Proposed Submission Draft Local Plan Sustainability Appraisal

Appendix F of the Sustainability Appraisal presents a map showing the location of the sites considered for allocation in the New Local Plan. The sites comprising the Scraptoft North SDA are referred to as 3 parcels:
• 24/12222 Land west of Beeby Road (Scraptoft Golf Club), and land east and west of Hamilton Lane – Housing
• 24/10117 Land west of Beeby Road (Scraptoft Golf Club), and land east and west of Hamilton Lane – Mixed use
Appendix E of the Sustainability Appraisal contains a table which explains the Council’s reasons for selecting or rejecting site options. It confirms that the site at Scraptoft North site has not been taken forward as a proposed allocation as “the site is not developable within the Local Plan period”.
This notwithstanding, the site remains available, suitable for development and is the subject of an ongoing planning application, supported by a substantial evidence base, it is therefore considered to be capable of delivering during the plan period. Furthermore, it is located in a sustainable location within the Leicester Urban Area, as such, retaining the allocation of this site in the emerging plan would achieve the key objectives set out by the emerging plan.
Paragraph 2.41 of the Sustainability Appraisal sets out the methodology for how each site has been scored / appraised against the Sustainability Appraisal (SA) objectives in the SA framework (see Chapter 3), with symbols being attributed to each option to indicate their likely effects on each SA objective as shown in the table / image below. Where a potential positive or negative effect is uncertain, a question mark was added to the relevant symbol (e.g. +? or -?) and the symbol was colour coded in line with the potential positive, negligible or negative effect (e.g. shades of green, blue, purple, yellow, pink, etc.). A key to symbols and colour coding is shown below.

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Having regard to table 6.1 in the Main Report, the sites comprising Scraptoft North are scored as follows:

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SA Objective 6: Safeguard and improve community health, safety and wellbeing
The purpose of the objective is to score sites highly that are within walking distance of existing health services and facilities (good access to healthcare), while being in close proximity to open spaces and footpaths and cycle routes (more active lifestyles).
Part of the site has been considered as likely to have significant positive effects (++) as it lies within 720m of the referenced ‘assets’, whilst the remainder of the site is scored as having a minor positive effect (+).

SA Objective 9: Provide affordable, sustainable, good-quality housing for all
All of the residential site options are expected to have positive effects on this objective, due to the nature of the proposed development. It is expected that sites of a larger size may be able to offer a wider mix of housing, including affordable housing, as well as making a greater contribution towards local housing needs.
The site has been considered as likely to have a significant positive effect (++).

SA Objective 10: Support the sustainable growth of the economy and provide good employment opportunities
The site has been considered as likely to have a minor positive effect (+) as the site is within walking distance (600m) of either: public transport links or one or more Key and General employment area and / or major employment site.
However, the site should be considered as likely to have a significant positive effect (++) given the proximity of the site to Leicester city centre, which provides access to a significant number of jobs, and as set out by these representations, will be in close proximity to the largest proposed employment allocation in the district.

SA Objective 13: Promote sustainable transport and active travel use
This SA objective considers the proximity of development sites to sustainable transport links, which in turn affects the extent to which people are able to make use of non-car based modes of transport to access services, facilities and job opportunities.
The site has been considered as likely to have a minor positive effect (+) as the site is more than 1.8km from a railway station but within 450m of a bus stop.
However, the site should be considered as likely to have a significant positive effect (++) as the planning application has demonstrated the capacity for improved bus infrastructure on site, whilst the proposed development (as per the current planning application) would also include other uses (including retail), reducing the need to travel by car for day to day needs.

Conclusion
Although as noted in the scoring above, there is some uncertainty in relation to the effects of development, it has reinforced the opportunity that Scraptoft North presents for a sustainable and accessible development, providing significant positive effects in respect of several of the SA objectives.
Accordingly, we strongly urge the Council to reconsider the continued allocation of the Scraptoft North SDA.