Sustainability Appraisal (SA)
When we prepare a new Local Plan, we are required by law to assess the sustainability of the policy documents at each stage of their preparation.
'Sustainability' is usually defined as 'meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs'.
We assess the sustainability of our policy documents through a 'Sustainability Appraisal', or 'SA'. The SA identifies and/or predicts any potential impacts on the economy, society and/or environment that may arise as a result of the emerging Plan. We can then try to avoid, or address, any negative issues and make sure that our policies are the most sustainable they can be.
There are a number of stages in the Sustainability Appraisal Process.
Stage A: The Scoping Report
The first stage in the SA process is to:
- identify relevant policies, plans and programmes
- establish sustainability objectives
- collect baseline information
- identify sustainability issues and problems
- develop a framework for undertaking the sustainability appraisal
- consult statutory bodies (Natural England, English Heritage, Environment Agency) on the 'scope' of the SA report.
This establishes 'the scope' of the SA.
We prepared the Scoping Report in early 2021. We submitted it to the statutory bodies, as well as Lancashire County Council's Public Health Team, in April 2021 for a 5 week consultation. The comments we received were then used to further shape the scoping report in preparation for the SA. A summary of the comments we received, along with any changes we made as a result, are detailed in a Feedback Summary Report.
- Download the 2021 SA Scoping Report (PDF 1.5mb)
- Download the Consultation Feedback Summary Report (PDF 770kb)
Stage B: SA of the Issues and Options
Stage C: Preparation of the SA Report
Stage D: Seek representations on the SA Report from consultation bodies and the public
The second stage is to appraise the sustainability of our emerging objectives and policy options, taking into account all the evidence we have collected to date. We must also propose indicators for monitoring the plan's sustainability. Our SA Report documents the appraisal process and our findings. The appendix provides our detailed assessments of each of the policy options.
- Download the LP2040 Issues and Options SA Report (PDF 1.3mb)
- Download the LP2040 Issues and Options SA Appendices (PDF 2.4mb)
Future stages
More information on the next stages of the SA process can be found in the Scoping Report itself. Further information will also appear on this page as we reach those stages, and progress with the preparation of the Local Plan.
- Stage E: Post-adoption reporting and monitoring
