Sustainability Appraisal of the Sandwell Local Plan 2024-2041

Ends on 11 November 2024 (26 days remaining)

6 The preferred approach

6.1 SLP policies

6.1.1 Following comments received during the Regulation 18 consultations and recommendations set out in the SA reports, SMBC have revisited the policies of the SLP. There are a total of 88 proposed policies within the SLP.

6.1.2 The proposed SLP policies seek to support the delivery of sustainable growth within Sandwell. The policies will help to ensure that potential adverse impacts on sustainability identified as a result of the development proposed within the SLP are avoided, mitigated or subject to compensatory measures wherever possible and that development proposals are accompanied by relevant supporting information to ensure that the impacts of development can be appropriately factored into land use decision making processes.

6.1.3 The 88 SLP policies are listed below in Table 6.1 and have been assessed in Appendix F alongside the proposed vision and strategic objectives of the SLP.

Table 6.1: Sandwell Local Plan policies

Policy reference

Policy name

Framework Policies

SDS1

Spatial Strategy for Sandwell

SDS2

Increasing efficiency and resilience

SDS3

Regeneration in Sandwell

SDS4

Towns and Local Areas

SDS5

Achieving well-designed places

SDS6

Cultural facilities and the visitor economy

SDS7

Sandwell's Green Belt

SDS8

Green and blue infrastructure in Sandwell

Sandwell's Natural and Historic Environment

SNE1

Nature conservation

SNE2

Protection and enhancement of wildlife habitats

SNE3

Provision, retention and protection of trees, woodlands and hedgerows

SNE4

Geodiversity and the Black Country UNESCO Global Geopark

SNE5

The Rowley Hills

SNE6

Canals

SHE1

Listed buildings and conservation areas

SHE2

Development in the historic environment

SHE3

Locally listed buildings

SHE4

Archaeology

Climate Change

SCC1

Energy infrastructure

SCC2

Reducing operational carbon for new build non-residential development

SCC3

Climate-adapted design and construction

SCC4

Embodied carbon and waste

SCC5

Flood risk

SCC6

Sustainable drainage

Health and Wellbeing in Sandwell

SHW1

Health Impact Assessments

SHW2

Healthcare infrastructure

SHW3

Air quality

SHW4

Open space and recreation

SHW5

Playing fields and sports facilities

SHW6

Allotments

Sandwell's Housing

SHO1

Delivering sustainable housing growth

SHO2

Windfall developments

SHO3

Housing density, type and accessibility

SHO4

Affordable housing

SHO5

Delivering accessible and self/custom build housing

SHO6

Protecting family housing (Use Class C3)

SHO7

Houses in multiple occupation

SHO8

Education facilities

SHO9

Accommodation for Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople

SHO10

Housing for people with specific needs

Sandwell's Economy

SEC1

Providing for economic growth and jobs

SEC2

Strategic Employment Areas

SEC3

Local Employment Areas

SEC4

Other Employment Sites

SEC5

Improving access to the labour market

SEC6

Relationship between industry and sensitive uses

Sandwell's Centres

SCE1

Sandwell's Centres

SCE2

Non-E Class Uses in town centres

SCE3

Town Centres (Tier-Two centres)

SCE4

District and Local Centres (Tier-Three centres)

SCE5

Provision of small-scale local facilities not in centres

SCE6

Edge of centre and out of centre development

West Bromwich

SWB1

West Bromwich Town Centre

SWB2

Development in West Bromwich

Transport

STR1

Priorities for the development of the transport network

STR2

Safeguarding the development of the Key Route Network (KRN)

STR3

Managing transport impacts of new development

STR4

The efficient movement of freight and logistics

STR5

Creating coherent networks for cycling and walking

STR6

Influencing the demand for travel and travel choices

STR7

Network management

STR8

Parking management

STR9

Planning for low emission vehicles

STR10

Transport innovation and digital connectivity

Infrastructure and Delivery

SID1

Infrastructure provision and viability assessments

SID2

Digital infrastructure

SID3

5G network infrastructure

SID4

Communications infrastructure/equipment

Waste and Minerals

SWA1

Waste infrastructure future requirements

SWA2

Waste sites

SWA3

Preferred areas for new waste facilities

SWA4

Locational considerations for new waste facilities

SWA5

Resource management and new development

SMI1

Minerals safeguarding

SMI2

Managing the effects of mineral development

Development Constraints and Industrial Legacy

SCO1

Hazardous installations and substances

SCO2

Pollution control

SCO3

Land contamination and instability

Development Management

SDM1

Design quality

SDM2

Development and design standards

SDM3

Tall buildings and gateway sites

SDM4

Advertisements

SDM5

Shop fronts and roller shutters

SDM6

Hot food takeaways

SDM7

Management of hot food takeaways

SDM8

Gambling activities and alternative financial services

SDM9

Community facilities

SDM10

Telecommunications

6.1.4 A summary of the SA assessment of policies is presented in Table 6.2, with the full evaluation presented in Appendix F.

6.1.5 The assessment of the SLP vision and the 18 SLP objectives has identified negligible, minor positive and majority positive effects. The vision and objectives set a positive framework for the SLP as a whole.

6.1.6 For the majority of SLP policies, the assessment has identified negligible, minor positive or major positive effects. Negligible impacts are identified where the policy does not directly influence the achievement of that SA Objective, which is the case for many of the more 'thematic' policies.

6.1.7 A greater range of sustainability effects is identified for policies that have potential to introduce new development, for example, the housing and economy policies. Policy SDS1 sets out the broad direction for growth. As such, minor negative impacts have been identified for SA Objectives 7 (Pollution) and 8 (Waste), owing to the potential for the large amount of proposed development to lead to increases in pollution and waste.

6.1.8 Uncertain impacts have been identified for certain SA Objectives as a result of some of the policies in the housing and economy policies. The range in potential impacts for these policies owes to the fact that large developments could have significant adverse effects, however, the policy requirements have the ability to ensure these developments create some positive impacts or reduce the potential adverse effects if designed and carried out appropriately.

6.1.9 Additionally, the majority of economic policies and several housing policies do not set out details regarding the location, scale and nature of development. Therefore, there is some uncertainty against several SA Objectives whether the proposed development would lead to positive or adverse effects overall.

Table 6.2: Summary of policy assessments

	SA1	SA2	SA3	SA4	SA5	SA6	SA7	SA8	SA9	SA10	SA11	SA12	SA13	SA14
Policy Ref	Cultural Heritage	Landscape	Biodiversity	CC Mitigation	CC Adaptation	Natural Resources	Pollution	Waste	Transport	Housing	Equality	Health	Economy	Education
SDS1	+	+	+	+	+	+	-	-	+	+	+	+	+	+
SDS2	+	+	+	++	+	+	+	0	+	0	0	+	0	0
SDS3	+	+	+	+	0	++	+	0	+	+	+	+	++	+
SDS4	0	0	+	+/-	0	+	0	0	+	+	+	+	+	0
SDS5	++	++	0	+	+	0	+	0	+	0	+	+	0	0
SDS6	+	+	0	+	0	0	0	0	+	0	+	+	+	0
SDS7	+	+	0	0	0	+	0	0	0	0	0	+	0	0
SDS8	+	+	+	+	+	0	+	0	0	0	0	+	+	0
SNE1	0	+	++	+	+	0	+	0	0	0	0	+	0	0
SNE2	0	+	++	+	+	0	+	0	0	0	0	+	0	0
SNE3	0	+	+	+	+	+	+	0	0	0	0	+	0	0
SNE4	+	+	+	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+	+
SNE5	+	++	++	0	+	0	+	0	0	0	0	+	0	0
SNE6	+	+	+	0	+	0	+	0	+	+	+	+	+	0
SHE1	++	+	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
SHE2	++	+	+	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+	0
SHE3	+	+	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
SHE4	+	+	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+
SCC1	0	0	0	++	+	0	++	+	0	0	+	+	+	0
SCC2	0	0	0	++	+	0	++	+	0	0	0	+	+	0
SCC3	0	0	+	+	++	+	+	0	0	0	0	+	0	0
SCC4	0	0	0	++	0	0	+	++	0	0	0	0	+	0
SCC5	0	0	+	0	++	+	+	0	0	0	0	+	0	0
SCC6	0	+	+	0	+	0	+	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
SHW1	0	0	0	+	0	0	+	0	+	0	+	++	0	0
SHW2	0	0	0	+	0	0	+	0	+	0	+	++	0	0
SHW3	0	0	+	+	0	0	++	0	+	0	0	+	+	0
SHW4	0	+	+	+	+	0	+	0	+	0	+	++	0	0
SHW5	0	+	0	0	0	0	0	0	+	0	+	+	0	0
SHW6	0	+	+	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+	+	0	0
SHO1	+/-	+/-	+	0	-	-	-	-	+	+	+	+	0	+
SHO2	0	0	0	+/-	+/-	+	+/-	+/-	+/-	+	+/-	+/-	+/-	+/-
SHO3	0	0	0	+	0	0	+	0	+	+	+	+	0	0
SHO4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+	+	0	0	0
SHO5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+	+	+	0	0
SHO6	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+	+	0	0	0
SHO7	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+	+	+	+	0	0
SHO8	0	0	0	+	0	0	+	0	+	0	+	+	+	++
SHO9	0	0	+	-	0	0	-	0	+	+	+	+	0	+
SH010	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+	0	+	+	0	0
SEC1	+/-	+/-	+	+	-	-	-	+	+	0	+	0	+	+
SEC2	+/-	0	0	+/-	0	0	+/-	+/-	+	0	+	0	+	0
SEC3	+/-	0	0	+/-	0	0	+/-	+	+	0	+	0	+	0
SEC4	+/-	+/-	0	+/-	+/-	0	+/-	+/-	+	+	+	0	+	0
SEC5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+	0	+	+	+	+
SEC6	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+	0
SCE1	+/-	+/-	+/-	+	+/-	+	+/-	+/-	+	+	+	+	+	+/-
SCE2	0	+	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+	0	+	0
SCE3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+	+	+	+	+	+
SCE4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+	+	+	0	+	0
SCE5	0	0	0	+	0	0	+	0	+	0	+	+	+	0
SCE6	0	0	0	+	0	0	+	0	+	0	+	+	+	0
SWB1	0	+	0	+	+	+	0	0	+	+	+	+	+	+
SWB2	0	+	0	+	0	+	0	0	+	+	+	+	+	+
STR1	0	0	0	+	0	0	+	0	++	0	0	+	0	0
STR2	0	0	0	+	0	0	0	0	+	0	0	0	0	0
STR3	0	0	0	+	0	0	0	0	+	0	0	0	0	0
STR4	0	0	-	0	0	0	0	0	+	0	0	0	+	0
STR5	0	0	0	+	0	0	+	0	++	0	+	+	0	0
STR6	0	0	0	+	0	0	+	0	++	0	0	0	0	0
STR7	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+	0	0	0	0	0
STR8	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+	0	0	0	+	0
STR9	0	0	0	+	0	0	+	0	+	0	0	0	0	0
STR10	0	0	0	+	0	0	+	0	+	0	0	0	+	0
SID1	0	0	+	+	+	0	+	+	+	+	+/-	+	+	+
SID2	0	0	0	+	0	0	+	0	+	0	+	0	+	+
SID3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
SID4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
SWA1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	++	0	0	0	0	0	0
SWA2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+	0	0	0	0	0	0
SWA3	+/-	+/-	+/-	+/-	+/-	+/-	+/-	++	+/-	0	0	0	0	0
SWA4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+	0	0	0	0	0	0
SWA5	0	0	0	0	0	+	0	++	0	0	0	0	0	0
SMI1	0	0	0	0	0	+	0	0	0	0	0	0	+	0
SMI2	0	0	0	0	0	+	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
SCO1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
SCO2	0	0	0	0	0	0	+	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
SCO3	0	+	0	0	0	+	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
SDM1	+	+	+	+	+	0	+	0	+	0	+	+	0	0
SDM2	0	0	0	0	0	+	0	0	0	0	0	+	0	0
SDM3	0	+	0	+	0	+	0	0	+	0	0	0	0	0
SDM4	0	+	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
SDM5	+	+	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+	0
SDM6	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+	+	0	0
SDM7	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+	0	0	0	0	+	0
SDM8	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+/-	0
SDM9	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+	+	0	0
SDM10	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+	0

6.2 SLP site allocations

6.2.1 Following the assessment of reasonable alternatives in the SA, and consideration of other evidence base documents, SMBC have allocated a total of 97 development sites including:

60 residential-led sites;
28 employment-led sites;
One Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showperson site; and
Eight sites for mixed use.

6.2.2 The post-mitigation SA assessments for the 97 sites chosen for allocation by SMBC are summarised in Table 6.4. As explained in section 5.7, the full post-mitigation assessments for all reasonable alternative sites, including the allocated sites, can be found in Appendix G.

Table 6.3: Summary of post-mitigation site assessments for allocated sites (extracted from Appendix G)

	SA1	SA2	SA3	SA4	SA5	SA6	SA7	SA8	SA9	SA10	SA11	SA12	SA13	SA14
Site ref	Cultural Heritage	Landscape	Biodiversity, Flora & Fauna	Climate Change Mitigation	Climate Change Adaptation	Natural Resources	Pollution	Waste	Transport & Accessibility	Housing	Equality	Health & Wellbeing	Economy	Education
SEC3-181	0	+	0	+/-	+	+	-	+/-	++	0	0	++	0	0
SEC4-1	0	0	0	+/-	+	-	-	+/-	++	0	0	0	0	0
SEC3-9	0	+	-	+/-	+	+	-	+/-	++	0	0	++	0	0
SEC3-99	+	+	-	+/-	+	+	-	+/-	++	0	0	++	0	0
SH1	0	+	0	0	+	+	-	0	++	+	0	0	++	++
SEC3-113	0	+	0	+/-	+	+	-	+/-	++	0	0	++	0	0
SEC3-46	0	0	-	+/-	+	-	-	+/-	++	0	0	0	0	0
SEC3-175	0	+	0	+/-	+	+	-	+/-	++	0	0	++	0	0
SEC3-36	0	+	0	+/-	+	+	-	+/-	++	0	0	++	0	0
SEC3-29	0	0	0	+/-	+	-	-	+/-	+	0	0	+	++	0
SEC3-148	0	+	0	+/-	+	+	-	+/-	++	0	0	++	0	0
SH2	0	0	0	0	0	-	-	0	++	+	0	++	++	++
SEC4-4	0	0	0	+/-	+	-	-	+/-	+	0	0	0	++	0
SEC3-191	0	0	0	+/-	+	-	-	+/-	++	0	0	++	0	0
SEC4-3	0	+	0	+/-	+	+	-	+/-	++	0	0	++	0	0
SEC3-133	0	0	-	+/-	+	-	-	+/-	++	0	0	0	0	0
SEC3-189	0	0	0	+/-	+	-	-	+/-	+	0	0	0	0	0
SEC3-22	0	0	-	+/-	+	-	-	+/-	++	0	0	++	0	0
SEC3-40	0	0	0	+/-	+	-	-	+/-	++	0	0	++	0	0
SEC1-4	0	0	0	+/-	+	-	-	+/-	++	0	0	++	++	0
SH4	0	0	0	0	+	-	-	0	++	+	0	++	++	++
SH5	0	0	-	0	0	-	-	0	++	+	0	++	++	++
SH6	0	0	0	-	+	-	-	-	++	++	0	++	++	++
SH7	+	0	-	0	+	-	-	0	++	+	0	++	++	++
SH8	0	+	0	0	+	+	-	0	++	+	0	++	++	++
SH9	0	0	-	0	+	-	-	0	+	+	0	++	++	++
SH62	0	+	0	0	+	+	-	0	++	+	0	++	++	++
SH10	0	0	0	0	+	-	-	0	++	+	0	++	++	++
SH11	0	0	0	0	+	-	-	0	++	++	0	++	++	++
SH13	0	+	0	0	+	+	-	0	++	++	0	++	++	++
SH14	+	+	0	0	+	+	-	0	++	+	0	++	++	++
SH15	0	+	0	0	+	+	-	0	++	+	0	++	++	++
SEC3-79	0	+	-	+/-	+	+	-	+/-	++	0	0	0	0	0
SH16	+	0	-	-	0	-	-	-	++	++	0	++	++	++
SH17	0	+	-	0	+	+	-	0	++	+	0	0	++	++
SH18	0	0	-	-	+	-	-	-	++	++	0	++	++	++
SEC3-193	0	0	-	0	+	-	-	0	+	+	0	0	++	0
SH19	0	0	-	0	+	-	-	0	++	+	0	++	++	++
SH20	0	0	0	0	+	-	-	0	++	+	0	++	++	++
SH21	0	+	-	0	+	+	-	0	++	++	0	++	++	++
SH22	0	0	0	0	+	-	-	0	++	+	0	0	++	++
SH23	0	+	0	0	+	+	-	0	++	+	0	++	++	++
SH24	0	+	0	0	+	+	-	0	++	+	0	++	++	++
SH25	0	+	-	-	+	+	-	-	++	++	0	0	++	++
SH26	0	0	0	0	+	-	-	0	+	+	0	++	++	++
SH27	0	+	0	0	+	+	-	0	++	+	0	++	++	++
SH28	0	+	-	0	0	+	-	0	++	+	0	++	++	++
SH29	0	+	0	0	+	+	-	0	++	+	0	+	++	++
SH30	0	+	-	0	+	+	-	0	++	+	0	++	++	++
SH31	0	0	0	0	+	-	-	0	+	+	0	++	++	++
SH32	0	+	0	0	+	+	-	0	++	+	0	++	++	++
SH33	+	0	0	0	+	-	-	0	++	+	0	++	++	++
SH34	+	0	0	-	+	-	-	-	++	++	0	++	++	++
SH35	0	0	-	-	0	-	-	-	++	++	0	++	++	+
SH36	0	0	-	0	0	-	-	0	++	+	0	++	++	++
SH37	0	0	-	-	+	-	-	-	+	++	0	++	++	++
SEC3-66	+	0	-	+/-	+	-	-	+/-	+	0	0	0	0	0
SH38	0	+	0	0	+	+	-	0	++	+	0	++	++	++
SM1	+	+	0	-	+	+	-	-	++	++	0	++	++	++
SH40	0	+	0	0	+	+	-	0	++	+	0	0	++	++
SH41	0	0	0	-	+	-	-	-	++	++	0	++	++	++
SH42	0	+	0	0	+	+	-	0	++	+	0	+	++	++
SEC1-3	0	0	0	+/-	+	-	-	+/-	++	0	0	+	++	0
SH43	0	0	-	0	+	-	-	0	++	+	0	++	+	++
SH44	0	0	0	0	+	-	-	0	++	+	0	++	++	++
SH47	0	0	0	0	+	-	-	0	++	+	0	++	++	++
SM3	0	+	0	-	+	+	-	-	++	++	0	++	++	++
SH49	0	+	0	0	+	+	-	0	++	+	0	++	++	++
SM4	0	+	0	0	+	+	-	0	++	+	0	++	++	++
SH50	0	+	0	0	+	+	-	0	++	++	0	++	++	++
SH51	0	0	0	0	+	-	-	0	++	+	0	++	++	++
SM5	0	0	0	0	+	-	-	0	++	+	0	++	++	++
SM6	0	+	0	-	+	+	-	-	++	++	0	++	++	++
SM7	0	+	0	-	+	+	-	-	++	++	0	++	++	++
SH52	0	0	0	0	+	-	-	0	++	+	0	++	++	++
SM8	0	+	0	-	+	+	-	-	++	++	0	++	++	++
SH53	0	+	0	0	+	+	-	-	++	+	0	0	++	++
SH54	0	0	0	0	+	-	-	0	++	++	0	0	++	++
SH55	0	0	0	-	+	-	-	-	++	++	0	0	++	++
SH56	0	+	0	0	+	+	-	0	++	+	0	0	++	++
SH57	0	+	0	0	+	+	-	0	++	+	0	0	++	++
SH58	0	0	0	-	+	-	-	-	++	++	0	0	++	++
SG1	0	0	0	+/-	+	-	-	+/-	++	+	0	0	++	++
SH59	0	0	-	0	0	-	-	0	++	+	0	++	++	++
SH61	0	+	0	0	+	+	-	0	++	+	0	0	++	++
SEC1-1	0	+	0	+/-	+	+	-	+/-	++	0	0	++	0	0
SEC1-8	0	0	0	+/-	+	-	-	+/-	++	0	0	++	++	0
SEC1-5	0	0	0	+/-	+	-	-	+/-	++	0	0	++	++	0
SEC1-6	0	+	0	+/-	0	+	-	+/-	++	0	0	++	++	0
SEC1-2	0	0	0	+/-	+	-	-	+/-	++	0	0	++	++	0
SEC1-7	0	0	-	+/-	0	-	-	+/-	++	0	0	++	0	0
SM2	0	0	0	-	0	-	-	-	++	++	0	++	++	++
SH45	0	0	0	0	0	-	-	0	++	0	0	++	++	++
SH63	0	0	0	0	+	-	-	0	++	+	0	++	++	++
SH65	0	+	0	0	+	+	-	0	++	+	0	++	++	++
SH64	0	+	0	0	+	+	-	0	++	+	0	0	++	++
SH66	0	+	0	0	+	+	-	0	++	+	0	++	++	++

6.3 Whole plan appraisal

6.3.1 The following chapters present an assessment of the likely significant effects associated with the SLP in relation to the following topics:

Air (Chapter 7);
Biodiversity, flora and fauna (Chapter 8);
Climatic factors (Chapter 9);
Cultural heritage (Chapter 10);
Human health (Chapter 11);
Landscape (Chapter 12);
Population and material assets (Chapter 13);
Soil (Chapter 14); and
Water (Chapter 15).

6.3.2 Each of the topic sections are presented in terms of baseline, impacts, mitigation and residual effects, where appropriate. The topics have been appraised in terms of plan-wide impacts and draw on all aspects of the SA process, including the findings presented for the assessment of policies and site allocations (see Volume 2: Appendices for the full assessments). The assessments include consideration of the impacts arising as a consequence of the inter-relationship between the different topics and identify secondary, cumulative and synergistic effects where they arise.

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