Torridge District Council: Monitoring and Appraisal

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TDLP PART 1 CHAPTER 7 - MONITORING AND APPRAISAL

MONITORING

7.1 The LPA is required to monitor the implementation of the Plan. The strategy, policies, and proposals of the Plan have been formulated so as to facilitate such monitoring and review. The targets that are referenced in the supporting text are related to a series of environmental objectives and performance indicators.

7.2-7.3 [No text]

7.4 The District Council intends to help monitor environmental objectives in those areas where it has responsibilities. Objectives have been set on the basis of the environmental considerations that the Government expects plans to take into account and the local issues reflected in the Policy Options Report for the Plan. Such considerations are set out in the appraisal section of the Plan. The objectives set out in Figure 10 have been applied to the Plan to establish criteria that may inform the performance indicators. Such criteria also were used in the appraisal.

Figure 10: Monitoring the State of the Environment

Environmental Objective
Performance Criterion	Performance Indicator

Community Identity
Townscape	Improvements in design.
	Enhancement of town centre viability and vitality.
	Maintenance of local character and distinctiveness.
Local Quality of Life	Reduction of noise pollution.
	Reduction of light pollution.
	Enhancement of accessible open space.
	Increases in safety and sense of security.
Cultural Heritage	Safeguarding of Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas.
	Safeguarding of sites of archaeological and historic value.

Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions
CO₂ Fixing	Increase in tree cover, especially broad leaved woodland.
Transport Efficiency (Trips)	Focus of development in serviced areas.
	Increase in provision of mixed development.
	Increase in density of development.
	Decrease in ease of private parking.
Transport Efficiency (Modes)	Increase in availability of public transport.
	Concentration of development in areas well served by public transport.
	Improvements in walking and cycling routes.

Energy Conservation
Energy Efficiency	Improvements in site layout.
	Increase in use of energy conservation measures.
	Increase in potential for combined heat and power supply.
Renewable Energy	Realisation of renewable energy potential.

Resource Conservation
Air Quality	Reductions in levels of pollutants.
Water Quality and Supply	Improvements in groundwater purity and flows.
	Improvements in river baseflows.
	Improvements in drinking and bathing water quality.
Flooding	Reductions in development on flood plains.
	Improvements in flood protection.
Land and Soil Quality	Concentrations of development on previously developed land and on contaminated sites.
	Improvements in protection against instability.
	Safeguarding of best and most versatile agricultural land.
	Prioritisation of full and effective use of land.
	Protection of the coastal zone.
	Safeguarding of soil quality and retention of soil.
Waste	Reduction, reuse, and recycling of waste.

Landscape Conservation and Enhancement
Biodiversity and Earth Science Diversity	Protection of designated sites.
	Increase in general wildlife potential.
	Contribution to Devon Biodiversity Action Plan targets.
Countryside and Open Space	Protection of countryside and open space.
Landscape Quality	Protection of designated areas.
	Enhancement of landscape character and important features.

7.4 The District Council will continue to develop indicators that can measure accurately the state of the environment and the impact of development upon it. The Plan is required to have due regard to the environment and it is anticipated that environmental objectives will be monitored by others. The District Strategy may be appraised against the performance criteria, and the District Council will need to monitor the performance of the policies and proposals of the Plan against the Aims of the Plan.

7.5A In addition to the need to have regard to the environmental objectives, the District Council recognises the importance of economic and social issues as applied to land use consideration. Figure 11 reflects the District Council's commitment also to assess economic, social, and resource issues, the approach to which is derived from the Environmental Appraisal undertaken on the Deposit Plan. The Government has published detailed guidance on the requirement for LPAs to monitor the provision of housing through the planning system. These considerations also have been applied to the key issues originally considered by the District Council at the start of the plan preparation process, to derive a comprehensive list of performance indicators and targets.

7.5 The list is biased toward housing, in view of the extensive requirements arising from Government Guidance. It includes the Best Value Performance Indicators (BVPIs) set by Government for development plans. It seems unlikely that any additional or alternative BVPIs will need to be monitored in the foreseeable future and there is no sign that the Audit Commission will introduce their own Indicators in respect of local plans (ACPIs). Additional Local Indicators (LIs) may be derived.

7.6A The LPA will continue to develop smart targets that can measure adequately all aspects of the effectiveness of the Plan. The directional targets included in Figure 11 are indicative of the changes that are needed to make development more sustainable. More specific measures will be included in periodic monitoring reports. Such indicators are likely to relate to the process of plan preparation, review, and monitoring, rather than to the achievement of the policies of the Plan.

Figure 11: Performance Indicators and Targets

Performance Indicators	Targets
Economic Prosperity
Employment Provision	Increased % jobs created in service centres.
	Increased net floorspace by area.
	Increased number of diversification schemes in rural areas.
Economic Regeneration	Increased coverage of regeneration initiatives.
	Monitor economic indicators (eg employment, unemployment, GDP, average household earnings)
	Monitor tourism indicators (eg tourist activity survey, 100% retention of core tourism areas as determined by planning consent, tourism occupancy consents)

Community Identity and Social Inclusion
Access to a Decent Home	Monitor the housing stock (eg housing quality, vacant dwellings)
	Monitor the housing market (eg house price data - prices, sales, and rentals)
Community Housing Need	Monitor housing need indicators by area and type (eg waiting lists, homelessness, itinerant counts)
	Monitor housing needs provision (eg affordable housing, local housing, % of consents on substantial sites that require provision at the target level, itinerant pitches).
Protection of Townscape	Increased coverage of design statements.
	No net annual change in extent of shopping frontages by type.
	Annually increased contributions for public art by amount and by development type.
Local Quality of Life	Reduced number of pollution complaints.
	No net deterioration annually in level of accessibility to essential services by service.
	Annually improved accessibility to services by service centre.
	All necessary infrastructure provided within two years of development.
	Learn from annual sample household design surveys.
	Reduced number of planning complaints.
	Increased % new developments providing for environmental enhancement.
Cultural Heritage	Monitor % applications granted by type.
	No annual net loss in number of Listed Buildings.
	Reduced number of Listed Buildings at risk by grade.
	Annually increased numbers of buildings on local list.
	Annually increased coverage of Conservation Areas.
	Annually increased coverage of enhancement schemes.

Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Development Strategy	50% of housing and employment development 1995 - 2011 should be within Bideford /Northam.
	90% housing units permitted should be within development boundaries /on proposed village sites 2001 - 2011 annually.
	90% employment development areas permitted should be within development boundaries 2001 - 2011 annually.
	Increased % development land in areas well served by public transport (eg GEAs).
	Increased numbers of mixed-use developments.
Efficiency of Development	Monitor take-up of development land by type and location (eg employment land, housing land, windfalls, assumptions).
	Monitor house building by area and type (eg commitments, starts, completions, mix, conversions)
	Aggregated net density target exceeded annually.
	Increased % gross retail floorspace in service centres.
Sustainability of Transport	Revised car-parking standards introduced.
	Car parking capacity by centre reduced biennially.
	Increased length of walking and cycling routes.
	Increased % tourist attractions serviced by public transport.
	Increased coverage by green travel plans.
Carbon Sequestration	Increased area of woodland.
	Increased proportion of actively managed woodland.

Energy Conservation
Renewable Energy	Increased proportion of energy generated from renewable sources.
Energy Efficiency	Increased % of development layouts incorporating energy saving design measures.
	Increased % of buildings incorporating energy saving features.

Resource Conservation
Water	Increased river baseflows.
	Bathing water quality objectives met by 2004.
	Groundwater quality improved annually.
Land and Soil	Land recycling targets met annually.
	No net loss of best and most versatile agricultural land.
	Increased % of derelict and contaminated land reclaimed.
	No further development on unstable land.
	Reduced % failing landscaping schemes.
Flooding	No net increase in % developed flood plain.
	No increased flood risk from development.
Waste	Bideford Sewage Embargo lifted in May 2003.

Landscape Conservation and Enhancement
Landscape Quality	Monitor number of applications permitted as departures from landscape conservation policy.
	No loss of statutorily designated area by type.
Landscape Character	Help monitor implementation of Devon Biodiversity Action Plan (record progress, report LNR designations annually).
Countryside Protection	No new non-exception housing or industry in open countryside.
	Monitor housing and tourist accommodation occupancy ties.
	No net loss of undeveloped Coastal Protection Area.
Open Space Provision	Biennial net increase in the accessibility of open space in secured community use by category.

APPRAISAL

7.6B The Government now expects the LPA to demonstrate that its plan policies and proposals take environmental considerations into account with reference to a sustainability appraisal (SA) of the Plan. The District Council has carried out appraisals at each stage of plan making. A policy scoping and screening exercise, conducted on the basis of the Policy Options Report for the Plan, took into account the environmental issues related in the Local Plan Survey Reports. The parameters for the appraisal are set out in Government guidance.

7.4 The District Council has taken account of environmental considerations in preparing this Plan. It has had regard to environmental objectives in setting the Aims of the Plan, which inform the District Strategy. They were applied to each policy and proposal as part of the Plan preparation process. The interaction of the environmental considerations set out in the Government guidance and the policies of the Plan is presented in Figure 12.

Figure 12: Environmental Considerations

Consideration	Relevant Policies
Energy Conservation	Settlement Strategy [DVT1 - 2C]
Efficient Use of Energy	Settlement Strategy [DVT1 - 2C] /Energy Targets [ECD9]
Global Climate Change	Settlement Strategy [DVT1 - 2C] /Flood Defence [DVT23]
Reduction in Greenhouse Gases	Traffic Restraint [DVT18 - 20] /Distribution of Development [ECD1 /HSC1] /Renewable Energy [ECD9]
Air Quality	Pollution [DVT12]
Pollution	Pollution [DVT12]
Noise Pollution	Noise Pollution [DVT13]
Light Pollution	Pollution [DVT12]
Countryside Character	Rural Character [DVT1-2C] /Design [DVT3 - 4] /Distinctiveness [DVT6] /Countryside Protection [HSC14A /ENV5]
Countryside Diversity	Landscape Conservation [ENV5]
Undeveloped Coasts	Landscape Protection [ENV6]
Conservation of Wildlife Habitat	Habitat Conservation [ENV7]
Conservation of Wildlife Species	Nature Conservation [ENV7 - 10] /Conversion [DVT3(1)(e) - 4(2): indirect]
Enhancement of Wildlife Habitat	Conservation [ENV8 - 10]
Enhancement of Wildlife Species	None: indirect [DVT3 - 4 /ENV10]
Promotion of Biodiversity	Nature Conservation [ENV7 - 9]
Biodiversity Action Plan Targets	None: indirect [ENV5 /ENV7 - 9]
Landscape Quality Impact	Landscape Protection [ENV6]
Urban Regeneration	Amount for Art [HSC24] /Site Specific Proposals
Town Centre Character and Vitality	Town Centre [HSC16 - 18) /Retail [HSC19]
Open Space	Protection [DVT9] /Infrastructure [DVT16 /HSC13]
Urban Revitalisation	Site Specific Proposals /Rural Restraint (DVT2 - 2C)
Better Urban Design	Distinctiveness [DVT6] /Design [DVT7) /Layout [HSC3]
Development Appearance	Design [DVT7] /Layout [HSC3]
Relationship to Surroundings	Distinctiveness [DVT6] /Design [DVT7] /Layout [HSC3]
Built Heritage Preservation	Conservation [ENV2-3]
Archaeological Heritage Preservation	Conservation [ENV4]
Coastal Protection	Landscape Protection [ENV6] /Flood Protection [DVT23]
Flood Defence	Flood Defence [DVT23]
Land Drainage	Risk [DVT23 - 24]
Ground Water Resource Protection	Resource Conservation [DVT12(a)]
Unstable Land Risk	Areas at Risk [DVT14]
Conservation of Natural Beauty	Conservation [ENV5 - 6]
Conservation of Amenity	Neighbourhood Amenity [DVT11] /Sewage [DVT24] /Advertisement Displays [DVT15] /Conservation [ENV1]
Enhancement of Natural Beauty	Landscape Conservation [ENV5]
Enhancement of Amenity	Countryside Access [HSC14A] /Mitigation [ENV10]
Tree Protection	Conservation [ENV1] /Landscaping [DVT8]
Hedgerow Protection	Conservation [ENV1] /Boundary Treatment [DVT8] /Corridors [ENV9]
Tree Planting	Landscaping [DVT8] /Environmental Enhancement [ENV10] /Site Specific Proposals
Hedgerow Planting	Landscaping [DVT8] /Environmental Enhancement [ENV10] /Site Specific Proposals

7.8 A full policy matrix is included in the SA, which is published separately from the Plan. Environmental concerns have been integrated into the preparation process on the basis of the key issues identified in the appraisal at each stage. The Plan has been amended in the light of the SA findings. The environment will be protected more effectively as a result.

7.9 [No text]

7.10 The appraisal does not prejudice statutory environmental impact assessment where required.

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