Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is a systematic process that must be carried out during the preparation of Local Plans. SEA aims to identify significant environmental effects and mitigate negative effects. The first stage is to undertake SEA screening to establish whether SEA is required.
The Council has prepared a SEA Screening Opinion, which concludes that the Local Plan is likely to have significant environmental effects and will require a SEA.
The statutory environmental consultees (Natural England, Environment Agency and Historic England) have been consulted to check whether they agree with the screening opinion. The statutory consultees all agreed and a screening determination has been prepared.
SEA is normally incorporated into the Sustainability Appraisal (SA) process. SA identifies environmental effects (as covered by SEA) and also assesses social and economic effects. It provides an opportunity to assess alternatives and identify mitigation measures. The first stage in the SA process is to prepare a scoping report identifying the topics to be covered and the appraisal framework, including objectives and indicators. A scoping report has been prepared, and we are inviting comments on the report between Monday 24 August and 5pm on Monday 28 September 2026. The scoping report includes the screening determination as an appendix.