This page shows the technical assessments undertaken to inform the development of the South Warwickshire Local Plan. The technical evidence has been organised to correspond with the Guiding Principles to help show how each objective has been considered.
Meeting South Warwickshire's Sustainable Development Needs
Title |
Scope | Date completed |
An assessment that looks at the vitality and viability of town centres, their role within South Warwickshire, the existing supply and future needs, the capacity of the centres to accommodate these need and advice on future approaches. The body of the report can be found in volume 1, and appendices in volume 2. |
January 2024 | |
A topic paper providing an introduction to the purposes of Green Belt, and choosing sustainable locations for growth. |
October 2023 | |
Critique of Coventry and Warwickshire Green Belt Review methodology |
A critique of the methodology used in the 2015 and 2016 Green Belt Review carried out in the Coventry and Warwickshire sub-region. |
September 2023 |
Housing & Economic Development Needs Assessment (HEDNA) – Covering Coventry and Warwickshire |
To outline (independently) what the need for housing and economic growth requirements across South Warwickshire are, based on robust evidence. This takes into account a wealth of evidence such as population, household and economic growth projections in order to assess the need for housing and employment up to 2050. The HEDNA has taken account of the data from the census in 2021. An updated version of the HEDNA correcting arithmetic errors in relation to Strategic B8, and updating paragraphs regarding student housing has subsequently been published. |
November 2022 |
Issues and Options Sustainability Appraisal (SA) |
This is an assessment of the significant environmental, social and economic effects of the Local Plan. At this stage, it looks specifically at the emerging options. Sustainability Appraisal work will be ongoing throughout the plan making process. The Scoping Report represents the first stage of the SA process. It sets the context and objectives, establishes the baseline and decides on the scope of the main SA report. |
November 2022 |
To provide an analysis of the potential urban capacity of South Warwickshire on previously developed land in the existing built-up areas. The capacity of the existing urban areas will give an indication of how much of the growth may be accommodated without the need to utilise greenfield land. | October 2022 | |
Spatial Growth Strategy workshop outcomes | A summary of the stakeholder workshops which were run to help inform the refined spatial growth options. | September 2022 |
Evolving the Spatial Growth Options - the story so far
|
This topic paper describes the process by which the spatial growth options evolved between the Scoping and Issues and Options consultations. |
August 2022 |
Scoping and Call for sites Sustainability Appraisal – Preliminary assessment of Growth Options | Assessment of the significant environmental, social and economic effects of the Local Plan. Additional Sustainability appraisals will be conducted as the plan progresses. | February 2021 |
Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment |
An assessment to determine the need for Gypsy and Traveller and Travelling Showpeople accommodation across the South Warwickshire Area up to 2050. |
In Progress |
A resilient and Net Zero Carbon South Warwickshire
Title | Scope | Date completed |
This work will be ongoing throughout the plan-making process. At this stage it undertakes a high-level assessment of the emerging 5 spatial strategy options, and the policy options in the Issues and Options. An erratum to this report has been published, dated 6th February 2023. |
November 2022 | |
Climate Change Baseline Report | The Climate Change baseline report sets out the context and starting point for the two authorities in relation to climate change mitigation and adaptation and identifies opportunities to embed climate change considerations into the Local Plan. | September 2022 |
Climate Change Impact Assessment – Growth Options assessment |
Assessment to determine the impact of development on climate change. |
February 2021 |
Climate Change evidence |
- Assessment to identify broad locations that would be suitable for renewable and decentralised energy sources. - Consideration of land typologies that could be protected and/or allocated to minimise carbon emissions. |
In Progress |
A well-designed and beautiful South Warwickshire
Title | Scope | Date Created |
Guide to existing housing densities in South Warwickshire | A guide to provide context to discussions of housing density, by illustrating the densities seen in a range of neighbourhood types in South Warwickshire | January 2023 |
Heritage Assessments | Desktop review of existing heritage assets within settlements considered in the Settlement Design Analysis. To ensure that heritage opportunities and constraints are considered in developing spatial options and wider policy considerations. | September 2022 |
A healthy, safe and inclusive South Warwickshire
Title | Scope | Date Completed |
Issues and Options Equalities Impact Assessment (EQIA) | An assessment to ensure that equal opportunities have been taken into account in all decision making. | December 2022 |
Equalities Impact Assessment – initial screening assessment | Assessment to ensure equal opportunities have been taken into account in all decision making. Additional Equalities Impact Assessments will be conducted as the plan progresses. | March 2021 |
Health Impact Assessment – initial screening assessment | This is a tool to identify and optimise the health and wellbeing impacts of the Plan. Additional Health Impact Assessments will be conducted as the plan progresses. | February 2021 |
Playing Pitch Strategy | To assess the need for playing pitches across South Warwickshire in quantitative and qualitative terms. | In Progress |
A well-connected South Warwickshire
Title | Scope | Date completed |
Settlement Design Analysis | An analysis that looks at the structure and design of existing settlements to help identify where growth might be best integrated. The study examines the street pattern of the settlement, any physical barriers to movement which exist, local infrastructure provision, and density ranges. |
January 2023 |
Bus Accessibility Mapping | To demonstrate the areas of South Warwickshire best served by bus routes to different types of destinations. Conversely to examine ‘gaps' in bus services. This is primarily aimed at examining the ‘Main Bus Route' growth option identified in the Scoping Consultation. | April 2022 |
Transport Assessment | This will set out the transport issues in relation to development and identify measures that can deal with the impacts of schemes in relation to all modes of travel. |
In Progress |
A biodiverse and environmentally resilient South Warwickshire
Title | Scope | Date completed |
Issues and Options Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) | An assessment to determine the potential effects of the Plan on protected habitats. | November 2022 |
Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA) – Part 1 Stratford-on-Avon District SFRA
Warwick District SFRA |
An assessment which looks at all known sources of flooding that could affect existing or future development in an area. | October 2022 |
Coventry, Solihull & Warwickshire Green Infrastructure Strategy |
An update to the 2013 sub-regional green infrastructure strategy | In Progress |
Water Cycle Study
|
This assesses the constraints and demands future development will place on existing water services infrastructure including waste and supply. | In Progress |
Biodiversity baseline update | An update to baseline data using satellite imagery data and follow up on the ground assessments. Being updated across Warwickshire County being led by Warwickshire Wildlife Trust | In Progress |
Future Work
The following technical assessments are likely to be required to help inform later stages of the plan. Once completed they will be available to view on this page:
Title | Scope |
Housing, Employment and Town Centres |
|
Affordable Housing |
Viability study regarding different possible approaches to delivery of affordable housing, including possible locational assessments |
HELAA (Housing and Economic land Availability Assessment | A high level assessment which considers the quantity and quality of sites that could be developed for housing, employment or other uses. |
Greater Birmingham and Black Country Housing Market Area | Future Study on addressing the housing shortfall for the Greater Birmingham and Black Country Housing Market area |
Locational Employment Study | Obtaining evidence to get an understanding on where employers across South Warwickshire want to be located, to understand future demands and expectations. |
Infrastructure Delivery Plan |
This will set out the strategic infrastructure requirements in order to deliver growth planned for within the Plan. This will likely need to consider a range of infrastructure needs including health, education, utilities. |
Site Delivery & Viability Studies | An assessment to ensure that sites critical to delivering the strategic priorities of the Plan are deliverable and viable. |
Sports, Leisure and Built Facilities Strategy | An assessment of the current facilities within South Warwickshire and to identify the likely additional need to support the Plan's growth strategy |
Tourism Accommodation Assessment | An assessment of the current visitor accommodation stock within South Warwickshire and to identify the likely accommodation demand and trends through to 2050. |
Tourism Destination Management Plan | The current Plan runs to 2025 and there will be a need, working with Shakespeare's England as part of any reorganisation of tourism delivery at the regional strategic level to prepare an updated strategy to inform the Local Plan. |
Climate Change | |
MET Office Climate Analysis | Information specific to South Warwickshire on climate change probabilistic projections |
Climate Change Evidence |
- An assessment on what 'net zero carbon' means and looks like for new developments in South Warwickshire - Consideration of how the Plan can address retrofitting existing buildings to minimise carbon emissions and enable buildings to adapt to climate changes - Climate change impact assessment of policies within the plan - Viability implications of both the preferred growth strategy and specific policies within the plan related to climate change mitigation and adaptation - Assessment into the extent to which the Local Plan can assist with carbon sequestration - Offsetting evidence to inform Local Plan policies |
Environmental | |
Air Quality Assessment |
An assessment to look at the air quality impacts of the proposals in the Plan on Air Quality Management Areas in South Warwickshire |
Landscape Character Assessment | An assessment undertaken to help identify various landscape types with a distinct character that is based on a recognisable pattern of elements, including combinations of geology, landform, soils, vegetation, land use and human settlement. |
Strategic Environmental Assessment / Sustainability Appraisal (SA/SEA) | Ongoing assessment of the significant environmental, social and economic effects of the Local Plan. |
Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA) Part 2 | An assessment which looks at all known sources of flooding that could affect existing or future development in an area. |
Health | |
Health Impact Assessment (HIA) |
This is a tool to identify and optimise the health and wellbeing impacts of the Plan |
Equalities | |
Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA) | Ongoing assessment to ensure equal opportunities have been taken into account in all decision making. |
Heritage | |
Built Heritage and Archaeology site selection and impact assessments | An assessment of the heritage and archaeological impacts of any detailed growth strategy proposals and identify any possible mitigation opportunities. |
Misc. | |
Design Codes | Work to identify design parameters / codes which could be for the whole of South Warwickshire and/or strategic development sites or localities |
Green Belt Study | A review which provides evidence of how areas perform against the Green Belt purposes set out in National Policy. This can be used alongside other evidence when looking at potential changes to the Green Belt. |
Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment (HELAA)
A standard approach to the assessment of housing and employment sites is being applied across Coventry and Warwickshire and a public consultation in respect of this methodology concluded in December 2021.
This sub-regional HELAA methodology sets out a high-level framework for assessing potential locations/directions for growth, within which individual Local Planning Authorities can tailor specific criteria to respond to their local circumstances. The tailored South Warwickshire Local Plan HELAA was endorsed at the Joint Cabinet/Executive Committee on 10 March 2022.
The HELAA has not yet been produced for South Warwickshire. It is expected that this will happen prior to the Preferred Options consultation.