Sustainability Appraisal - Second Interim SA Report Appraising Options for the Provision of Strategic Distribution Growth (Feb 2016)

Introduction

You are invited to comment on the Second Interim SA Report Appraising Options for the Provision of Strategic Distribution Growth (Feb 2016). Please note that the document is only available as a PDF. To respond to this consultation, please read the background information along with the section on how to get involved and make comments set out below.

Background

The Council is currently in the process of preparing a new Local Plan for Harborough District. It will explain how much land we need for new homes and jobs, identify locations for future development in the district, and set planning policies to guide that development. As part of the plan-making process we consulted on an Options Consultation Paper (Sept 2015) and accompanying interim Sustainability Appraisal report (Sept 2015) in September last year. The document included various options for providing for strategic distribution (i.e. large warehouses) at or adjoining Magna Park that are being considered by the Council.

However, the original interim SA report did not appraise the alternative options for strategic distribution. At the time, as explained in section 13 of that report, it was considered beneficial to gather further evidence to support a sustainability appraisal of strategic distribution. Not least, because strategic distribution tends to draw labour from a large travel to work area straddling counties and regions.

The availability of further information has now enabled a detailed appraisal of the options for strategic distribution to be undertaken, hence the second interim SA report. The alternatives appraised comprise the 3 options (A-C) set out in the options document, and 2 further combinations of these individual options. These latter 2 combinations have been appraised to support the separate development management function of the council in its consideration of planning applications currently pending determination.

Sustainability Appraisal (SA) involves the systematic identification and evaluation of the likely economic, social and environmental effects of a plan (and any reasonable alternatives) to inform the development of a more sustainable plan. It is undertaken alongside, and is an important part of, the plan making process. As before, the second interim SA report considers the likely effects of each strategic distribution option for Harborough district that the Council is currently aware of appraised against the SA Objectives. In addition, it also outlines the broad implications of each option for Leicester and Leicestershire as well as the wider area.

How to get involved and make my comments

You are invited to comment on the second interim SA report, and to reflect on whether its findings alter your previous consultation response/s, or necessitate new comments on options A-C for strategic distribution, by answering the questions below.

Should you wish to review the representations you made during last September's consultation, before you answer the questions - please click on 'My Representations' on your profile at the top of the home page, select 'New Local Plan Options' in the list of documents, then click 'Search' at the bottom of the screen and your past representations will be listed.

Alternatively representations made by others are available to see by clicking the next to the relevant section when viewing the New Local Plan Options document within the consultation portal.

Please click on the pencil icon next to each question to add your comments.

(64) Qu1. Do you have any comments to make on the Second Interim Sustainability Appraisal Report - Appraising Options for Strategic Distribution Growth (Feb 2016)?

Qu2. Would you like to amend any previous comments you have made on Strategic Distribution Options A, B or C in light of the second Interim Sustainability Appraisal Report? Please explain. (Please review any comment/s you made to the September 2015 consultation first)

(14) Strategic Distribution Option A

(16) Strategic Distribution Option B

(11) Strategic Distribution Option C

Qu.3 Would you like to make any new comments on Strategic Distribution Options A, B or C, in light of the second Interim Sustainability Appraisal Report? Please explain.

(31) Strategic Distribution Option A

(33) Strategic Distribution Option B

(36) Strategic Distribution Option C

For your convenience a copy of the Second Interim SA Report Appraising Options for Strategic Distribution Growth is available to download.

Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view these files. Click the link to download it for free.

Download the documents here:

	Document	Size
	Second interim SA Report: appraising options for strategic distribution growth.	824KB

Thank you for your comments. Representations will complement responses made to last September's options consultation and will feed into the preparation of a draft Local Plan, which will be the subject of further consultation later in the year.

If you experience problems using this consultation portal, please contact the Strategic Planning Team for help on 01858 821160 or email: planningpolicy@harborough.gov.uk.