The Assessment

SEA as part of a Strategic Sustainability Assessment

Carried out between February 2004 and March 2006 by consultants but working closely with plan authors

Challenge of assessing high-level strategic and detailed sub-regional policies

The Assessment

Three main phases of workPhase 1: Deciding the scopePhase 2: Assessment of possible development

strategy optionsPhase 3: Assessment of the draft RSS policies

Note – the following slides provide “snapshots” of approaches used, not a full overview of the process

The Assessment – Phase 1

Deciding the scopeDecision to develop a small number of

Assessment objectives, reflecting strategic nature of plan

Development of guidance to enable organisations with local knowledge to compile sub-regional baseline information

The Assessment – Phase 1

Assessment frameworkOnly 6 high level objectives

Particularly relevant to SEA

The Assessment – Phase 1

Reasons for and benefits of small number of objectivesEmphasised issues at level the RSS can

influenceAimed to provide balance between enabling

manageable assessment, and providing sufficient detail to identify important issues

Enabled “2-tier” assessment: 1) strategic / high level and 2) more specific detailed questions

The Assessment – Phase 1

Assessment frameworkMore detailed criteria / questions to draw out

effects

The Assessment – Phase 1

Development of guidance for the collection of baseline at the sub-regional levelOpportunity taken to draw on existing sub-

regional expertiseThrough use of guidance each sub-region

collated baseline and conducted initial assessment

Role of consultants:Provided guidance on approach / framework for assessmentMeetings with each sub-regionReview and commentary on each sub-region’s workBringing reports together and harmonising

The Assessment – Phase 2

Development and assessment of alternative strategiesConsidered a range of housing and economic growth

scenariosConsidered different spatial development optionsAlternatives considered in assessment:

Growth at existing urban areas (previous strategy)More concentrated growth in smaller number of areasMore dispersed growthOne or more “new” townsGoing with past trendsPlus need to consider lower and higher housing growth

The Assessment – Phase 2

Assessment of alternative strategies

The Assessment – Phase 3

Assessment of Draft RSS policiesRegular communication, commentaries and

presentationsRegional Spatial Planning and Transport GroupSSA (including SEA) Steering Group

Challenge of assessing policy at both very strategic and detailed sub-regional levels

Use of maps in assessment

The Assessment – Phase 3

Regular communication and use of steering groupsA “steering group” was set up – provided advice as well as

some assessment inputComprised broad range of representatives (e.g.

Environment Agency, Local Authorities, Non Governmental Organisations)

Enabled informal discussions of assessment challenges and procedural issues

SEA teamSteering group

The Assessment – Phase 3

Strategic policy and detailed sub-regional assessmentFor strategic policies

Individual assessment matrices completed and recommendations made for each strategic policy

For the sub-regionsDetailed sub-regional studies undertakenSub-regional authorities completed initial assessments based

on guidanceFinal assessment drew on these initial assessments and

used constraint mapping to consider implications of the proposed locations of change

The Assessment – Phase 3

Maps used in sub-regional assessmentIdentified location of proposed development and

existing constraints (e.g. conservation areas, flood risks )

The Assessment

How it influenced the Draft RSSInformed the assessment of sub-regions by local

stakeholders, ensuring “ownership”Provided guidance on alternative strategiesReviewed early drafts of policies / strategyLed to specific changes to policies

Lessons learnt

Things that worked wellProcess ensured that authors and those who will

implement plan had “buy in” to SEA and saw its value

Regular meetings and 2-way communication with plan authors – e.g. use of steering groups

Use of existing sources of baseline information to help identify effects – maps were very useful

Lessons learnt

Things that worked less wellAssessment was

sometimes constrained by too short time-frames

Process was modified during assessment which added time and complexity

Ensure sufficient time is available – overestimate if in doubt!

Build in flexibility and seek broad agreement in method at outset

To find out more

Link to more information on the RSS and Assessment

http://www.southwest-ra.gov.uk/ And follow links to RSS

SA Report is at:

http://www.southwest-ra.gov.uk/media/SWRA/RSS%20Documents/Final%20Draft/ssamainreport1.pdf