Sustainability Appraisals

Why do we do sustainability appraisal?

When drawing up new planning documents the effects they will have on the environment and people's quality of life, both now and in the future are some of the most important things to consider. To be sure that the plan does not cause economic, environmental and social problems, at the heart of the plan production process there is a system of assessment known as Sustainability Appraisal (SA).

SA is a systematic process for assessing the extent to which the emerging plan will help to achieve sustainable development. It is an opportunity to consider ways by which the plan can contribute to improvements in economic, environmental and social conditions, as well as a means of identifying and mitigating any potential adverse effects that the plan might otherwise have.

The purpose of the planning system is to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development. The Government’s view of what constitutes sustainable development is set out in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The NPPF uses the United Nations definition of sustainable development as 'development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs'.

Use the box on the right to view the documents, and to comment on them, click here.