Sustainability Appraisal 2024

Overview

The purpose of the sustainability appraisal process is to appraise the social, environmental and economic effects of a plan from the outset to help ensure that decisions are made that contribute to achieving sustainable development.

The sustainability appraisal is integral to the plan making process. It performs a key role in providing a sound evidence base for the plan and forms an integrated part of the plan preparation process. The sustainability appraisal should inform the decision making proces to facilitate the evaluation of alternatives. It also helps demonstrate that the plan is the most appropriate given the reasonable alternatives.

Why your views matter

This period for representations is an opportunity for you to comment on the content of the Sustainability Appraisal alongside the Local Plan. 

What happens next

The responses we receive will be collated and forwarded to the Secretary of State, who will appoint an independent Planning Inspector to examine the Local Plan.