The Council is required to carry out Sustainability Appraisal on planning policy documents. The purpose of a Sustainability Appraisal is to ensure social, economic and environmental impacts of policies are properly considered, to ensure sustainable development. The Sustainability Appraisal process includes meeting the requirements of Strategic Environmental Assessment, which is an iterative process that takes place alongside the preparation and production of local planning policies.
New Local Plan 2020-2040 Sustainability Appraisal process
In July 2017 a Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report (July 2017) and associated Technical Appendices (July 2017) were consulted upon as part of the New Local Plan 2020-2040 process. Subsequently in early 2020 an initial Sustainability Appraisal report was published alongside the New Local Plan issues and options consultation.
Plan for Stafford Borough 2011-2031 (adopted June 2014) Sustainability Appraisal process
The Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report (October 2007) and its Technical Appendices (October 2007) set out the sustainability objectives against which all documents will be evaluated.
The following Sustainability Appraisal documents have been produced to support the new Local Plan (in order of production):
- SA Vol 1 Commentary Boroughwide Development Strategy
- SA Vol 1 Commentary Boroughwide Development Strategy Technical Appendices
- Revised SA Report - Presubmission Publication
- Revised SA Report - Presubmission Publication Technical Appendices
- Revised SA Report Addendum
Following the adoption of the Plan for Stafford Borough, the Council produced a Sustainability Appraisal Adoption Statement and a final Sustainability Appraisal Report.
A Sustainability Appraisal has also been carried out on the Plan for Stafford Borough Part 2 Proposals Document