Sustainability Appraisal (SA) of the Vale of White Horse District Local Plan 2031 Part One. SA Report

Transcription

1 Sustainability Appraisal (SA) of the Vale of White Horse District Local Plan 2031 Part One SA Report October 2014

2 Revision schedule Rev Date Details Prepared by Reviewed by Approved by 1 August 2014 Draft for client comment Anthony Whitaker, Environmental Planner Nick Chisholm-Batten, Principal Consultant Steve Smith, Technical Director 2 September 2014 Final SA Report Anthony Whitaker, Environmental Planner Nick Chisholm-Batten, Principal Consultant Steve Smith, Technical Director Limitations URS Infrastructure & Environment UK Limited ( URS ) has prepared this Report for the use of the Vale of White Horse District Council ( the Client ) in accordance with the Agreement under which our services were performed. No other warranty, expressed or implied, is made as to the professional advice included in this Report or any other services provided by URS. The conclusions and recommendations contained in this Report are based upon information provided by others and upon the assumption that all relevant information has been provided by those parties from whom it has been requested and that such information is accurate. Information obtained by URS has not been independently verified by URS, unless otherwise stated in the Report. The methodology adopted and the sources of information used by URS in providing its services are outlined in this Report. The work described in this Report was undertaken in 2012, 2013 and 2014 and is based on the conditions encountered and the information available during the said period of time. The scope of this Report and the services are accordingly factually limited by these circumstances. URS disclaim any undertaking or obligation to advise any person of any change in any matter affecting the Report, which may come or be brought to URS attention after the date of the Report. Certain statements made in the Report that are not historical facts may constitute estimates, projections or other forward-looking statements and even though they are based on reasonable assumptions as of the date of the Report, such forward-looking statements by their nature involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results predicted. URS specifically does not guarantee or warrant any estimate or projections contained in this Report. Copyright This Report is the copyright of URS Infrastructure & Environment UK Limited. URS Infrastructure and Environment UK Limited 6-8 Greencoat Place London, SW1P 1PL Telephone: +44(0) Fax: +44(0) PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 1

3 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION BACKGROUND THIS...7 PART 1: WHAT S THE SCOPE OF THE SA? INTRODUCTION (TO PART 1) WHAT IS THE PLAN SEEKING TO ACHIEVE? WHAT S THE SUSTAINABILITY CONTEXT? WHAT S THE SUSTAINABILITY BASELINE? HOW WOULD THE BASELINE EVOLVE WITHOUT IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PLAN? WHAT ARE THE KEY ISSUES AND OBJECTIVES THAT SHOULD BE A FOCUS?...35 PART 2: WHAT HAS PLAN-MAKING / SA INVOLVED UP TO THIS POINT? INTRODUCTION (TO PART 2) OVERVIEW OF PLAN-MAKING / SA WORK UNDERTAKEN TO DATE HOUSING DELIVERY STRATEGIC SITES HARWELL OXFORD CAMPUS SITE OPTIONS SCIENCE VALE RING FENCE MEETING BUSINESS AND EMPLOYMENT NEEDS DIDCOT POWER STATION (DIDCOT A) AFFORDABLE HOUSING HOUSING DENSITY HOUSING MIX GYPSIES AND TRAVELLERS DEVELOPMENT TO SUPPORT THE VISITOR ECONOMY RETAILING AND OTHER MAIN TOWN CENTRE USES SUSTAINABLE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION THE HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT NEW EMPLOYMENT DEVELOPMENT ON UNALLOCATED SITES CHANGE OF USE OF EXISTING EMPLOYMENT LAND AND PREMISES BOTLEY CENTRAL AREA...88 PART 3: WHAT ARE THE SA FINDINGS AT THIS STAGE? INTRODUCTION (TO PART 3) SA SUMMARY OF THE PROPOSED SITE PACKAGE POLICY APPRAISAL DRAFT PLAN APPRAISAL PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 2

4 32 CUMULATIVE EFFECTS CONCLUSIONS AT THIS CURRENT STAGE PART 4: WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS (INCLUDING MONITORING)? INTRODUCTION (TO PART 4) PLAN FINALISATION AND ADOPTION MONITORING FIGURES FIGURE 6.1: OVERALL DEPRIVATION IN THE VALE (IMD, 2010)...1 FIGURE 6.2: BARRIERS TO HOUSING AND SERVICES IN THE VALE (IMD, 2010)...22 FIGURE 6.3: DESIGNATED HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT ASSETS IN THE VALE OF WHITE HORSE DISTRICT...25 FIGURE 6.4: NATURE AND LANDSCAPE DESIGNATIONS IN THE VALE...26 FIGURE 6.5: AGRICULTURAL LAND QUALITY ACROSS THE DISTRICT...27 FIGURE 6.6: VALE OF WHITE HORSE LANDSCAPE TYPES...28 FIGURE 6.7: AREAS ACROSS THE DISTRICT COVERED BY FLOOD ZONES 2 AND FIGURE 6.8: ALL CAUSE MORTALITY RATE PER 100, FIGURE 6.9: LIVING ENVIRONMENT DEPRIVATION (IMD, 2010)...31 FIGURE 12.1: SITE SELECTION PROCESS...51 FIGURE 13.1: PLAN OF THE EIGHT SUB-PARCELS ASSESSED IN THE LVIA...59 FIGURE 14.1: OPTION A: SCIENCE VALE RING-FENCE...63 FIGURE 14.2: OPTION B CORE AREA RING FENCE...64 FIGURE 14.3: OPTION C KEY SCIENCE VALE LOCATIONS RING-FENCE...65 FIGURE 29.1: LPP1 PROPOSALS MAP...92 TABLES TABLE 2.1: QUESTIONS THAT MUST BE ANSWERED BY THE IN ORDER TO MEET REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS...8 TABLE 2.2: SCHEDULE 2 REQUIREMENTS AND WHERE THEY ARE MET IN THE REPORT...9 TABLE 8.1: SA FRAMEWORK...35 TABLE10.1: LOCAL PLAN PART 1 STRATEGIC SITE ALLOCATIONS:...42 TABLE 10.2: HOUSING DELIVERY UPDATE STRATEGIC SITE ALLOCATIONS...43 BOX.11.1: DIFFERING LEVELS OF ALTERNATIVES...47 TABLE 12.1: FEBRUARY 2013 LPP1 CONSULTATION DOCUMENT PROPOSED SITE PACKAGE...52 TABLE 30.1: LOCAL PLAN 2031 PART 1 POLICY LIST TABLE 31.1: LIKELY SIGNIFICANT EFFECTS OF THE DRAFT PLAN PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 3

5 TABLE 32.1: KEY POTENTIAL NEGATIVE CUMULATIVE EFFECTS TABLE 33.1: IDENTIFIED SIGNIFICANT NEGATIVE EFFECTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES TABLE 36.1: MEASURES ENVISAGED CONCERNING MONITORING PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 4

6 INTRODUCTION PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 5

7 1 BACKGROUND URS and Vale of White Horse District Council are working together to undertake Sustainability Appraisal (SA) in support of the emerging Vale of White Horse Local Plan 2031 Part 1 (LPP1) The Vale of White Horse Local Plan 2031 provides a policy framework for the delivery of sustainable development across the District. It replaces the Local Plan 2011 and is made up of a number of separate parts. The most significant include: 1.2 SA explained Local Plan 2031 Part 1: Strategic Sites and Policies. The Local Plan 2031 Part 1 sets out the spatial strategy and strategic policies for the District to deliver sustainable development. It identifies the number of new homes and jobs to be provided in the area for the plan period up to The Local Plan 2031 Part 1 sets out the spatial strategy for the location of development across the District and allocates large-scale (referred to as strategic) development sites. It includes District-wide policies to ensure that development contributes to meeting the strategic objectives of the plan, such as policies relating to sustainable construction and conservation of the built, historic and natural environment. Local Plan 2031 Part 2: Detailed Policies and Local Sites. The Local Plan 2031 Part 2 will contain detailed planning policies to guide day-to-day decisions on planning applications. The document will provide more detailed policies to those within Part 1 of the Local Plan 2031, and identify and allocate supplementary and predominantly smaller (referred to as non-strategic) development sites. Science Vale Area Action Plan: A Joint Area Action Plan (AAP) is being prepared in partnership with South Oxfordshire District Council and Oxfordshire County Council to set out in more detail how the planned growth across the Science Vale Oxford area will be effectively delivered and implemented. The council s Local Development Scheme (LDS) sets out the timetable for preparing each part of the Vale of White Horse Local Plan 2031 and is available on the council s website SA is a process for considering and communicating the likely environmental and sustainability effects of a draft plan, and reasonable alternatives, with a particular emphasis on preventing, reducing and as fully as possible offsetting any significant adverse effects on the environment of implementing the plan. SA of the Local Plan is a legal requirement It is a requirement that SA is undertaken in line with the procedures prescribed by the Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes Regulations 2004, which were prepared in order to transpose into national law the European Union Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Directive In line with the Regulations, a report (which we call the SA Report) must be published for consultation alongside the draft plan that identifies, describes and evaluates the likely significant effects of implementing the plan, and reasonable alternatives. 3 The report must then be taken into account, alongside consultation responses, when finalising the plan. 1 Since provision was made through the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 it has been understood that local planning authorities must carry out a process of Sustainability Appraisal alongside plan-making. The centrality of SA to Local Plan-making is emphasised in the National Planning Policy Framework (2012). The Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012 require that an SA Report is published for consultation alongside the Proposed Submission plan document. 2 Directive 2001/42/EC 3 Regulation 12(2) PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 6

8 1.2.4 The Regulations prescribe the information that must be contained within the SA Report. Essentially, the SA Report must answer the following four questions: 2 THIS 1. What s the scope of the SA? The scope must be established subsequent to a review of the sustainability context and baseline, and consultation with designated agencies. 2. What has Plan-making / SA involved up to this point? Preparation of the draft plan must have been informed by at least one earlier plan-making / SA iteration at which point 'reasonable alternatives are appraised. 3. What are the SA findings at this stage? i.e. in relation to the draft plan. 4. What happens next (including monitoring)? This document is the SA Report for the Vale of White Horse District Local Plan 2031 Part 1 and hence needs to answer all four of the questions listed above with a view to providing the information required by the Regulations. Each of the four questions is answered in turn. PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 7

9 Table 2.1: Questions that must be answered by the SA Report in order to meet Regulatory 4 requirements QUESTION What s the scope of the SA? What s the plan seeking to achieve? What s the sustainability context? What s the sustainability baseline? What are the key issues & objectives that should be a focus? What has plan-making / SA involved up to this point? IN LINE WITH SCHEDULE II THE REPORT MUST INCLUDE An outline of the contents, main objectives of the plan and relationship with other relevant plans and programmes The relevant environmental protection objectives, established at international or national level Any existing environmental problems which are relevant to the plan including those relating to any areas of a particular environmental importance The relevant aspects of the current state of the environment and the likely evolution thereof without implementation of the plan The environmental characteristics of areas likely to be significantly affected Any existing environmental problems which are relevant to the plan including those relating to any areas of a particular environmental importance Key problems / issues and objectives that should be a focus of (i.e. provide a framework for) appraisal Outline reasons for selecting the alternatives dealt with (and thus an explanation of the reasonableness of the approach) The likely significant effects associated with alternatives Outline reasons for selecting the preferred approach in-light of alternatives appraisal / a description of how environmental objectives and considerations are reflected in the draft plan. What are the appraisal findings at this current stage? The likely significant effects associated with the Final Draft (Publication Version) Local Plan 2031 Nov 2014 The measures envisaged to prevent, reduce and offset any significant adverse effects of implementing the draft plan What happens next? A description of the draft monitoring measures envisaged N.B. The right-hand column of Table 2.1 does not quote directly from Schedule II of the Regulations. Rather, it reflects a degree of interpretation. This interpretation is explained in Appendix I of this report. For clarity, Table 2.2 shows where each of the requirements of Schedule 2 of the Regulations are met within the report. 4 Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes Regulations 2004 PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 8

10 Table 2.2: Schedule 2 Requirements and where they are met in the report SEA Regulations Schedule 2 requirements Where requirements are met in the SA Report 1. An outline of the contents and main objectives of the plan or programme, and of its relationship with other relevant plans and programmes. 2. The relevant aspects of the current state of the environment and the likely evolution thereof without implementation of the plan or programme. 3. The environmental characteristics of areas likely to be significantly affected. 4. Any existing environmental problems which are relevant to the plan or programme including, in particular, those relating to any areas of a particular environmental importance, such as areas designated pursuant to Council Directive 79/409/EEC on the conservation of wild birds and the Habitats Directive. 5. The environmental protection objectives, established at international, Community or Member State level, which are relevant to the plan or programme and the way those objectives and any environmental considerations have been taken into account during its preparation. 6. The likely significant effects on the environment, including short, medium and long-term effects, permanent and temporary effects, positive and negative effects, and secondary, cumulative and synergistic effects, on issues such as biodiversity; population; human health; fauna; flora; soil; water; air; climatic factors; material assets; cultural heritage, including architectural and archaeological heritage; landscape; and inter-relationships between the above issues. 7. The measures envisaged to prevent, reduce and as fully as possible offset any significant adverse effects on the environment of implementing the plan or programme. 8. An outline of the reasons for selecting the alternatives dealt with, and a description of how the assessment was undertaken including any difficulties (such as technical deficiencies or lack of know-how) encountered in compiling the required information. 9. A description of the measures envisaged concerning monitoring in accordance with regulation A non-technical summary of the information provided under paragraphs 1 to 9. Part 1 of this SA Report. An outline of the contents and main objectives of the plan can be found at Section 4. The relationship of the plan with other relevant plans and programmes can be found in Section 5. The baseline is set out in Section 6 and the likely evolution of the baseline is set out in Section 7. Section 6. Section 6. Section 5 and 6; and taken into account in Part 2 (assessing the reasonable alternatives) and Part 3 (assessing the effects of the draft plan). Part 3 of the SA Report. The likely significant effects are set out in Section 30 (on a policy by policy basis) and 31 (against the SA Framework). There is a specific cumulative effects section in Section 32). Section 33 sets out the conclusions of this SA Report. Mitigation is set out in the tables listed in Sections 29, 30, 31, 32 and 33. The story of plan-making is set out in Part 2 of this SA Report, Sections 9 to 27. Detailed appraisal matrices are located in Appendices 4 to 32. Section 36. See stand-alone non-technical summary PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 9

11 PART 1: WHAT S THE SCOPE OF THE SA? PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 10

12 3 INTRODUCTION (TO PART 1) The SA scope is summarised within this Part of the SA Report. Further details regarding the SA scope can be found within the SA Scoping Report (2012) The SA scope is essentially explained by 1) introducing and outlining the broad scope of the Local Plan; 2) presenting a review of the sustainability context and baseline; and 3) listing the key issues and objectives highlighted through the context/baseline review. As such, this Part of the SA Report is structured as follows Chapter 4 answers the question Chapter 5 answers the question Chapter 6 answers the question Chapter 7 answers the question Chapter 8 answers the question What s the Plan seeking to achieve? What s the sustainability context? What s the sustainability baseline? How would the baseline evolve without the implementation of the plan? What are the key issues and objectives that should be a particular focus of SA? 3.2 Consultation on the scope The Regulations require that: When deciding on the scope and level of detail of the information that must be included in the [SA] Report, the responsible authority shall consult the consultation bodies [who] by reason of their specific environmental responsibilities, [they] are likely to be concerned by the environmental effects of implementing plans. As such, the SA Scoping Report was published for consultation in Those consulted included the Environment Agency, Natural England and English Heritage. In addition the document was placed on the District Council s web site and comments were also invited from all those included on the District Council s local development framework consultation database. 5 Vale of White Horse District Local Plan Part 1 Scoping Report (2012) [online] Available at: scan_filename=sa%20scoping%20report%20final.pdf (accessed 10/2014) PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 11

13 4 WHAT IS THE PLAN SEEKING TO ACHIEVE? The SA Report must include An outline of the contents, main objectives of the plan and relationship with other relevant plans and programmes The Local Plan 2031, once adopted, will present a spatial strategy for the District up to It will determine the distribution of various kinds of development around the District and will provide a policy framework that will ultimately provide the basis for a wide range of planning decisions in the future The principal influence on plan preparation is the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), which sets out a suite of national policies that Local Plans must adhere to. The Local Plan is also developed in-light of the plans of neighbouring authorities (adopted and emerging). This is important given the Duty to Cooperate established by the Localism Act There is a particular need for the Vale of White Horse to cooperate closely with authorities in Oxfordshire. 4.2 Spatial Vision The spatial vision sets out what the area should be like in 2031 and has been informed by local and national priorities and the visions of the Oxfordshire and Vale community strategies By 2031 the Vale of White Horse will have thriving and prosperous communities that have benefited from economic growth and our strength in science and innovation continue to be internationally recognised. The Science Vale area will have become a first choice location for high value added business and research. New residential and economic growth will have been focused on the Science Vale area and will have delivered balanced and sustainable growth that has made a significant contribution to delivering important infrastructure. Strategic road and rail improvements will have been implemented, including those at Harwell, west of Didcot and at Wantage The Vale s main settlements will provide healthy and sustainable communities where everyone has a decent place to live and work with good access to leisure and community services and facilities. The service centre roles of Abingdon-on-Thames, Botley, Faringdon, Grove and Wantage will have been maintained and enhanced. The Vale s villages will continue to provide thriving rural communities where appropriate growth has supported local services New development will have respected the local character of the Vale, protecting its outstanding and distinctive natural and built environment and will continue to conserve and enhance its important heritage. High design and environmental standards will have been achieved through new development, which will be resilient to the likely impacts of climate change. 4.3 Strategic Objectives The plan contains 12 Strategic Objectives which will help to deliver the spatial vision and ensure the plan is focused on the key challenges and opportunities facing the area. The Strategic Objectives are focused around four thematic areas: Building healthy and sustainable communities SO 1: Provide for a range of homes across the District to deliver choice and competition in the housing market and to meet the identified need, including affordable housing. SO 2: Cater for existing and future residents needs including the needs of different groups in the community and provision for a growing older population. PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 12

14 SO 3: Direct growth to the most sustainable locations in the District, ensuring development is integrated with and respects the built and natural heritage and creates attractive places in which people will want to live, as well as being supported by a sufficient range of services and facilities. SO 4: Improve the health and well-being of Vale residents, reduce inequality, poverty and social exclusion and improve the safety of the Vale as a District where everyone can feel safe and enjoy life. Supporting economic prosperity SO 5: Support a strong and sustainable economy within the District, including the visitor economy. SO 6: Support the continued development of Science Vale as an internationally significant centre for innovation and science based research and business. SO7: Maintain and enhance the vitality and viability of the Vale s town centres and local shopping centres in order to strengthen their service centre roles. Sustainable transport and accessibility SO 8: Reduce the need to travel and promote sustainable modes of transport. SO 9: Seek to ensure new development is accompanied by appropriate and timely infrastructure delivery to secure effective sustainable transport choices for new residents and businesses. Protecting the environment and responding to climate change SO 10: Maintain and improve the natural environment including biodiversity, landscape, Green Infrastructure and waterways. SO 11: Ensure all new development achieves high quality design standards and conserves and enhances the natural, historic, cultural and landscape assets of the Vale. SO 12: Minimise greenhouse gas emissions and other pollution (such as water, air, noise and light) across the District and increase our resilience to likely impacts of climate change, especially flooding 4.4 What s the plan not seeking to achieve? It is important to emphasise that the plan will be strategic in nature. Even the allocation of sites should be considered a strategic undertaking, i.e. a process that omits consideration of some detailed issues in the knowledge that these can be addressed further down the line (through the development management process). The strategic nature of the plan is reflected in the scope of the SA. PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 13

15 5 WHAT S THE SUSTAINABILITY CONTEXT? The SA Report must include The relevant sustainability objectives, established at international / national level Any existing sustainability problems / issues which are relevant to the plan including, in particular, those relating to any areas / populations etc. of particular importance 5.1 Introduction An important step when seeking to establish the appropriate scope of an SA involves reviewing sustainability context messages (e.g. issues, objectives or aspirations) set out within relevant plans, policies, strategies and initiatives (PPSIs). Sustainability context messages are important, as they aid the identification of the key sustainability issues that should be a focus of the SA. Key messages from this review, with specific emphasis on the National Planning Policy Framework 6, are summarised below. A comprehensive review can be found in Appendix 2 of the Scoping Report The following is an updated summary of the context review presented within the LPP1 SA Scoping Report (2012) 6, updated to take into account new information that has emerged since Key messages from the National Planning Policy Framework 7 Community: Population, Health, Crime and Social Equity The social role of the planning system is defined as supporting vibrant and healthy communities, with a core planning principle being to take account of and support local strategies to improve health, social and cultural wellbeing for all The National Planning Policy Framework advises that planning policies should promote the retention and development of local services and community facilities such as local shops, meeting places, sports venues, cultural buildings, public houses and places of worship. The National Planning Policy Framework states that ensuring that there is a sufficient choice of school places is of great importance. To this end, local authorities are called upon to take a proactive, positive and collaborative approach to bringing forward development that will widen choice in education Specific protection and promotion of town centres is encouraged. Specifically, local planning authorities should define the extent of town centres and set policies that make clear which uses will be permitted in such locations, and promote competitive town centres that provide customer choice and a diverse retail offer and which reflect the individuality of town centres. Housing The National Planning Policy Framework states that local planning authorities should meet the full, objectively assessed need for market and affordable housing in their area. With a view to creating sustainable, inclusive and mixed communities authorities should ensure provision of affordable housing onsite or externally where robustly justified. Plans for housing mix should be based upon current and future demographic trends, market trends and the needs of different groups in the community. Larger developments are suggested as sometimes being the best means of achieving a supply of new homes, with these to be developed in 6 Vale of White Horse District Local Plan Part 1 Scoping Report (2012) [online] Available at: scan_filename=sa%20scoping%20report%20final.pdf (accessed 10/2014) 7 CLG (2012) National Planning Policy Framework [online] available at: (accessed 08/2014) PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 14

16 accordance with the principles of Garden Cities The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) (March 2012) sets out that local planning authorities should use their evidence base to ensure that their Local Plan 2031 meets the full, objectively assessed needs for market and affordable housing in the housing market area. They should prepare a Strategic Housing Market Assessment to assess their housing needs, working with neighbouring authorities where appropriate The NPPF also establishes that local planning authorities should ensure that their assessment of and strategies for housing and employment are integrated and that they take full account of relevant market and economic signals. Economy The contribution the planning system can make to building a strong, responsive economy is highlighted. This should include identifying and coordinating development requirements, including the provision of infrastructure. There is a need to support new and emerging business sectors, including positively planning for clusters or networks of knowledge driven, creative or high technology industries. In addition, local plans should support the sustainable growth and expansion of all types of business and enterprise in rural areas The National Planning Policy Framework promotes competitive town centre environments and encourages positive planning policies to support them. It seeks resilient decisions that will anticipate economic changes, as well as promoting customer choice and a diverse retail offering. The need to enhance and retain markets is outlined within the National Planning Policy Framework, ensuring they remain attractive and competitive. There is the provision to only consider edge of town developments if they have good access with flexibility demonstrated in format and scale. This should be followed with an impact assessment to ensure the town centre remains viable and does not prejudice future growth. Travel In terms of transport and travel policies, the National Planning Policy Framework notes that these will have an important role in contributing to wider sustainability and health objectives. It calls for the transport system to be balanced in favour of sustainable transport, with developments to be located and designed to facilitate these modes of travel. In order to minimise journey lengths for employment, shopping, leisure and other activities, the National Planning Policy Framework calls for planning policies that aim for a balance of land uses. Wherever practical, key facilities should be located within walking distance of most properties. Historic Environment Heritage assets should be recognised as an irreplaceable resource that should be conserved in a manner appropriate to their significance, taking account of the wider social, cultural, economic and environmental benefits of conservation, whilst also recognising the positive contribution new development can make to local character and distinctiveness. Natural Environment Impacts on biodiversity should be minimised, with net gains in biodiversity to be provided wherever possible. To contribute to national and local targets on biodiversity, planning should promote the preservation, restoration and re-creation of priority habitats, ecological networks and the protection and recovery of priority species. High quality open spaces should be protected or their loss mitigated, unless a lack of need is established The National Planning Policy Framework states that the planning system should protect and enhance valued landscapes. Particular weight is given to conserving landscape and scenic beauty. According to the National Planning Policy Framework, great weight should be given to the conservation of the landscape and scenic beauty of Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), which have the highest level of protection in this regard. The conservation PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 15

17 of cultural heritage and wildlife in these areas is also an important consideration The National Planning Policy Framework aims to protect Green Belt land, the aim of which is to prevent urban sprawl by keeping land permanently open. The National Planning Policy Framework calls on local planning authorities to plan positively to enhance the beneficial use of the Green Belt to improve access, provide opportunities for outdoor sport and recreation, to retain and enhance landscapes, visual amenity and biodiversity; or to improve damaged and derelict land The National Planning Policy Framework calls for planning policies and decisions to encourage the effective use of land through the reuse of land which has been previously developed, provided that this is not of high environmental value. Whilst there is no longer a national requirement to build at a minimum density, the National Planning Policy Framework requires local planning authorities to set out their own approach to housing density to reflect local circumstances. The value of best and most versatile agricultural land should also be taken into account The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that planning policies should be compliant with and contribute towards EU limit values and national objectives for pollutants; and states that new and existing developments should be prevented from contributing to, or being put at unacceptable risk from, or being adversely affected by unacceptable levels of air pollution. This includes taking into account Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs) and cumulative impacts on air quality The planning system prevent new or existing development from being adversely affected by the presence of unacceptable levels of soil pollution or land instability and be willing to remediate and mitigate despoiled, degraded, derelict, contaminated and unstable land wherever appropriate. Planning policies and decisions should encourage effective use of land through the reuse of land which is previously developed, provided that this is not of high environmental value. Planning authorities should take account of the long term effects of climate change and adopt proactive strategies to adaptation, with new developments planned to avoid increased vulnerability to climate change impacts In terms of flooding, development should be directed away from areas highest at risk and should not be allocated if there are reasonably available sites appropriate for the proposed development in areas with a lower probability of flooding. The National Planning Policy Framework states that local planning authorities should avoid inappropriate development in vulnerable areas or adding to the impacts of physical changes to the coast in order to reduce the risk posed from coastal change. Resources The National Planning Policy Framework identifies as a core planning principle the need to support the transition to a low carbon future in a changing climate. A key role for planning in securing radical reductions in GHG emissions is envisioned, with specific reference made to meeting the targets set out in the Climate Change Act Specifically, planning policy should support the move to a low carbon future through: a. planning for new development in locations and ways which reduce GHG emissions; b. actively supporting energy efficiency improvements to existing buildings; c. setting local requirements for building s sustainability in a way that is consistent with the Government s zero carbon buildings policy; d. positively promoting renewable energy technologies and considering identifying suitable 8 The Climate Change Act 2008 sets targets for greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions through action in the UK of at least 80% by 2050, and reductions in CO2 emissions of at least 26% by 2020, against a 1990 baseline. PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 16

18 areas for their construction; and e. encouraging those transport solutions that support reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and reduce congestion The National Planning Policy Framework does not contain any specific waste policies 9. Nonetheless, local authorities who are preparing waste related plans should have regard to the policies within the framework so far as they are relevant In relation to water resources, the National Planning Policy Framework states that local planning authorities should produce strategic policies to deliver the provision of a variety of infrastructure, including that necessary for water supply. 5.3 Supplementing the National Planning Policy Framework In addition to reviewing relevant contextual messages set out within the National Planning Policy Framework, it is also important to cast the net wider and consider contextual messages established through other plans, policies, strategies and initiatives. The PPPSIs reviewed can be found in Appendix 2 of the Scoping Report. National Planning Practice Guidance (March 2014) The Government published national Planning Practice Guidance (PPG) in March This is intended to complement and support the National Planning Policy Framework and provide advice on how to deliver its policies The PPG contains a number of sections that cover a range of topic areas. The main factors that need to be taken into account in relation to housing are outlined below: Housing and economic development needs assessments The PPG emphasises the importance of objectively assessing both the economic and housing needs (both market and affordable) of an area, within a functional housing market area or economic area; to promote more balanced spatial patterns of sustainable development; The assessment should identify the future quantity of housing needed including a breakdown by type, tenure and size; Constraints to development are not considered as part of the assessment but would need to be considered as part of the plan making process; Local planning authorities should demonstrate their development needs working with other local authorities in the relevant housing market area in line with the duty to cooperate; The national household projections are the starting point for establishing the housing needs. However, they are trend based and would need to be adjusted for changing circumstances such as local demography and household formation rates which are not captured in past trends; Housing need suggested by household projection should take into account of market signals such as house prices, affordability, rates of development, etc. A worsening trend in any of these indicators will require upward adjustment to planned housing numbers compared to ones based solely on household projections; An assessment of the likely level of job growth based upon past trends and /or future economic forecasts would be required, taking into account factors such as the growth of working age population and cross boundary migration. 9 National waste planning policy will be published as part of the National Waste Management Plan for England 10 Department for Communities and Local Government (2014) National Planning Practice Guidance [online] available at: (accessed 10/14) PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 17

19 Housing and economic land availability assessment This includes a Strategic housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA) to identify a future supply of land which is suitable, available and achievable to help meet future housing growth. Identify and demonstrate a 5 year supply of deliverable sites, including windfall allowance, if justified by a robust evidence base. Also to identify developable sites (or broad locations) for years 6-15 of the Local Plan The PPG states that Local planning authorities should aim to deal with any undersupply [or past shortfalls] within the first 5 years of the plan period where possible. Where this cannot be met in the first 5 years, local planning authorities will need to work with neighbouring authorities under the Duty to Cooperate. Housing Standards Review The Government completed a Housing Standards Review in October A Technical Consultation was launched in September It is intended that standards relating to water efficiency, access (including Lifetime Homes) and security will be consolidated into the building regulations. The relevant legislative requirements are currently going through Parliament. It is expected that transitional arrangements for local authorities will be introduced in early The Vale of White Horse Local Plan 2031 has been prepared in compliance with national policy. In particular, the NPPF states that for a local plan to be considered sound, it must comply with the legal and procedural requirements of plan making, such as the duty-tocooperate and demonstrate that it is positively prepared; justified; effective and consistent with national policy. Duty to Cooperate and the Oxfordshire Strategic Housing Market Assessment The Duty to Cooperate set out in the Localism Act is both a legal duty and test of effective plan-making. It requires cooperation on issues of common concern in order to develop sound local plans Within Oxfordshire co-operative working is managed through the Oxfordshire Growth Board (superseding the former Spatial Planning and Infrastructure Partnership Board,SPIP). The board comprises the leaders of all Oxfordshire councils supported by an executive committee and officer working groups. Vale of White Horse also works directly with authorities within and outside the county area where that is necessary to plan effectively on matters of strategic and sub-regional significance or cross border interest that are not Oxfordshire-wide As part of implementing the duty to cooperate the leaders of all Oxfordshire authorities including Vale of White Horse have agreed a joint Oxfordshire Statement of Cooperation. This sets out that all the Oxfordshire councils agree to engage constructively, actively and on an on-going basis in any process that involves the following. The parties also agree to act expediently when undertaking joint working to avoid unreasonable delay. The preparation of development plan documents. The preparation of other local planning documents. The planning and prioritisation of infrastructure and investment in Oxfordshire to support economic growth of the area. Activities that support any of the above so far as they relate to sustainable development or use of land that has or would impact on more than one of the Parties. 11 Department for Communtieis and Local Government (2014) Housing Standards Review Technical Consultation [online] available at: HSR_CONSULTATION_DOCUMENT_ -_FINAL.pdf (accessed 10/14) PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 18

20 5.3.9 Oxfordshire Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) 12 provides up-to-date evidence on the level of housing need in the District over the period up to The Housing Topic Paper November discusses the final housing targets and the associated evidence base in more detail. The SHMA proposed a new housing target for the District, and also identified additional strategic sites for housing development, so that the new housing target can be delivered The Oxfordshire Statement of Cooperation sets out how the outcomes of the SHMA would be managed, should any of the Local Planning Authorities in Oxfordshire not be able to meet their full objectively assessed housing need. The Duty to Cooperate Topic Paper November 2014 discusses this in more detail GL Hearn (2014) Oxfordshire Strategic Housing Market Assessment Summary Key Findings on Housing Need [online] available at: (accessed 10/14) 13 Vale of White Horse District Council Housing Topic Paper Novembers Vale of White Horse District Council Duty to Cooperate Topic Paper November 2014 PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 19

21 6 WHAT S THE SUSTAINABILITY BASELINE? The SA Report must include The relevant aspects of the current state of the sustainability baseline and the likely evolution thereof without implementation of the plan The characteristics of areas / populations etc. likely to be significantly affected. Any existing sustainability problems / issues which are relevant to the plan including, in particular, those relating to any areas / populations etc. of particular importance 6.1 Consultation on the scope Another important step when seeking to establish the appropriate scope of an SA involves reviewing the situation now for a range of sustainability issues. Doing so helps to enable identification of those key sustainability issues that should be a particular focus of the appraisal, and also helps to provide benchmarks for the appraisal of significant effects A review of the sustainability baseline is presented within the 2012 SA Scoping Report. This section presents a summary, updated as necessary. Population The 2011 census lists the population of the Vale as 121,000, a rise of 4.6% (from 115,627) in the 2001 census 15. In 2001 the population of which live in rural areas constituted just over 51%, however it is projected that that the majority of the population are now likely to live within the urban areas of the Vale as development has been focussed on these areas The population of the Vale is predicted to be 131,300 in 2035, an increase of 10,400 from The figures suggest that the Vale has an increasing ageing population and that the number of working age population (16-64 males/59 females) is estimated to remain fairly static which, in terms of a growing population, has implications for the ability of the working population to support those who are not working Oxfordshire County Council commissioned their own population forecasts that took into account planned development in the area and housing targets in the South East Plan Using this information it was predicted that from 2001 to 2026 the total population would increase from 115,770 to 138,150; that the economically active population would increase from 61,340 to 68,860; the number of households increase from 45,380 to 59,880; and the average household size would decrease from 2.46 to The Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD, 2010) ranks the Vale 306 th out of 326 local authorities, with the 326 th being the least deprived. There is however one Lower Super Output Area (LSOA), located in Abingdon, that is in the bottom 20% nationally. Figure 6.1 shows the spatial distribution of the IMD results. 15 Office for National Statistics (ONS) / Census ONS Neighbourhood Statistics (2012) 17 The South East Plan was officially abolished in February PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 20

22 Figure 6.1: Overall Deprivation in the Vale (IMD, SA of 2010) the Vale of White Horse Local Plan 2031 Part 1 Housing The total number of dwellings in the District at 31st March 2010 was 50,650 of which Council Tax records indicate that some 1,263 were vacant (an increase of almost 30% on 2004 levels) The key features of the existing housing stock as reported in the council s Housing Needs Assessment 18 (HNA) are that: The property type profile is skewed towards semi -detached and detached houses and bungalows, 71.0% of the current stock which is higher than the national level of 55%. Based on a calculation of occupants to bedroom numbers, under-occupation affects approximately 49.0% of all households, higher than the average found in recent HNA surveys (around 40%). Over-occupation affects just 0.7% of all existing households, well 18 DCA UK (2011) Housing Needas Assessment Update [online] available at: (accessed 10/14) PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 21

23 below the average UK level indicated by the Survey of English Housing 2001/2 (3%). This is in line with the high proportion of larger properties as mentioned above There has been an increase in the number of households, and a trend towards smaller and rapidly changing households. Average household size is predicted to drop from 2.46 to 2.26 (2001 to 2026) which means that means that even if the Vale s population had remained static at 115,627 in 2001 there would be about 5,500 extra households in the Vale by The lack of affordable housing is an issue in the Vale. The average house price to earnings ratio for the Vale is lower than the average for Oxfordshire (8.6) although it has increased from 7.2 to 8.2 from 2009 to Both market and affordable housing completions are below the previous Local Plan 2011 targets One of the components of the IMD (2010) deprivation calculation is access to housing including the level of household overcrowding, homelessness rates and the proportion of households aged under 35 whose income means they are unable to own a home. The results show that rural areas suffer the most in this regard, as shown in Figure 6.2 Figure 6.2: Barriers to Housing and Services in the Vale (IMD, 2010) Economy The Vale benefits from a very strong knowledge-based economy and has almost 5,500 businesses located within the District 19. The Vale s workforce is highly skilled with a higher 19 ONS Business Demography 2012 dataset [online] available at: (accessed 10/14) PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 22

24 than average proportion of managers, professionals and associate professionals 20. Furthermore, the Vale is consistently ranked within the top 20 % of Districts in the UK Competitiveness Index The strategic focus for economic and employment growth in the District is the Science Vale area, which extends east-west from Culham and Didcot to Wantage and Grove. Science Vale is an internationally significant location for innovation and science based research and business. It is home to around 13 % of research and development jobs within the south-east of England 22. The two key Science Vale employment sites within the District are the science technology and business campus at Harwell Campus and the prestigious business area at Milton Park, both of which were awarded Enterprise Zone status in A Growth Strategy is being prepared to maximise the world class assets of the Science Vale area and this has been boosted by the Oxford and Oxfordshire City Deal. Part of the City Deal programme, and its 95 million of local and national public sector investment, will be directed towards Science Vale. This includes delivering the Oxford Science Transit; a fully integrated public transport system that connects the area s centres of innovation with Didcot and Oxford including a high frequency bus and rail service using smart ticketing The tourism industry in the Vale generated approximately 202 million worth of income for local businesses in However, a significant proportion of this was generated by day visitors. This presents an opportunity to increase the economic impact and value of tourism by taking steps to convert day visitors to overnight visitors, in particular by addressing the shortage of hotel accommodation The recent recession has had an impact on the Vale s economy. Unemployment (demonstrated as the number of people claiming Job Seeker s Allowance) has increased from 0.7% to 1.6% ( ), although this is lower than the South East (2.5%) and UK (3.8%) as a whole. The rate of claimants is highest around Abingdon and Wantage. In spite of the recession the Vale s economy is still performing considerably better than elsewhere in the country and south east. This is highlighted by the findings of the UK Competitiveness Index 23 which has consistently ranked the Vale within the top 10% in the country The percentage of working age population with an NVQ4 qualification or above is substantially higher than the national and regional figures 24. This seems to suggest that residents are well suited to take up the level of high-tech jobs available in the District. Travel The Vale of White Horse is easily accessible from other parts of the UK, particularly the south west and east, and the midlands. The A34 trunk road provides good access between the M4 to the south, and the M40 to the north. The A420 and A417 roads cross the District and provide links to Swindon in the west and Didcot in the east. Whilst there are two railway main lines (Bristol to London and Oxford to London) running through the District, there are only two stations on the Oxford line and none on the Bristol line within the Vale, although there is a station at Didcot just to the east of the District. The Vale benefits from some very good bus services, particularly between the main settlements. However, in the more rural parts of the District, buses cannot viably provide an attractive alternative to the car Census 2011 results show home working and use of public transport have increased in Oxfordshire Just over 43,000 people worked mainly at or entirely from home across 20 NOMIS (2014) Vale of White Horse District Labour Market Profile [online] available at: (accessed 10/14) 21 Centre for International Competitiveness (2013) UK Competitiveness Index [online] available at: (accessed 10/14) 22 Science Vale UK (2014) [online] available at: (accessed 10/14) 23 Centre for International Competitiveness (2013) UK Competitiveness Index [online] available at: (accessed 10/14) 24 NOMIS (2014) Vale of White Horse District Labour Market Profile [online] available at: (accessed 10/14) PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 23

25 Oxfordshire in Rural parts of the district continue to have an above average proportion of workers who are based mainly at or from home. The Vale of White Horse District has above average of home workers at 15% of those in employment. The rate in all areas has increased since ,700 people used public transport (train or bus) to travel to work in Oxfordshire in The percentage of public transport users has increased in all districts; however the percentage of people using public transport out of those employed is below average at 9% Average traffic flow in Oxfordshire as reported by Oxfordshire County Council has fallen by 0.3% on all roads between 2009 and Oxfordshire has experienced a smaller reduction in traffic flow when compared to the national picture (a 2% reduction in traffic flow). This decline may reflect increasing fuel prices, but also suggests a resilient local economy. Trunk roads in the county experienced the greatest reduction in traffic flows (-1.2%), in contrast traffic flows on the M40 in Oxfordshire increased by 0.7% The rate of traffic flow on Oxfordshire's roads over the last 10 years (2000 to 2010) increased by 2%. Traffic on Oxfordshire's non-strategic roads, i.e. those roads for which Oxfordshire County Council are responsible, was 3% over ten years. Over the past five years (2005 to 2010) there has been a reduction in average traffic flow of more than 3% for all roads in the county (-3.18%). For the non-strategic roads there has been a decrease of -2.1%. Traffic growth generally across the South East has been forecast to rise by 24% between 2003 and 2015, and by 35% by There are a number of roads within the District that suffer from congestion including the A34 trunk road. Abingdon-on-Thames and Botley are also congested internally and the road network around Science Vale suffers from peak time congestion. It is important the road network operates safely and efficiently for the economic success of the District to be maximised. Historic environment The area covered by the Vale has supported human habitation for thousands of years and it therefore has a rich and varied historic environment. Ancient remains dot the Downs to the south and the Vale s three market towns grew to prosperity in the middle ages. The Vale currently has 52 designated Conservation Areas within which there are certain limitations on development. There are also over 2,000 Listed Buildings in the Vale where changes to their structure or setting are strictly controlled. The Vale also has eight historic parks and gardens that are included in the English Heritage National Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest The Vale also has a significant number of important archaeological sites. At present there are 68 Scheduled Ancient Monuments in the District. These recognised monuments include significant sites such as the Neolithic long barrow called Wayland Smithy and the Roman temple at Frilford. New archaeological sites are also constantly being found and assessed in the District and development is likely to lead to the discovery of further sites and artefacts. Figure 6.3 shows the spatial distribution of designated heritage and archaeological assets in the Vale. PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 24

26 Figure 6.3: Designated Historic Environment Assets in the Vale of White Horse District Natural environment The Vale also has a rich and diverse natural environment. Among the diverse habitats are a broken band of Ancient Woodland on the north Corallian Ridge, the Chalk Downs, which are designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), fenland, chalk streams, and heathland forming some of Oxfordshire s rarest habitats and some traditional hay meadows in the floodplains of the Thames and Ock rivers. The area of the Vale within the AONB is 23.4% or 135 sq km of its total land area There are 23 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) that cover some 908 hectares. Of these sites 98.97% are in favourable or unfavourable recovering condition. Two SSSIs are also European Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) at Cothill Fen, which consists of calciumrich springwater-fed fens, and Hackpen Down, which is unimproved chalk grassland. The SSSI component of Hackpen Down SAC is in favourable condition. The SSSI component of Cothill Fen is in favourable recovering condition Among the diverse habitats in the Vale are a broken band of Ancient Woodland on the North Corallian Ridge. Figure 6.4 shows the spatial distribution of these designations throughout the Vale. In addition to these designations are two Local Nature Reserves and a number of Local Geological Sites and Local Wildlife Sites. PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 25

27 Figure 6.4: Nature and Landscape Designations in the Vale Habitat Regulations Assessment (HRA) The need for HRA is set out within Article 6 of the European Community s Habitats Directive 1992, and interpreted into British law by the Conservation of Habitats & Species Regulations The ultimate aim of the Habitats Directive is to maintain or restore, at favourable conservation status, natural habitats and species of wild fauna and flora of Community interest (Habitats Directive, Article 2(2)). This aim relates to habitats and species, not the European sites themselves, although the sites have a significant role in delivering favourable conservation status. European sites (also called Natura 2000 sites) can be defined as actual or proposed/candidate Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) or Special Protection Areas (SPA). It is also Government policy for sites designated under the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar sites) to be treated as having equivalent status to Natura 2000 sites A Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) of the emerging Local Plan 2031 Part 1 (LPP1) has been undertaken. The objective of the assessment was to identify any aspects of the Local Plan 2029 Part 1 (LPP1) that would have the potential to cause a likely significant effect on Natura 2000 or European sites (Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), Special Protection Areas (SPAs) and Ramsar sites), either in isolation or in combination with other plans and projects, and to devise appropriate mitigation strategies where such effects were identified. The Local Plan 2029 Part 1 was previously referred to as the Core Strategy, and URS has already undertaken HRA work on a previous iteration of the Preferred Approach Core Strategy in PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 26

28 Following publication of a Local Plan Part 1 consultation document in February 2013, VoWH drafted an Additional Consultation document (January 2014) that set out new proposed housing numbers and additional preferred locations for housing to be delivered during the lifetime of the Local Plan (to 2031) A HRA was undertaken to update the original consultation document. Following this, further revisions to housing numbers and locations have been made, along with further revisions to some Local Plan policies this has resulted in the Final Draft (Publication Version) Local Plan 2031 version. Conclusions of the HRA process are set out in a separate HRA Report, but are summarised in Part 3 of this SA Report. Agriculture The Vale is predominantly rural with a significant part of its land under cultivation for farming. The quality of the farmland ranges from Grade 4 up to Grade 2 in a number of locations (Grade 1 is the best quality). The Agricultural Census from DEFRA indicates that in 2007 there were 565 holdings covering 47,162 ha in the Vale. A map showing agricultural land quality is shown at Figure 6.5. Figure 6.5: Agricultural land quality across the District As stated earlier, a substantial part of the Vale (23.4%) lies within the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and consists of extensive areas of chalk downland. Much of the remaining part of the Vale is also made up of attractive landscapes. The Oxfordshire Wildlife and Landscape Study (OWLS) compiled in 2004 also identified a range of other landscape types in the rest of the Vale (see Figure 6.6). These include significant areas of wooded estate lands and rolling farmland to the north and south with alluvial lowland, clay Vale and lowland village farmland landscapes in the centre, all running generally east west. There are also river meadowlands in close association with the rivers which cross the District. PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 27

29 Figure 6.6: Vale of White Horse Landscape Types The Vale is included within the Thames River Basin District and is covered by the Vale of White Horse catchment although this also includes Didcot and Swindon. The main watercourses are the Rivers Ray, Cole, Ock and Ginge Letcombe and Mill Brooks. This catchment contains 33 river water bodies and one lake, three of which are artificial or heavily modified. Twenty four per cent of rivers currently achieve good or better ecological status/potential including the Cole and Dorcan brook. Forty six per cent of rivers assessed for biology are at good or high biological status now, with 29 per cent at poor biological status, and no assessed river water bodies at bad status. Surface water quality in the catchment is generally good, with the Rivers Ock, Key and Ginge Brook having the poorest water quality in the catchment. It is expected that the other chemicals monitored under the Water Framework Directive will achieve good status by 2015, with an overall good ecological status by There are a number of water-dependent Sites of Scientific Interest (SSSIs) in the area, designated in the main for their fen and meadow communities. These areas are characterised by a variety of vegetation types that are found on groundwater-fed peaty or mineral soils. These may be permanently, seasonally or periodically waterlogged The District has a number of areas which are at risk from flooding. Figure 6.7 provides an overview of Flood Zone 2 and 3a and the effects that climate change is expected to have on flood zone 3. Flood zones 2 and 3 both have restrictions in terms of the types of development that are allowed according to the National Planning Policy Framework. The Strategic Flood Risk Assessment highlights that the risk of flooding to properties is an issue in Abingdon, Grove, Kennington, Shrivenham, Steventon, Sutton Courtenay and Wantage. PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 28

30 Figure 6.7: Areas across the District covered by flood zones 2 and There are currently two Air Quality Management Areas in the Vale, one in central Abingdon and the other along the A34 in Botley as a result of high levels of NO 2 and PM 10. There are also Air Quality hot spots in Didcot along Station Road. These areas experience high levels of Nitrogen Dioxide and PM10 (Particulate Matter 10) which is primarily associated with car traffic and construction work. High levels can cause respiratory problems such as coughing, asthma and wheezing. In serious cases it can lead to long term lung damage Government guidance contained in the National Planning Policy Framework states that planning authorities should encourage the effective use of land by re-using land that has been previously developed or brownfield land. The trend in recent years has been towards increasing levels of development on greenfield land as brownfield sites gradually get built out. Due to the predominantly rural nature of the District and, given the level of housing that is required, it is inevitable that a substantial proportion of future development will need to be located on greenfield land. Given this, it is vital that all sites are allocated are sustainably located and cause the least amount of environmental harm. The Vale is a predominately rural area, with a substantial part (23.4%) lying within the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty which is particularly sensitive to noise, air, and light pollution. Living environment Data showing the rate of domestic burglaries per 1,000 households indicates that the Vale is an extremely safe place to live and is one of the safest across the county. This can largely be attributed to its rural nature. Of crime recorded the majority of cases are to do with either violence against a person or criminal damage. The prevalence of these types of crimes is in line with trends across the region and England PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 29

31 The health of the Vale s residents was found to be generally better than the average for England. Figure 6.8 shows that all-cause mortality rates have fallen over the last 10 years. Early death rates from cancer and from heart disease and stroke have also fallen and are better than the England average. Figure 6.8: All cause mortality rate per 100, Another contextual health indicator which can be used to assess the relative health of residents in the Vale is the number of residents seeking Disability Living Allowance (DLA). Although this trend appears to be worsening, it is probably being exacerbated by the effects of the economic downturn. Nevertheless in spite of the worsening trend the Vale has one of the lowest figures of all the Oxfordshire authorities. Generally the areas around the main settlements are worst affected Natural England has developed a model which sets out the standards that are needed to ensure that all people have access to a variety of different types and sizes of open space, called the Accessible Natural Greenspace Standard (ANGSt). This can help local authorities in drawing up their Greenspace Strategies and will show the areas which are particularly deficient. It has been assessed (2005) that 0% of households meet all of the ANGSt standards and 51% meet none of the standards Another factor assessed by the IMD is that of deprivation of the living environment, which takes into account the quality of housing, quality of the air and number of road accidents. The findings (Figure 6.9) show that deprivation is found across rural and urban environments. PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 30

32 Figure 6.9: Living environment deprivation (IMD, 2010) Resources OFWAT s report Security of Supply: report contains estimates of household consumption. Residents within the Thames Water region used on average 154 litres/head/day of water, down from 164 in Although consumption has decreased in the region, it is still higher than the industry average in England and Wales of 148 litres/head/day The Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) produce statistics on CO2 emissions per capita and it is clear from the data that the Vale of White Horse is performing considerably worse than all other Oxfordshire Districts. This discrepancy is caused predominantly by the road transport component of the figure which was between 1.0 and 2.6 tonnes of CO2 per capita more than the others Districts, which can most probably be attributed to the heavily congested stretch of A The figures suggest that the Vale of White Horse uses more gas and electricity per capita than the South East average. This is most probably due to its rural nature and may also be caused in part by the higher than average proportion of higher earners in the Vale of White Horse The 2009 EU Renewables Directive includes a target that by % of all energy consumption should be from renewable resources. Further work carried out by Thames Valley (TV) Energy shows that the Vale is performing extremely well in this indicator and is already producing some 11.5% of its energy needs through renewables. A total of MW was produced within the Vale in 2011 of which were from onshore wind and MW were from landfill gas. The latter displaced some 84,544 tonnes of carbon each year The District runs a joint waste service with South Oxfordshire. Household Recycling rates are PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 31

33 extremely high and both councils are amongst the top performing in the country. The District also performs well in terms of the amount of waste it produces per household. In 2010/11 this figure was kg when the year-end target was kg. PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 32

34 7 HOW WOULD THE BASELINE EVOLVE WITHOUT IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PLAN? The SA Report must include Key problems / issues and objectives that should be a focus of / provide a framework for appraisal Just as it is important for the scope of SA to be informed by an understanding of current baseline conditions, it is also important to ensure that thought is given to how baseline conditions might evolve in the future under the no plan / business as usual scenario. Doing so helps to enable identification of those key sustainability issues that should be a particular focus of the appraisal, and also helps to provide benchmarks for the appraisal of significant effects The following bullets list a range of future baseline issues that should be a focus of SA and provide benchmarks for the identification of significant plan effects: Population ONS projections based on mid-2008 estimates show that if recent population trends continue the Vale s population will grow to 131,300 by The population of the Vale is ageing. A knock-on effect of an ageing population is that the 'typical household' will become much smaller, which means that with no additional housing the population of the District will fall. An ageing population will also mean that additional strain is put on community infrastructure in the future Without the proposals and policies in the LDF, the Vale s performance is likely to worsen as there would not be the housing and job growth needed. This would further impact upon other indicators such as income and access to services. Housing Without the sites in the Local Plan 2031 Part 1 the average house price to income ratio would most probably continue to worsen as demand increases and supply diminishes. This would lead to rising unaffordability of home ownership and an increase in demand for affordable housing. There would also likely not be sufficient housing delivered to meet objectively assessed housing needs; and housing that is developed may occur away from where it is needed to support economic growth and address affordability issues The Sustainable Community Strategy would continue to support housing associations and provide support and advice to people in housing need however without the Local Plan 2031 Part 1: Strategic Sites and Policies the total number of affordable completions is likely to fall in the longer term Economy The economic activity rate would decrease without the planning economic/job and housing growth proposed in the plan, leading to increased unemployment. Without the science-based job growth planned in the internationally renowned Science Vale UK area the District would lose its competitive edge. Travel Not providing for the level of employment and housing growth in the Local Plan 2031 Part 1 would reduce pressure on the road network system in general as there would be less cars and car journeys. However the range of transport initiatives identified within the Science Vale UK area are dependent on the level of development proposed and, without this, congestion on the PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 33

35 existing local road networks are likely to continue to worsen as people seek alternative routes to the congested A Many roads are also used by traffic passing through the District. The resident population would also continue to grow, but decreasing average household sizes would mean that there would be increased levels of commuting. Natural environment As a knock-on effect of the increased commuting air quality is likely to decrease overall and in the AQMAs at Botley and Abingdon. Living environment The provision of accessible greenspace is likely to worsen without the policies and proposals in the Local Plan as it identifies areas which are deficient in certain types of greenspace. PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 34

36 8 WHAT ARE THE KEY ISSUES AND OBJECTIVES THAT SHOULD BE A FOCUS? The SA Report must include Key problems / issues and objectives that should be a focus of / provide a framework for appraisal 8.1 Introduction Drawing on the review of the sustainability context and baseline, the 2012 SA Scoping Report was able to identify a range of sustainability objectives and issues that should provide a methodological framework for the appraisal, ensuring it remains focused. Following postconsultation amendments, the SA Framework against which the plan is to be assessed was finalised and is set out in Table 8.1 below: 25 Table 8.1: SA Framework Sustainability objective 1. Provide sufficient suitable homes including affordable homes. 2. Ensure the availability of high quality services and facilities in the Vale s towns and rural areas. 3. Reduce the need to travel and Improve provisions for walking, cycling and public transport and reduce road congestion. 4. Improve the health and well-being of Vale residents. Sustainability issues Shortage of housing, including affordable, market and supported living Need to preserve and enhance the quality of built environments Pressure for development, particularly housing Rural isolation and limited access to services Deprivation in some parts of the Vale Protection and provision of recreational facilities including natural greenspace Congestion on strategic and local road network Lack of alternatives to the private car Rural isolation and limited access to services Need to mitigate/reduce effects of noise, air and light pollution Health of Vale residents Deprivation in some parts of the Vale Appraisal Questions Does the alternative... Provide: o enough homes o of appropriate types o in appropriate locations o at the appropriate times Provide enough affordable homes Provide: o appropriate facilities and services; o in appropriate locations; o at the appropriate times These should be well designed and inclusive and should include: o health; o education; o recreation and sport; o community, cultural and leisure; and o other essential services. Reduce the need to travel through more sustainable patterns of land use and development Encourage modal shift to more sustainable forms of travel Enable key transport infrastructure improvements Provide and enhance the provision of community access to green infrastructure, in accordance with national standards Reduce opportunities for crime and anti-social activities, and reduce fear of crime 25 The 2012 Scoping Report contains a more detailed discussion of the key issues. PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 35

37 Sustainability objective 5. Reduce inequality, poverty and social exclusion in the Vale, and raise educational achievement and skills levels. 6. Support a strong and sustainable economy within the Vale s towns and rural areas. 7. Improve and protect the natural environment including biodiversity, water and soil quality 8. Protect the cultural heritage and provide a high quality townscape and landscape. 9. Reduce air, noise and light pollution Sustainability issues Appraisal Questions Does the alternative... Low levels of educational achievement Promote regeneration of deprived areas Improve opportunities and facilities for all types of learning Encourage an available and skilled workforce which: o meets the needs of existing and future employers; o reduces skills inequalities; o helps address skills shortages. Provision of employment opportunities for residents Declining proportion of economically active population Low levels of educational achievement Protection and improvement of biodiversity, particularly Special Areas of Conservation Protection of valued landscapes Need to preserve and enhance the quality of built environments Protection and provision of recreational facilities including natural greenspace Need to mitigate/reduce effects of noise, air and light pollution Need to reduce use of fossil fuels and encourage development of renewables Promote economic growth and a diverse and resilient economy Provide opportunities for all employers to access: o different types and sizes of accommodation; o flexible employment space; o high quality communications infrastructure. Build on the knowledge-based and high tech economy in the Central Oxfordshire and Science Vale UK area, including the Science Vale UK Enterprise Zone Promote and support a strong network of towns and villages and the rural economy Protect and enhance natural habitats, wildlife, biodiversity and geodiversity Protect the integrity of European sites and other designated nature conservation sites Encourage the creation of new habitats and features for wildlife Prevent isolation/fragmentation and re-connect / de-fragment habitats Enhance water quality and help to meet the requirements of the Water Framework Directive Protect groundwater resources Minimise and reduce the potential for exposure of people to ground pollution Protect and enhance archaeology and heritage assets, and areas of sensitive landscape including AONB and Green Belt. Improve access to, and enjoyment, understanding and use of cultural assets where this will not cause harm Minimise and reduce the potential for exposure of people to noise, air and light pollution. PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 36

38 Sustainability objective Sustainability issues Appraisal Questions Does the alternative Reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the use of resources and improve resource efficiency 11. Increase resilience to climate change and flooding Need to reduce use of fossil fuels and encourage development of renewables Action to mitigate the causes and adapt to the effects of climate change Reduction and prevention of flooding Action to mitigate the causes and adapt to the effects of climate change Reduce greenhouse gas emissions Re-use existing buildings Promote development on previously developed land and minimise land use Encourage sustainable, low carbon building practices and design Reduce energy use Promote renewable energy generation Reduce water use Provide adequate infrastructure to ensure the sustainable supply of water and disposal of sewerage Maximise opportunities for reuse, recycling and minimising waste Minimise and reduce flood risk to people and property Respond to the likelihood of future warmer summers, wetter winters, and more extreme weather events Minimise development on high quality agricultural land Provide for local needs locally PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 37

39 PART 2: WHAT HAS PLAN-MAKING / SA INVOLVED UP TO THIS POINT? PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 38

40 9 INTRODUCTION (TO PART 2) The SA Report must include An outline of the reasons for selecting the alternatives dealt with The likely significant effects on the environment associated with alternatives / an outline of the reasons for selecting the preferred approach in-light of alternatives appraisal (and hence, by proxy, a description of how environmental objectives and considerations are reflected in the draft plan) The story of plan-making / SA up to this point is told within this Part of the SA Report. Specifically, this Part of the SA Report describes how, as an interim plan-making / SA step, there was an appraisal of alternative approaches to addressing a range of plan issues; and how the Council then took account of the interim SA findings when preparing the draft Local Plan 2031 Part It should be noted that this Local Plan 2031 Part 1 has a lengthy trail of previous iterations and consultations. It is important that the SA Report consulted on alongside the Draft Plan (this SA Report) captures all the relevant information to comply with the requirements of the Regulations and the Directive. Therefore, whilst the history of the plan making process is summarised below, this SA Report stands alone in that it includes the relevant appraisals of the options identified by the Council. 10 OVERVIEW OF PLAN-MAKING / SA WORK UNDERTAKEN TO DATE To date there have been five main stages that have informed Local Plan 2031 Part 1 three stages in the previous LDF/Core Strategy process; followed by a fourth and fifth Local Plan 2031 Part 1 consultation stage: Issues and Options (2007); Preferred Options (2009); Additional Consultation (2009 but the additional consultation closed on 29/01/2010); Local Plan 2031 Part 1 Consultation Draft (2013); and Housing Delivery Update (2014) These documents have explored a number of issues, setting out options and preferred options that the Council has made public over the last seven years. We have set out in this section a summary of the key issues and the options that have been considered to address them Issues and Options (2007) The two key spatial choices explored in the Issues and Option Report 26 were where to locate the housing development required by the then emerging Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) and whether to identify additional land for business development. 26 Issues and Options Report (November 2007) PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 39

41 Housing The Issues and Options Report identified six broad options (A F) for where housing growth should take place within the District. They were: A within existing towns and villages; B brownfield or previously developed land; C as extensions to the edges of main settlements; D as extensions to the edges of villages; E in a new settlement; and F in settlements along public transport routes The Issues identified in 2007 included: Dealing with population change; Meeting the needs of an ageing population; Meeting the needs of a small, but growing migrant population; Fostering a greater sense of community; Creating opportunities that will enable more people to identify with and help in their local community; Tackling low income and deprivation; Finding ways to help low income households; Tackling health inequalities and health problems; Finding ways to tackle health inequalities and health problems in the Vale; Tackling crime and improving community safety; Tackling crime and reducing the fear of crime experienced by some Vale residents; Improving the educational attainment of our young people; Finding ways to encourage and enable more young people to obtain qualifications and/or to take up training; and Involving Young People 10.3 Preferred Options (2009) Housing The Preferred Options (2009) set out details of preferred sites and alternatives including: Abingdon; west of Drayton Road east of Drayton Road Wantage/Grove; north east Wantage north west of Wantage north of Grove, west of Letcombe Brook north of Grove, east of Letcombe Brook Didcot; north of the B4493 Wantage Road PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 40

42 south of the B4493 Wantage Road and Faringdon; south of Park Road east and west of Coxwell Road (Parish of Great Coxwell) Employment In terms of employment land, the additional sites put forward for consultation in the Preferred Options Report were the following: Didcot area (relocation of the Steventon Storage Facility) land on the undeveloped part of the service area east of the A34 Milton Interchange land east of power station land north of Milton Park Wantage & Grove and Faringdon Retail south of the proposed Grove Station adjacent to the possible housing site at NE Wantage (if allocated) at Elms Farm east of the A338 at Grove north of Grove Technology Park at south of Park Road, Faringdon housing site adjacent to the possible housing site south of Abingdon (if allocated) In terms of retail, the additional sites put forward for consultation in the Preferred Options Report were the following: Abingdon Bury Street Precinct (now called Abbey Shopping Centre) and the Charter area; Wantage area around Waitrose in Wallingford Street; Faringdon area around Budgens store and Southampton Street car park; and Botley West Way shopping centre and Elms Parade Additional Consultation ( ) The following proposals were included within the Additional Consultation leaflets. Housing This included the following proposal: A site for 1,500 homes at north east Wantage, rejecting the south west of Abingdon; The preferred sites south of Park Road in Faringdon and west of Didcot; and A new site for 400 homes at Harwell Campus. PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 41

43 Employment Following the economic downturn, the revised forecasts suggest that the employment needs of residents in the Vale and Didcot can be met through existing allocations at Harwell Campus (4,000 and 6,500) and Milton Park (3,000 to 4,000). However, there will be scope to allocate additional land for local employment sites to give flexibility and choice, and help improve the self-containment of other settlements. Retail Proposals for the comprehensive development and environmental improvement areas at Botley and Wantage are no longer being pursued The following retail options were identified: Abbey Shopping Centre and Charter area in Abingdon; and Faringdon town centre The following options for Faringdon town centre were put forward for consultation: Extending Budgens supermarket to create a larger sales area with limited extra car parking spaces in the Southampton Street car park. Due to its historic town centre location there are limited opportunities for further expansion, or Identifying a site for a new supermarket and car parking out of the town centre Either north west of Gloucester Street car park; or East of Park Road Local Plan 2031 Part 1 (2013) The Local Plan 2031 Part 1 consultation presented a Regulation 18 draft plan approach for the District. It set out the strategic sites and policies, seeking to focus economic growth in the Science Vale UK area and Didcot A site and to allocate housing growth at strategic sites in the Market Towns of Faringdon, Wantage/Grove, Valley Park (Didcot) and at Harwell Oxford Campus. The plan set a housing target of 13,294 with growth at the strategic sites as follows: Table10.1: Local Plan 2031 Part 1 Strategic Site Allocations: Settlement Site Name Number of Dwellings Harwell Parish east of the A34 Valley Park 2150 Harwell Harwell Oxford Campus 400 Faringdon South of Park Road 350 Wantage and Grove Monks Farm (North Grove) 750 Crab Hill (North East Wantage) 1500 Total The plan also set out a draft policy approach for a number of policy issues; with a total of 40 policies in the plan. A number of these policies were informed by the consideration of reasonable alternatives through the SA process, as discussed in Section 10.7 below Housing Delivery Update (February 2014) In light of new housing evidence through the Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) identifying a much higher Objectively Assessed Housing Need for the District (20,560); and a PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 42

44 number of new potential strategic sites being generated through the Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA) and LPP1 consultation process; it was necessary to test these sites through SA to meet the higher target The Housing Delivery Update was a focussed consultation on the revised spatial strategy. A further 38 sites were tested in addition to the eight sites tested in Local Plan 2031 Part 1 (2013). The preferred sites that were chosen were as follows: Table 10.2: Housing Delivery Update Strategic Site Allocations Settlement Site Name Number of Dwellings Harwell and Milton Parishes Valley Park 2150 Wantage and Grove Abingdon-on-Thames Monks Farm (North Grove) 750 Crab Hill (North East Wantage) 1500 North Abingdon-on-Thames 410 North-West Abingdon-on- Thames 200 Cumnor South Cumnor 200 Drayton South Drayton 200 East Challow Land North-West of East Challow 200 East Hanney East of East Hanney 200 Faringdon South-West of Faringdon 200 Great Coxwell Parish South of Faringdon 200 Harwell and Milton Parishes Harwell Oxford Campus Valley Park (in addition to the 2,150 set out above) East Harwell Oxford Campus (with potential for a further 2,000 after 2031) 400 1,400 Harwell West of Harwell 200 Kennington South Kennington (Radley Parish) 270 Marcham South Marcham 200 Milton Parish Milton Heights (with potential for a further 250 after 2031) 1,400 Radley Shrivenham North Radley 200 North-West Radley 240 North Shrivenham 400 South Shrivenham 200 Stanford-in-the-Vale West Stanford-in-the-Vale 290 PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 43

45 Settlement Site Name Number of Dwellings Sutton Courtenay East Sutton Courtenay 220 Wootton East Wootton 200 Total 11, It should be noted that the 11,830 identified above will be supplemented with allocations in Local Plan 2031 Part 2, the Science Vale AAP and windfall development over the plan period in order to meet the minimum 20,560 target Additionally, based on comments received through the 2013 consultation, a small number of revised policies were included in the plan and two new policies: 3a duty to cooperate and 37a design briefs for strategic and major sites What alternatives are considered in this report? The Regulations 27 are not prescriptive, stating only that the SA Report should present an appraisal of the plan and reasonable alternatives taking into account the objectives and geographical scope of the plan or programme In practice, local authorities in England tend to consider reasonable alternatives for a reasonable range of the issues addressed though plan-making This Chapter describes how, as an interim plan-making / SA step, reasonable alternatives 28 were considered for the following Local Plan Part 1 issues (the appendix number is also given to signpost to where in the appendices the detailed interim appraisal findings can be located): Housing delivery (Appendix 4 Overall Spatial Pattern of Development and Appendix 5 Refined Spatial Options) Strategic sites (Appendices 7 to 13 Strategic Sites and Appendix 15 Housing Delivery) Harwell Campus site options (Appendix 14) Science Vale Housing Supply Ring Fence (Appendix 16) Meeting business and employment needs (Appendix 31 Employment Land Supply - Location Needs and Appendix 26 Employment Land Supply Needs) Didcot A (Appendix 30 Didcot A) Affordable housing (Appendix 19 Affordable Housing) Housing density (Appendix 17 Housing density) Meeting the needs of gypsies and travellers (Appendix 20 Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Accommodation) Development to Support the Visitor Economy (Appendix 21 Development to Support the Visitor Economy) Retailing and other main town centre uses (Appendix 22 Retailing and other main town centre uses) Botley Central Area (Appendix 23 Botley Central Area) Sustainable design and construction (Appendix 24 Sustainable construction) The historic environment (Appendix 25 The Historic Environment) New employment development on unallocated sites (Appendix 27 Additional Employment Land Provision and Appendix 28 Rural 27 Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes Regulations In relation to strategic site allocations a range of options were considered, but it is not the case that the options were alternatives (given that there was no mutually exclusive choice to be made between them). There was, however (prior to developing the draft plan), a narrowing-down of options, informed by the findings of SA. PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 44

46 Housing mix (Appendix 18 Housing Need incorporating housing mix, lifetime home standards and the ageing population) employment) Change of use of existing employment land and premises (Appendix 29 Protection of existing employment sites) 10.8 Which issues have not been considered and why There were a number of issues that were not considered in relation to an appraisal of reasonable alternatives. There are a number of reasons for this including: the lack of any reasonable options being proposed at this stage of plan development, the de facto use of the National Planning Policy Framework as the draft policy, procedural options that have no significant effects or the use of multi-criteria based policies The issues excluded are listed below: Presumption in favour of sustainable development Cooperation on unmet Housing Need for Oxfordshire Settlement Hierarchy Providing Supporting Infrastructure and Services Spatial Strategy for Abingdon-on- Thames and Oxford Fringe Sub- Area Harcourt Hill Campus Safeguarding of Land for Strategic Highway Improvements within the Abingdon-on-Thames and Oxford Fringe Sub-Area The Oxford Green Belt Upper Thames Reservoir Spatial Strategy for South East Vale Sub-Area Delivery of Strategic Highway Improvements within the South- East Vale Sub-Area Safeguarding of Land for Transport Schemes in the South East Vale Sub- Area Spatial Strategy for Western Vale Sub-Area Safeguarding of Land for Strategic Highway Improvements within the Western Vale Sub-Area Further and Higher Education Promoting Sustainable Transport and Accessibility A34 Strategy Promoting Public Transport, Cycling and Walking Electronic communications Design and Local Distinctiveness Design Strategies for Strategic and Major Development Sites The Historic Environment Sustainable Design and Construction Renewable Energy Flood Risk Natural Resources Landscape Green Infrastructure Conservation and Improvement of Biodiversity 10.9 Nature of appraisal The Local Plan 2031 Part 1 has been in development for a number of years. As part of the development of the plan, the Vale undertook a series of internal appraisals of options to guide their plan development. These included: PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 45

47 Overall Spatial Pattern of Development; Refined Spatial Options; and Strategic Sites As part of the commission, URS undertook a review of these appraisals and updated / amended them to reflect the evidence base set out in the 2012 Scoping Report and to provide an objective assessment of the findings. As part of the 2012 Scoping Report the original 2007 Scoping Report SA objectives were updated and refreshed. It should be borne in mind that these tables were originally prepared by the Council and updated by URS and therefore are considered to be jointly developed. These updated tables can be found in Appendices 4, 5 and Further internal appraisal work was undertaken in 2014 for site options around Harwell Oxford Campus. The Council commissioned a bespoke Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA) for all land parcels around the campus in order to evidence the option testing, with a view to identifying the optimum level of growth at the site that could be achieved without leading to significant negative effects on the AONB. The LVIA involved assessing the likely effectiveness of mitigation measures, proposing a mitigation strategy and identifying the residual landscape and visual impacts once these measures had been applied. Appraisal findings for site options around Harwell Campus can also be found in Appendix Structure of Part 2 of this SA Report Each plan issue is assigned a chapter below. Each chapter answers the following questions: Why have alternatives been considered for this issue? Where appropriate, there is also a discussion of related issues for which alternatives have not been considered What are the reasonable alternatives? Where appropriate, there is also a discussion of other alternatives that have not been considered Why has the preferred approach been selected? As part of the answer to this question an explanation is given as to how the selection of a preferred approach reflects the findings of SA. To further illuminate this explanation Appendices 4 to 31 of this SA Report presents appraisal findings for each policy issue / set of alternatives. PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 46

48 11 HOUSING DELIVERY 11.1 Why have alternatives been considered for this issue? The choice of a broad approach to housing growth is one of the most important decisions made through the Local Plan. Hence, it is important that the Council s preferred approach is justified by a robust evidence-base. In light of this, it was considered important to subject alternative approaches to SA. Box.11.1: Differing levels of alternatives In order to determine the quantum and location of housing, there are number of different decisions to be made, all of which influence the outcome. In the case of the Vale, there have been three main stages of decision making. Firstly, the Vale needed to decide on the strategic pattern of growth. This sets out the overall pattern of growth to be delivered in the Vale. Secondly, there is consideration of the quantum (or numbers of dwellings and employment land) to be allocated, informed by the outcome of the first stage. Finally, strategic sites are put forward, with detailed requirements for infrastructure and other facilities these are to deliver the housing and employment quantum in accordance with the broad spatial strategy. This chapter sets out these stages and the reasonable alternatives considered for each Overall Pattern of Development 11.3 What are the reasonable alternatives? There were two stages of options development to determine the preferred approach to spatial distribution in the Vale, consideration of the overall pattern of development and the assessment of the refined spatial options The Overall Pattern of Development included six reasonable alternatives: Option A within existing towns and villages; Option B only on brownfield or previously developed land; Option C as extensions to the edges of main settlements; Option D as extensions to the edges of villages; Option E in a new settlement; and Option F in settlements along public transport routes These options were followed by the development of three further, refined options: Option A Urban Focus - This option proposes greater growth across the larger villages alongside urban extensions Option B Urban concentration - This option concentrates the vast majority of growth towards the urban areas Option C Building on our strengths - This option recognises that whilst the urban areas will still take the bulk of the housing growth, the rural areas will also have significant but proportionate housing and economic growth 11.4 Why have these alternatives been considered? Alternatives have been considered for housing distribution and quantum due to the revocation of the South East Plan and National Planning Policy Framework requirements of paragraph 47 for the plan to address objectively assessed need. The options tested covered reasonable alternative housing locations based on the Vale s land capacity and various evidence of housing need at this stage; prior to the findings of the Oxfordshire Strategic Housing Market PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 47

49 Assessment (SHMA) Why has the preferred approach been selected? Overall Pattern of Development The Council s preferred approach is a combination of Options A and C. This approach partially reflects SA findings, which are presented in full in Appendix Options A, C and D score the best in terms of providing homes across a range of locations in settlements that have the best range of services and facilities. It is likely that a mixture of the the three options A, C and D would be necessary in order to provide the scale of housing development that is needed. This would also enable the benefits to be maximised in terms of enabling a scale of development needed to provide key pieces of infrastructure (Option C) whilst nevertheless allowing development across the District to support existing services and the wider economy (Option A and D). Option D generally performs the worst of the options as it promotes all development in the villages and would likely lead to environmental impacts through a dispersed development pattern (e.g. increased air pollution, traffic congestion, and car use). Other negative effects identified in the options include those for Option E with regard to landscape This combination of options A and C has been preferred as it would support the existing settlement hierarchy, help to reduce the need to travel, locates development where the majority of existing services and employment opportunities are already located and where it would help to support the delivery of enhanced services and infrastructure Refined Options The Council s preferred approach is Options C Building on our Strengths. This approach reflects the SA findings, which are presented in full in Appendix 5 and summarised below In terms of significant effects predicted, Option A Urban Focus and C Building on our Strengths should provide significant positive effects in terms of housing delivery. However it is clear that Option C performs the best as there are a number of positive significant effects associated with it, including the provision of services and facilities, reducing the need for travel, improving health and well-being, reducing inequality and supporting a strong economy. It should be considered that this approach is the most sustainable; however, building on strengths should also address those areas of weakness, to try and achieve a holistic improvement across the Vale This option is really a combination of Options A and C described above under the heading of overall pattern of development, but also facilitating proportional growth across the District s rural areas, thus supporting the vitality of rural communities and their services and facilities. By including a modest proportion of smaller sites in smaller settlements the portfolio of sites is widened improving overall deliverability of the housing target Housing Delivery Seven options were presented that articulated the preferred spatial strategy in terms of housing numbers and strategic locations. These options are set out below: Option A Plan to meet the number of homes set out in the South East Plan (13,294 houses over the plan period) Option B Plan to provide more houses than the South East Plan in line with the need identified in the Housing Needs Assessment (19,688 houses over the plan period) Option C Plan to provide the number of homes set out in the South East Plan plus adding an additional amount to the target for general housing based on maxing out of the preferred strategic site options (approximately 10% higher) (14,308 houses over the plan period) PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 48

50 Option D Plan to provide the number of homes set out in the South East Plan plus a specific target for Extra Care Housing (15,594 houses over the plan period) Option E Plan to provide the number of homes set out in the South East Plan plus adding an additional amount to the target for general housing based on maxing out of the preferred strategic site options (approximately 10% higher) plus a specific target for Extra Care Housing (16,608 houses over the plan period) Option F Plan to provide the number of homes set out in the South East Plan plus adding an additional amount to the target for general housing based on maxing out of the preferred strategic site options plus all the identified alternative strategic sites and an increased amount in the remaining rural areas based on an initial assessment of capacity of suitable sites (15,898 houses over the plan period). Option G Plan to provide the number of homes set out in the Oxfordshire Strategic Housing Market Assessment (2014) based on the broad spatial approach of building on our strengths along with development at the larger villages (20,560 over the plan period) Why have these alternatives been considered? Prior to 2010, housing targets were established at a regional level and published within Regional Spatial Strategies. These targets were then implemented by local authorities through their local plans, which until recently were referred to as Local Development Frameworks. For Oxfordshire, housing targets had been set out in the South East Plan, which was adopted in Regional Spatial Strategies were then revoked in July 2010 and the South East Plan was officially abolished in February 2014, and it became the responsibility of local authorities to identify an appropriate housing target for their area, to be set out in their local plan The Housing Update February 2014 consultation document significantly updated parts of the draft Local Plan to reflect the findings of the Oxfordshire Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) which provides up-to-date evidence on the level of housing need in the District over the period up to The SHMA proposed a new housing target for the District, and also identified additional strategic sites for housing development, so that the new housing target can be delivered. This informed Option G The February 2014 consultation document proposed to extend the plan period up to This is to ensure that the plan period aligns with the evidence provided by the Oxfordshire SHMA and with the Oxfordshire Strategic Economic Plan. The Housing Topic Paper discusses the final housing targets and the associated evidence base in more detail Why has the preferred approach been selected? In terms of housing numbers, a clear set of trade-offs in regard to sustainability are likely to be required. For example higher housing numbers have most potential to increase the District s housing stock, with benefits for housing availability and affordability. In this context, Options B and G perform the most favourably of the options, with clear significant positive effects in relation to a number of the socio-economic SA Objectives However, promoting this level of growth without a comprehensive package of avoidance and mitigation measures has the potential to lead to significant negative effects in relation to a number of the environmental sustainability topics. These include biodiversity, landscape/townscape quality, air and noise quality, resource use, climate change mitigation and others In this context the options which promote a higher level of growth are likely to lead to an increased requirement for trade-offs, in particular relating to environmental issues. However, 29 Vale of White Horse District Council Housing Topic Paper November 2014 PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 49

51 with appropriate mitigation and avoidance measures, it may be possible to limit some of these potential effects. This will help constrain the range of trade-offs required when taking forward higher growth options Originally the Council s preferred option was Option A. This was selected as it was considered a reasonable basis for local plan consultation based on the existing evidence base. This approach partially reflected SA findings, which are presented in full in Appendix 15 and summarised below. Option A was selected as it was a reasonable basis for local plan consultation based on the current evidence base at this stage In-light of updated information (from the 2014 SHMA), the Council s preferred option is now Option G. This approach partially reflects SA findings in that Option G was appraised to lead to the most beneficial socio-economic effects; but there were potential significant environmental effects that could potentially be overcome with detailed design and development management policies Option G was selected by the Council as it meets the District s apportionment of the Oxfordshire Housing Market Area s objectively assessed housing need in full, in accordance with National policy. PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 50

52 12 STRATEGIC SITES 12.1 Why have alternatives been considered for this issue? When deciding on the broad spatial strategy to be taken forward for the Local Plan, it was determined that the allocation of strategic sites was required in order to deliver the spatial strategy. A number of reasonable alternative site options were therefore appraised through the SA process. This took place through three separate phases 30 as new evidence became available, housing targets were updated and new sites were identified through subsequent stages of plan development. Site Selection Topic Paper The Council has been prepared a Site Selection Topic Paper (November 2014) which supersedes the previous consultation documents listed below: Topic Paper 3 Strategic Site Selection Consultation Draft March 2013 Housing Delivery Update Supporting Paper Consultation Draft February 2014 Housing Delivery Update Supporting Paper Appendix 5 Information Tables Consultation Draft February This Site Selection Topic Paper explains the process that has been followed to identify the most sustainable sites for allocation in the LPP1. Figure 12.1 explains the methodology used. Figure 12.1: Site Selection Process 30 As described in the March 2013 SA Report, the 2014 Interim SA Report and this SA Report. PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 51

53 Draft Local Plan In the 2013 SA Report eight strategic sites were considered. These site options, which articulated the preferred spatial strategy into strategic housing locations, are set out below: Wantage and Grove A (Crab Hill) Wantage and Grove B (Stockham Farm) Wantage and Grove C/D (Monks Farm) Harwell (land at Harwell Campus) Didcot A (Valley Park, north of A4493) Didcot A+B (Valley Park in Harwell Parish) Faringdon A (land south of Park Road) Faringdon B (East and west of Coxwell Road) The SA appraised these sites and the full appraisal tables are available in Appendices 6 to 13 of this report The February 2013 LPP1 consultation document proposed the strategic sites listed in Table 12.1 below and included other proposed policies. This included policies relating to building healthy and sustainable communities, supporting economic prosperity, supporting sustainable transport and accessibility, and protecting the environment and responding to climate change. Table 12.1: February 2013 LPP1 Consultation Document Proposed Site Package Settlement Site Name Number of Dwellings Harwell Parish East of the A42 (adjoining Didcot) Valley Park 2150 Harwell Harwell Oxford Campus 400 Faringdon South of Park Road 350 Wantage and Grove Monks Farm (North Grove 750 Crab Hill 1500 Total 5150 Housing Delivery Update (February 2014) In the period since the 2013 SA Report, updated SHMA and housing needs information (from the Oxfordshire Strategic Housing Market Assessment) has resulted in a need to allocate additional strategic sites in order to meet a higher housing target of 20,560 based on the objectively assessed housing need. This has required a revisiting of the strategic sites appraisal. The SHMA figure of 20,560 has been tested through the SA (see Section 11.6 above) The 2014 Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA) update was used as a starting point for the identification of potential strategic sites. In addition to sites assessed through the SHLAA, further potential sites were also considered, including sites within the Science Vale Oxford area which could be capable of supporting a new or significantly expanded settlement Due to the SHLAA and the SHMA further strategic sites were identified for allocation in the Local Plan. These sites accord with the spatial strategy, which includes a focus on development within the Science Vale Oxford area, and on the Market Towns, Local Service Centres and key employment locations. The Council have also considered sites in the Larger Villages, which represent the most sustainable locations for growth after the Market Towns and Local Service Centres. PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 52

54 The Council considered that, given the scale of additional homes required, it was necessary to consider sites within the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the Oxford Green Belt. A Green Belt Review was undertaken, and is available online The Housing Delivery Update was a focussed consultation on the revised spatial strategy. A further 38 sites were tested in addition to the eight sites tested in Local Plan 2031 Part 1 (2013). These are as follows: Site 1: North Abingdon Site 2: South Abingdon Site 3. South West Botley Site 5: South West Faringdon Site 6: South Faringdon Site 9: South Wantage Site 10: South Valley Park Site 11: North West Valley Park Site 12: Increase density on current Valley Park site Site 13A: Didcot A site Site 13B: North Didcot Site 16: North West Grove Site 17: East Harwell Oxford Campus Site 19: North West Harwell Oxford Campus Site 20: North West Drayton Site 21: South Drayton Site 22: South Cumnor Site 23: North West East Challow Site 25: South Kennington (Radley Parish) Site 27: South Marcham Site 28: North West Radley Site 29: North Radley Site 30: South Shrivenham Site 31: North Shrivenham Site 32: North Stanford in the Vale Site 33: East Sutton Courtenay Site 36: South Wootton Site 37: North Wootton Site 38: West Stanford in the Vale Site 39: Rowstock Site 40: Milton Heights Site 41: Steventon Storage Facility Site 42: North West Abingdon Site 43: East Wootton Site 44: Land west of Harwell Village Site 45: Land east of East Hanney Site 46: Appleford Site 47: Land west of Steventon The consultation on the Housing Delivery Update (2014) subsequently generated a further eight reasonable alternative site options to be appraised by the SA, following the initial site filtering process (the Site Selection Topic Paper (Nov 2014) discusses this further). These are as follows: Site 48: Kingston Bagpuize East Site 49: Kingston Bagpuize South Site 50: North West Harwell Campus Site 51: South of Harwell Campus Site 52: Oxford Garden City Site 53: South West Shrivenham Site 54: South Radley Site 55: East Hanney The three stages above generated a total list of 54 alternative sites that were appraised through the site appraisal process. It is important to note that, despite the time lag between 31 Kirkham Landscape Planning Green Belt Review Feb 2014 PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 53

55 appraisal phases, all sites were appraised using a common methodology 32 in order to ensure a consistent comparability between site options. Previous appraisal findings have been updated where new information has come to light; as such this SA Report replaces the site appraisal matrices presented in the 2013 SA Report and the 2014 Interim SA Report Why have these alternatives been considered? The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) (March 2012) sets out that local planning authorities should use their evidence base to ensure that their Local Plan meets the full, objectively assessed needs for market and affordable housing in the housing market area. They should prepare a Strategic Housing Market Assessment to assess their housing needs, working with neighbouring authorities where appropriate The NPPF also establishes that local planning authorities should ensure that their assessment of and strategies for housing and employment are integrated and that they take full account of relevant market and economic signals The SHMA proposed a new housing target for the District, and also identified additional strategic sites for housing development, so that the new housing target can be delivered. In the period since the 2013 SA Report, updated SHMA and housing needs information (from the Oxfordshire Strategic Housing Market Assessment) has resulted in a need to allocate additional strategic sites in order to meet a higher housing target of 20,560, based on the objectively assessed housing need Why has the preferred approach been selected? The Vale of White Horse Local Plan 2031 will meet in full their own objectively assessed need for 20,560 homes This is a first and important step towards meeting the full needs of the housing market area within the full housing market area without unreasonable delay The Duty to Cooperate set out in the Localism Act is both a legal duty and test of effective plan-making. It requires cooperation on issues of common concern in order to develop sound local plans Within Oxfordshire co-operative working is managed through the Oxfordshire Growth Board (superseding the former Spatial Planning and Infrastructure Partnership Board, or SPIP). The board comprises the leaders of all Oxfordshire councils supported by an executive committee and officer working groups. Vale of White Horse also works directly with authorities within and outside the county area where that is necessary to plan effectively on matters of strategic and sub-regional significance or cross border interest that are not Oxfordshire-wide The Oxfordshire Statement of Cooperation sets out how the outcomes of the SHMA would be managed, should any of the Local Planning Authorities in Oxfordshire not be able to meet their full objectively assessed housing need Further information on the Duty to Cooperate can be found in the Duty to Cooperate Topic Paper (November 2014) The Site Selection Topic Paper (November 2014) explains the process that has been followed to identify the most sustainable sites for allocation in the LPP1.site information tables provide a high level summary of information collected about each of the potential sites which were subject to detailed testing through the site selection methodology The information in the site tables has been informed by the following evidence: Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA) Update (February 2014) Town and Village Facilities Update (February 2014) 32 The Site Appraisal Methodology is presented at Appendix 2. PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 54

56 Landscape Capacity Study 2014: Site Options (February 2014) Evaluation of Transport Impacts Historic Landscape Character Assessment: information from Oxfordshire County Council (February 2014) Vale of White Horse District Council Green Belt Review (February 2014) Sustainability Appraisal Addendum Report (February 2014) Habitats Regulations Assessment (February 2014) The Final Site Package The housing target for the Vale of White Horse District is for at least 20,560 homes to be delivered in the plan period between 2011 and ,960 dwellings will be delivered through strategic allocations. 1,900 dwellings remain to be identified and will be allocated through the Local Plan 2031 Part 2 or Neighbourhood Development Plans or through the Development Management process. The contribution of all sources of housing supply are outlined in Section 30 of this Report and the Draft LPP1 November The final sites package of 22 sites comprises the four sites included in the Local Plan 2031 (i.e. the 2012 draft of the plan), 13 sites included in the Housing Delivery Update (2014), two alternative sites brought forwards through the Housing Delivery Update consultation, the partition of North West Valley Park from the rest of Valley Park and the addition of a site for 200+ homes only omitted previously because it has a resolution to grant planning permission (East of Coxwell Road, Faringdon). The Grove Airfield site from the Local Plan 2011 is to be saved as a planning application has not yet been determined The 22 sites are as listed below and total 13,960 homes: Abingdon and the Oxford Fringe North West Abingdon on Thames (200 homes) North Abingdon on Thames (800 homes) Radley Parish, land south of Kennington (270 homes) North West Radley (240 homes) East of Kingston Bagpuize with Southmoor (280 homes) South of East Hanney (200 homes) South East Vale East Sutton Courtenay (220 homes) Milton Heights (400 homes) Valley Park (at least 2,550 homes) North West of Valley Park (800 homes) West of Harwell (200 homes) East Harwell Campus (850 homes) North of Harwell Campus (550 homes) Crab Hill, Wantage/Grove (1,500 homes) Monks Farm, north Grove (750 homes) PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 55

57 Grove Airfield (saved Local Plan 2011 site) (2,500 homes) Western Vale Land south of Park Road, Faringdon (350 homes) West Stanford in the Vale (200 homes) Great Coxwell Parish, South Faringdon (200 homes) South West of Faringdon (200 homes) North Shrivenham (500 homes) East of Coxwell Road, Faringdon (200 homes) This approach is fully consistent with the broad spatial strategy of building on our strengths by supporting growth in the Science Vale Oxford area and at the District s main settlements, complemented by some growth at the Larger Villages. The sites have been selected to enable the District to meet its objectively assessed housing need, as identified in the emerging Oxfordshire SHMA. Green Belt and AONB In identifying the preferred sites, the council first considered those sites which were not located within the North Wessex Downs AONB or the Oxford Green Belt. However, given the level of housing required, sites have been identified within the AONB and Oxford Green Belt A mix of sites are required that would deliver homes in the short as well as longer term to restore and maintain a five year housing land supply. Therefore in order to achieve this it has been necessary to consider sites in AONB and Green Belt. Green Belt The independent Green Belt Review identifies a number of areas currently in Green Belt that no longer meet the purposes of Green Belt: to check the unrestricted sprawl of large built-up areas (Oxford) to prevent neighbouring towns merging into one another (coalesence) to preserve the setting and special character of historic towns (especially Oxford) to assist in safeguarding the countryside from encroachment; and to assist in urban regeneration, by encouraging the recycling of derelict and other urban land Some of the areas identified as appropriate to release from the Green Belt adjoin some of the most sustainable towns and large villages, and on all other measures score well as suitable and sustainable locations for development. The Council propose to allocate those that are suitable and can accommodate 200+ units (North West Radley, North West Abingdon, North Abingdon and Radley south of Kennington) One site, North Abingdon, has been extended east of the A4183 into land not initially recommended for Green Belt release in the Green Belt review. An expanded site at North Abingdon would better support provision of a new primary school and help fund the A34 south facing slips at Lodge Hill, as well as helping to meet needs arising in the largest settlement where there are limited alternative opportunities for sustainable growth. This proposal is supported by further landscape capacity work Why was the previous approach rejected? PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 56

58 In parallel to the new site testing process the Council revisited the 21 sites proposed in the Housing Delivery Update consultation and recommend that eight sites that were in the 2014 Interim SA preferred site package should not be allocated for the following main reasons: South Cumnor exceeds landscape capacity recommendations (harmful to landscape character) East Wootton exceeds landscape recommendations (harmful to landscape character), limited public transport access, potential for to harm to nearby SAC North Radley Inconsistent with landscape and Green Belt advice / responses to consultation (harmful to Green Belt and landscape character) South Marcham sites is constrained and the actual developable area is below the strategic site threshold of 200 homes. The developable area could be considered through Local Plan 2031 Part 2 South Drayton transport constraints East Challow sites is constrained and the actual developable area is below the strategic site threshold of 200 homes. The developable area could be considered through LPP2 South Shrivenham responses to consultation/community preference. East of East Hanney replaced by an alternative site South of East Hanney better connected to the village and also preferred by the community Other decisions made following the consultation included: Valley Park site (as included in the Housing Delivery Update consultation) has been split into two sites; Valley Park, and North West Valley Park, and allocated a higher housing requirement Valley Park has been set a requirement of at least 2,550 homes in recognition that higher density may be appropriate with a high quality design master planned to fully integrate with the wider area North Abingdon on Thames site has been increased in size, following more detailed landscape capacity advice and to better facilitate school provision and the provision of a full junction on the A34 at Lodge Hill East of Coxwell Road, Faringdon site has been included it was previously only omitted because there was a planning application being determined PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 57

59 13 HARWELL OXFORD CAMPUS SITE OPTIONS 13.1 Why have alternatives been considered for this issue? In identifying the preferred site package, the Council first considered those sites that were not located within the North Wessex Downs AONB or the Oxford Green Belt. However, given the level of housing required, sites have been identified within the AONB and Oxford Green Belt A mix of sites are required that would deliver homes in the short as well as longer term to restore and maintain a five year housing land supply. Therefore in order to achieve this it has been necessary to consider sites in AONB and Green Belt Following the Housing Update Delivery consultation (February 2014), major concerns were raised by Natural England, and the AONB Management Board with regard to the landscape sensitivities of the AONB at the proposed strategic sites at North West Harwell Oxford Campus and East Harwell Campus and the ability to mitigate visual impacts satisfactorily In recognition of the landscape sensitivities of these sites a Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA) has been prepared to inform the scale and form of the development of land surrounding Harwell Campus to accommodate future residential development The council appointed Hankinson Duckett Associates to undertake a landscape and visual appraisal of the land surrounding Harwell Campus, Oxfordshire (Plan HDA 1). This report assesses the relative capacity of parcels of land surrounding Harwell Campus to accommodate future residential development What are the reasonable alternatives? Land Parcel Analysis For the purposes of the study, the land identified as available for development surrounding Harwell Campus was assessed as seven land parcels. Two of these parcels were considered worthy of further work, and were sub-divided into eight sub-areas These two parcels were assessed within the VoWH capacity study, along with five further parcels based on the land parcels assessed within the Strategic Housing Availability Assessment (SHLAA). [add ref to SHLAA] Each of these parcels were assessed and given a landscape capacity (to accommodate future residential development). These survey results summarised on the data sheets within the LVIA have been used to assess the Landscape Sensitivity for each parcel. The Landscape Value for all parcels has been assessed as Medium/High given that all the parcels are located within the AONB The Final LVIA is available 33and should be read alongside this SA Report. Parcels A, B, G and H sit within West of Harwell and East Harwell Campus, as shown in Figure 13.1 below. 33 Hankinson Duckett Associates East of Harwell Landscape and Visual Impcat Assessment September 2014 PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA 58

60 Figure 13.1: Plan of the eight sub-parcels assessed in the LVIA PART 1: SCOPE OF THE SA SA of the Vale of White Horse Local Plan 2031 Part 1 59