Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council

Sustainability Appraisal and Strategic Environmental Assessment

The Council must carry out a Sustainability Appraisal of all Local Development Framework documents to appraise the social, environmental and economic effects the policies and guidance contained in them will have. All our plans have to be prepared with a view to contributing to the achievement of sustainable development.

In addition, European Directive EC/2001/42 requires that a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of the environmental effects of certain plans and programmes is undertaken.

The requirements to carry out Sustainability Appraisals and Strategic Environmental Assessments are distinct. However, it is possible to satisfy both through a single appraisal process.

This Sustainability Appraisal and Strategic Environmental Assessment Scoping Report for some parts of the Local Development Framework is available to download below. It identifies other plans and programmes, sets out baseline information and identifies social, environmental and economic issues. It also suggests sustainability objectives and indicators. Sustainability Appraisals and Strategic Environmental Assessments for particular documents can be found by following the links on the left of this page.

A Sustainability Appraisal and Strategic Environmental Assessment Scoping Report was produced in 2005 before significant progress has been made on the transition to the Local Development Framework. This informed the development of sustainability objectives for the Core Strategy and earlier Supplementary Planning Documents. This document can be accessed at the end of this page under 2005 SA and SEA Scoping Report.

Following changes to the Local Development Framework regulations; national policy guidance; the Stockton-on-Tees Local Development Scheme and the social, economic and environmental composition of the Borough; the document has been updated to inform the other emerging Development Plan Documents and Supplementary Plan Documents which will make up the Local Development Framework. The document can be accessed at the end of the page under 2010 Sustainability Appraisal and Strategic Environmental Assessment Scoping Report.