RE: SEA Screening of Reg. 14 Draft Neighbourhood Plan

2023-03-07T12:53:16Z

Thank you Susan - that is extremely useful and supports my thinking on this proposed approach.

RE: SEA Screening of Reg. 14 Draft Neighbourhood Plan

2023-03-06T12:08:53Z

My experience of this approach (of just providing outline policies) came via a Consultant from the SE, who named other authorities where this approach had been taken. Having contacted one of them (who I’d previously worked for), they confirmed that they had been misadvised and would not be taking this approach again. Subsequently I spoke to a number of environmental assessors who confirmed that a plan is required and not just an outline of the policies.

Also worth mentioning that prior to Feb 2015,the PPG on ‘Strategic environmental assessment and sustainability appraisal’ advise that a local planning authority (LPA) “should put in place a process to provide a screening opinion to the qualifying body on whether the proposed neighbourhood plan will require a strategic environmental assessment”, but since then the advice has changed and it advises that “as part of its duty to advice or assist, should consider putting in place processes to determine whether the proposed neighbourhood plan will require a strategic environmental assessment”, therefore a LPA is no longer expected to carry a Screening, although it can choose to do this.

SEA Screening of Reg. 14 Draft Neighbourhood Plan

2023-02-10T09:49:11Z

Has anybody had the situation where the NP group have not shown the local authority the NP or the supporting evidence but has asked them to provide an SEA/ HRA screening report based on an outline of the policies instead? I haven't come across this approach before.