Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report Consultation

This consultation exercise has now closed.

Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils published a Sustainability Appraisal (SA) Scoping Report to support the preparation of the Babergh and Mid Suffolk Joint Local Plan Part 2 Development Plan Document, following adoption of the Part 1 Joint Local Plan in November 2023. 

SA is an assessment process designed to consider and report upon the significant sustainability issues and effects of emerging plans and policies, including their reasonable alternatives. SA iteratively informs the plan-making process by helping to refine the contents of such documents, so that they maximise the benefits of sustainable development and avoid, or at least minimise, the potential for adverse effects.

The purpose of this SA Scoping Report is to provide the context for and determine the scope of the SA of the Part 2 Joint Local Plan and to set out the assessment framework for undertaking the later stages of the SA.

The purpose of the consultation was to seek views on the proposed approach to the SA, in particular:

•    Whether there are any additional plans, policies or programmes that are relevant to the SA that should be included.
•    Whether the baseline information provided is robust and comprehensive and provides a suitable baseline for the SA of the Part 2 Joint Local Plan.
•    Whether there are any additional key sustainability issues relevant to the Plan area that should be included. 
•    Whether the proposed SA framework (Chapter 11) is appropriate and includes a suitable set of SA objectives.
•    Whether the criteria and assumptions for appraising potential site allocations are appropriate for this stage of the SA process.

We invited comments on the draft documents for five weeks - from Thursday 22th August, until 4pm on Monday 30th September 2024. To view the document please access the link below:

SA Scoping Report Consultation