainability Appraisal. There are three Groups of factors relating to:

1. Quality of life and local environment.

2. Natural resources.

3. Global sustainability

Definitions of each of the factors used are listed in Appendix One.

2.3 In undertaking the appraisal the primary effects of the policies on each factor were recorded and any potentially significant secondary effects were also noted for information. The group had to decide whether the policy was likely to have the desired effect on each factor and therefore help in moving towards the objectives of sustainable development or whether it is likely to move us further away from the objectives. Once this had been decided an assessment was made as to whether this move is likely to be marginal or significant.

2.4 Where a policy showed significant movements away from sustainable development a more detailed commentary of the discussion was recorded. After appraising the policy a short written summary of the impacts and points to note were prepared.

3.1 The appraisal results for each policy are given in the matrix in Appendix Two. A summary of the results for each chapter is outlined below.

3.2 The Waste Management Strategy policies show an overall move towards sustainability in terms of factors relating to waste, water, land, soil, biodiversity, movement, energy and regional air quality, together with health and safety and security. Policies in the Chapter that encourage more sustainable forms of waste management: waste minimisation; waste recycling and re-use of waste; anaerobic digestion; composting; together with incineration. These reduce the amount of waste being taken to waste disposal sites and show an overall positive effect, when all factors are taken into account. Anaerobic digestion, composting and incineration have a negative impact on health, safety and security factors as issues of noise, pollution, air and water quality can be relevant when considering waste management proposals of this nature.

3.3 The impact of the waste management strategy policies on factors such as open space, built environment and movement could go either way. This will depend very much on location and design of the facilities.

3.4 Overall these policies have the highest scores on the appraisal given the sustainable nature of these policies which relate to minimisation, recycling and re-use of waste. The incineration policy assumes that the schemes include energy recovery for district heating and electricity generation.

3.5 This Chapter scores well on the appraisal with a strong overall move towards sustainable development. Policies 7 and 8 have a positive impact. The assessment of waste management proposals and environmental considerations policies have a positive impact taking into account all those factors included in the sustainability appraisal. Policy 8 should be amended to include reference to open spaces and green wedges as well as recreation and sport land and buildings.

3.6 Policy 9 on transportation of waste by road and rail is considered to have a generally positive impact when assessed against all the factors, as the policy would ease congestion on the road network and reduce the impact of lorry movements on highways in rural areas and through towns and villages. However, it is recognised that waste material may need to be carried by road for part of the journey to a waste transfer station. The impact on built environment, heritage and landscape with the transport of waste by rail and water could go either way, as the effects of noise, fumes, vibration etc. will depend on the location of the railway line, canal or waterway to be used.

3.7 Policy 11 on Planning Conditions has a positive impact in that the conditions to be imposed on planning permissions will protect the amenities of adjoining occupiers and cover the factors set out in the appraisal. Policies 13 and 14 on restoration, aftercare and after-use have a positive impact in that the policy ensures that waste disposal is a means to an end in ensuring that former quarry sites utilised for waste disposal are restored to a beneficial use (i.e. agriculture, forestry, grassland, heathland). The disposal of waste in the quarry void is an essential part of the process of restoring the former quarry to a beneficial use.

3.8 Overall, all the policies in the General Matters: Chapter 3 have a positive impact when considered against all the factors in the sustainability appraisal.

3.9 For Policies 15 to 18, which relate to new waste disposal sites and extensions to existing waste disposal areas, low scores are achieved on the appraisal because of the negative effect of these policies on health, safety and security issues. In the case of Policy 15, which has identified a new site for future waste disposal, there is a negative impact on built environment landscape and mineral extraction together with land, soil, biodiversity, movement, energy and air quality. For unallocated sites in Policies 16, 17 and 18 the impact on built environment, open space and landscape could go either way, depending on the location and scale of the waste management facilities.

3.10 Although there are negative impacts identified due to an increase in commercial vehicle movement, adverse effect on habitat and ecology and dust, noise, smell, fumes, litter, rodents etc. and other issues associated with waste disposal, there will be beneficial effects to the local economy identified.

3.11 It is the Government’s overall policy aim for achieving more sustainable waste management by increasing the proportion of waste managed by the options towards the top of the waste hierarchy. The waste hierarchy will not always indicate the most sustainable waste management option for particular waste streams, and waste producers will still want to recover or dispose of waste in the most cost-effective way. The Best Practicable Environmental Option (BPEO) for each waste stream will vary according to circumstances. This takes into account both the environmental and economic costs and benefits of different options. Waste disposal, at the bottom of the hierarchy, is considered to be the sustainable waste management option for dealing with household, industrial/commercial waste in the Plan Area, especially where it results in the effective restoration of some types of mineral workings. The priority for waste disposal is to ensure that waste disposal is carried out to high standards to make it as sustainable as possible.

3.12 This Chapter scores well on the appraisal with a strong overall move towards sustainable development.

3.13 In the case of Policy 19, which relates to the disposal of waste from major construction projects, there is overall a positive impact. The policy is positive in terms of energy, regional air quality, land and soil, and efficient disposal of waste. In terms of health, safety and security, there is a negative impact associated with the disposal of waste.

3.14 The policy on extraction and utilisation of landfill gas has an overall positive impact, particularly for factors such as energy, air quality, safety and security and health because of the beneficial effects of extracting methane gas, as a non-fossil fuel for electricity generation.

4.1 From the Appraisal, as shown in Appendix 2: Summary Matrix, it can be seen that the Plan is particularly positive in terms of built environment, local economy, landscape, water, land and soil.

4.2 The Appraisal also shows that there may be some moves away from sustainable development. In the case of factors such as health, safety and security, waste, minerals, biodiversity, movement, energy and air quality, positive impacts were recorded, for all the policies in the Plan, with the exception of those concerned with waste disposal. This reflects the fact that waste disposal needs to occur, with new waste disposal sites being brought into operation during the Plan Period, together with significant increases in recycling, re-use of waste, composting etc.

4.3 As waste will need to be disposed of by this method, for economic reasons, some "trade off" with environmental factors will need to take place. The environmental impact of waste disposal schemes will vary depending on the location of the facility. Policies within the Plan will help to mitigate the impact on the environment of waste disposal operations and ensure that the most important environmental assets are given protection.

4.4 The appraisal process identified that in Policy 8, there was no specific reference to open spaces and green wedges in urban areas, the impact of waste management development on non-residential amenity, nor to landscape areas outside of designated APACS and Local Landscape Value designated areas.

4.5 As a result, sub-section (xviii) of Policy 8 has been amended, as part of the Proposed Changes to the Deposit Draft to include reference to "and/or other local land uses".

4.6 An additional sub-section (xxi) has been added to Policy 8 to refer to development which would have an adverse effect on important areas of open space and green areas within built up areas, as this was omitted from the Deposit Draft.

4.7 It was considered that for the protection of landscape areas, sub-section (vi) should not be amended. As currently worded, it affords greater protection to designated Areas of Particularly Attractive Countryside (APACS) and areas of Local Landscape Value with less protection for areas of countryside outside of these designated areas. The sub-section as worded establishes that there is a hierarchy of landscape areas in the Plan Area and that priority should be given to the designated APACS and LLVs.

QUALITY OF LIFE AND LOCAL ENVIRONMENT

Open Space : Public, semi-private and private open areas, including water bodies, within the built-up areas of the city, towns and villages. Consideration needs to be given to both its quantity and quality. This factor should be viewed primarily from the human perspective.

Health: Consideration needs to be given to local air and water quality, the effect of noise pollution, as well as the availability of recreational facilities.

Safety and Security: In attempting to make people feel safer and more secure, attention needs to be given to both reducing accidents and crime, and to improving people’s perception of how safe and secure they are. This includes design of buildings, roads, cycleways, walkways and open spaces.

Housing: Shelter which eliminates the need to sleep rough or live in temporary accommodation. The issues to consider are whether housing is affordable, meets local needs and reduces homelessness.

Accessibility: Maximise the ability of all sections of society to utilise facilities, services, get to places, and to have the opportunity to participate in the local economy. More specifically, it includes the ability of all sections of society to utilise local shops, open spaces, the open countryside, public transport, walking and cycling facilities, training and education, and job opportunities. This factor does not include mobility.

Equity and equality of opportunity: Maximises people’s equality in accessing and utilising facilities, services, opportunities and resources. The factor promotes the use of community facilities and takes account of local needs, particularly the needs of ethnic minorities, women, the disabled and elderly. Whether the policy could disadvantage different cultural groups also needs to be considered.

Local economy: Local employment, retail and commercial uses, which contribute towards sustaining and enhancing the economic development of both urban and rural areas. Consideration needs to be given to the provision of educational and training facilities to promote skills in the labour force and measures taken to encourage an environment in which enterprise can be encouraged to develop.

Vitality of centres: In defining the vitality of centres, consideration needs to be given to the diverse range of uses which they can accommodate. It is important that wherever possible the vitality of town centres is enhanced particularly in view of increasing competition from out of town centres.

Built environment: In terms of measuring quality of life in the built environment consideration needs to be given to the townscape of cities, towns and villages. Encouragement should be given to projects which reuse and maintain buildings, reduce vacancy rates, promote renewal and the use of sustainable design. In addition, consideration should be given to the sources and types of material used.

Cultural Heritage: The important diverse range of historic buildings, ancient monuments, sites of archaeological interest and conservation areas which need to be preserved or enhanced in order to safeguard and improve the quality and character of the built and natural environment.

NATURAL RESOURCES

Landscape Character and Open Space: The quality and diversity of the landscape and extent of open countryside. Examples of issues to consider include designated areas, tree cover, green wedges, severance, derelict land and mineral extraction, amongst others.

Minerals: The environmental impacts arising from the extraction and use of mineral deposits, and the potential for reuse and recycling.

Waste: The environmental impact of waste products. Consideration should be given to resource efficiency and promoting waste minimisation, reuse and recycling and reducing waste arisings.

Water: The quality and quantity of water resources and the waterside environment. Issues include the quality of watercourses, standing water and groundwater, the creation of standing water, the protection of essential washlands, floodplains, and the impact of the water supply on groundwater resources and river flow.

Land and Soil: The impact on the land reserve, including land, soil and water quality, landscape and geology. Land reclamation and high quality restoration should be encouraged together with the protection of high quality agricultural and geological resources. Policies should aim to reduce land contamination, monocultures and the need for waste disposal on greenfield sites.

GLOBAL SUSTAINABILITY

Biodiversity: The variety of life and habitats and the potential for the conservation and improvement of existing habitats and the creation of new ones. Important wildlife sites and habitats should be conserved and species numbers and diversity should be promoted.

Movement: The action of people and goods travelling between places. Consideration needs to be given to how many, how far and the mode by which journeys are made and the choice of destination, which may determine the length, travelling time and mode by which the journey is made.

Transport Mode: The type of transport used to make a journey. It should be remembered that many journeys are made by more than one mode e.g. walking and public transport. Consideration needs to be given to the quality and availability of alternatives, length and purpose of journey, choice of destination (e.g. proximity to bus route), personal choice, relative costs and availability of parking or location of public transport nodes at the destination.

Total Energy Use: The amount of energy used, the efficiency of energy use and transmission and the environmental impacts of transmission and supply. Policies should promote the most energy efficient layout and location of development, the use of CHP and renewable energy.

Regional Air Quality: Air quality impacts that are primarily on a regional or larger scale i.e. CO2 from road and transport, industry and domestic energy use; methane from agriculture, waste disposal and mining; nitrous oxide from nylon manufacture and fertiliser use; and SO2 from power stations etc.