Sustainability Appraisal of the Sandwell Local Plan 2024-2041

Ends on 11 November 2024 (7 days remaining)

17 Monitoring

17.1 Context

17.1.1 Regulation 17 of the SEA Regulations states "The responsible authority shall monitor the significant environmental effects of the implementation of each plan or programme with the purpose of identifying unforeseen adverse effects at an early stage and being able to undertake appropriate remedial action".

17.1.2 The purpose of monitoring is to measure the environmental effects of the Plan as well as its success against its objectives. However, monitoring can place a heavy burden on financial and human resources, and it may therefore be practical to focus on monitoring residual adverse effects and to build on existing monitoring systems.

17.1.3 Monitoring the impacts of the Local Plan should seek to answer:

  • Was the likelihood of sustainability impacts identified in the SA process accurate?
  • Is the Local Plan successful in achieving its desired sustainability objectives?
  • Are mitigation measures performing as expected?
  • Are there any unforeseen adverse impacts of the Local Plan, and if so, are these within acceptable limits or is remedial action required?

17.2 Monitoring proposals

17.2.1 Monitoring proposals are set out in Table 17.1 for SMBC to consider in the implementation of the SLP.

Table 17.1: Proposals for monitoring adverse sustainability impacts of the SLP

Theme/ SEA Regulations

Indicator

Scale and frequency

Target

Air

Concentration of NO2 and PM10

Annually, Plan area wide

Decrease

Air

Traffic flows on main roads

Bi-annually, Plan area wide

Decrease

Air

Rates of public transport uptake

Annually, Plan area wide

Increase

Biodiversity, flora and fauna

Percentage of SSSIs in favourable condition

Annually, Plan area wide

Increase

Biodiversity, flora and fauna

Number of planning approvals granted contrary to the advice of Natural England or Birmingham and Black Country Wildlife Trust

Annually, Plan area wide

Zero

Biodiversity, flora and fauna

Percentage loss of the ecological network

Annually, Plan area wide

Zero

Biodiversity, flora and fauna

Quality and extent of priority habitats

Annually, Plan area wide

Increase

Biodiversity, flora and fauna

Canopy cover within Sandwell

Every 3 to 4 years, Plan area wide

Increase

Climatic factors

CO2 emissions per capita

Annually, Plan area wide

Decrease

Climatic factors

Percentage of energy generated from renewable sources

Annually, Plan area wide

Increase

Climatic factors

Number of properties at risk of flooding

Annually, Plan area wide

Decrease

Climatic factors

Extent of surface water flood risk within Sandwell

Annually, Plan area wide

Decrease

Cultural heritage

Number of conservation area appraisals

Annually, Plan area wide

Increase

Cultural Heritage

Number of heritage assets identified as 'heritage at risk'

Annually, Plan area wide

Decrease

Human health

Percentage of physically active adults

Bi-annually, Plan area wide

Increase

Human health

Number of GP surgeries

Annually, Plan area wide

Increase

Landscape

Quantity of development in sensitive landscapes

Annually, Plan area wide

Zero

Population and material assets

Number of affordable housing completions

Annually, Plan area wide

Increase

Population and material assets

Percentage of economically active residents

Annually, Plan area wide

Increase

Population and material assets

LSOAs in Sandwell within the 10% most deprived in Great Britain

Every 3 to 4 years, Plan area wide

Decrease

Population and material assets

Quantity of household waste sent to landfill

Annually, Plan area wide

Decrease

Soil

Number of dwellings built on PDL

Annually, Plan area wide

Increase

Soil

Area of contaminated land remediated

Annually, Plan area wide

Increase

Water

Number of planning permissions granted contrary to EA advice

Annually, Plan area wide

Zero

Water

Number of waterbodies classified as 'good' ecological status

Annually, Plan area wide

Increase

Water

Number of overflow events of untreated sewage discharges into rivers

Annually, Plan area wide

Zero

Water

Water efficiency in new homes

Annually, Plan area wide

Increase

Water

Water availability for extraction

Annually, Plan area wide

Increase

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