The purpose of the sustainability appraisal process is to appraise the social, environmental and economic effects of a plan from the outset. In doing so it will help ensure that decisions are made that contribute to achieving sustainable development.
The sustainability appraisal is integral to the plan making process. It should perform a key role in providing a sound evidence base for the plan and form an integrated part of the plan preparation process. It should be transparent and open to public participation. The sustainability appraisal should inform the decision making proces to facilitate the evaluation of alternatives. It should also help demonstrate that the plan is the most appropriate given the reasonable alternatives.
If you do not have the resources within the local authority to undertake the sustainability appraisal of the plan, you may need to consider using a consultant to undertake the work. If this is required, local authorities are encouraged to locate external expertise in-house to help ensure the sustainability appraisal process is as integrated with the plan making process as possible.
This section replaces the 2005 government guidance on ‘Sustainability Appraisal of Regional Spatial Strategies and Local Development Documents' as it applies to development plan documents.
This section refers instead to the:
- 2005 Practical Guide to the Strategic Environmental Assessment (where necessary)
- 2005 Sustainability Appraisal Guidance (which still applies for regional spatial strategies).