Sustainability Assessment SPD

Supplementary planning documents (SPDs) are taken into account when deciding on planning applications. These documents give further guidance on the detail of the council's development plan. They can be based on

• Subject matter
• A specific area

Sustainable development involves balancing social, economic and environmental impacts to ensure the best possible development. The aim is for a good quality of life and environment now and in the future.

Sustainability assessment SPD

The sustainability assessment SPD will explain how sustainability assessments should take place to ensure social, environmental and economic factors are considered and balanced to get the most sustainable development possible. The council requires a sustainability assessment to be submitted with all development applications proposing ten or more dwellings, or 1,000 square metres or more of floorspace.

Consultation on the draft SPD

Formal consultation on the draft sustainability assessment SPD took place between 23 October 2008 and 4 December 2008. Officer responses to submitted representations can be viewed below.

• Officer responses to representations on draft sustainability assessment SPD

What happens next?

The revised SPD was presented to the planning committee for their comments on 3 February 2009. A copy of the final SPD and accompanying reports can be found below.

• Sustainability assessment SPD
• Sustainability statement and statement of compliance
• Equalities impact assessment
• Sustainability report
• Adoption statement