SEA IN THE CONTEXT OF LANDTUSE PLANNING

Previous practice of Sustainability Appraisal: Deep throughoutSocial Environmental EconomicSustainability approach including SEA requirements: T-shape modelSocial Environmental EconomicAdditional elements:Further baseline, alternatives,consulting, mitigationmeasures and monitoringFIGURE 6.3 SUSTAINABILITY APPRAISAL VS SEA (ADAPTED FROM TIM RICHARDSON)Despite the obvious differences between the two processes, the broader approach of SA withemphasis on the three aspects of sustainable development and the environmental aspects inthe SEA directive, it is worth noting that the objective of the two processes bear manysimilarities. The objective of SA is to fulfil the government’s goal of sustainable development,which is also among the overriding goal of the EC directive. As to the other objectives of thetwo instruments, both have an overriding objective of integration. The differences are basedin that whereas the SA has the aim of integrating social, environmental and economicconsiderations into the preparation of RSS, DPDs and SPDs, the SEA directives aims atintegrating environmental considerations into the preparation and adoption of plans andprogrammes. In addition the SEA directive refers to providing a high level of protection ofthe environment as its primary aim. Although there may be similarities between the twoprocesses in basic approaches and implementation in England, the SEA directive introducessome new aspects that are not included in the SA. According to the guidelines (ODPM2005a), the directive brings new emphasis on the following areas in particular: the importanceof environmental baseline, prediction of significant environmental effects as well asalternatives, the emphasis on mitigation measures, consulting the public and authorities as apart of the assessment process and monitoring the environmental effects of the plan orprogramme during its implementation. In that way, it can be predicted that the introductionof the directive will enhance the already existing practice of Sustainability Appraisal. In thePractical Guide to the SEA directive, it is stated that those responsible authorities who wishto cover the full range of SD issues in their assessment are free to broaden the scope of theassessment to include social and economic effects of their plans and programmes in additionto the environmental effects. Accordingly, the Environmental Report required by the SEADirective can be included in an assessment report on the wider effects of the plan orprogramme, such as SA report: ‘… [that] must clearly show that that the Directive has been compliedwith, for example by signposting to enable the components that meet the requirements for the EnvironmentalReport to be readably identified’ (A Practical Guide to the Strategic Environmental AssessmentDirective, ODPM 2005a:20).A study examining the first year’s application of the SEA directive in England (Theriveland Walsh 2006) and comparing those to practice in 2001 showed that the SEA process tookroughly twice as long as the pre-directive SA process. The impact of the SEA process on theplan and the added value of increasing the planners awareness of sustainability were roughlythe same as the answers from 2001.6.7.5 Sustainable DevelopmentThe objectives of the SEA directive include the promotion of sustainable development by91