Sustainable Development

Strategic Environmental Assessment

The European Directive on Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) came into force in Scots Law in 2005. Its official designation is European Directive 2001/42/EC, "The assessment of the effects of certain plans and programmes on the environment". It applies to a wide range of plans and programmes prepared by statutory agencies, regional planning bodies, local authorities and others.
The Directive aims to ensure environmental protection and sustainable development by requiring an assessment of the environmental effects of plans and programmes to be carried out as they are being developed.

SEA and plan making

SEA is a tool used internationally to improve the environmental performance of plans by predicting and evaluating the environmental impacts of plans and their alternatives at an early stage in their preparation. Improvements to plans are identified through the involvement of environmental experts, stakeholders and the public. When SEA is carried out effectively and is properly taken into account by decision-makers, the result should be a more robust plan that responds to environmental challenges and improves people’s quality of life.

An SEA process follows a number of key stages:

Pre-screening
Screening
Scoping
Environmental Report
Adoption
Monitoring

So far, the Sustainable Development section has undertaken SEAs in relation to the following documents:

Ayrshire Local Biodiversity Action Plan and associated SEA documents:

Strategic Environment Assessment Documents

Screening

SEA screening report

Scoping

SEA scoping report
Scoping Appendix 1
Scoping Appendix 4
Diagram depicting the relationship of the Ayrshire Local Biodiversity Action Plan
Water Map
SEPA response to scoping report
SNH response to scoping report
Historic Scotland response to scoping report
SEA gateway scoping response cover letter

Environmental Report

SEA environment report
Environment report Appendix A - list of PPP
Environment report Appendix B - map of landscape character
Environment report Appendix C - list of protected sites
Environment report Appendix D
Water Map
Diagram depicting the relationship of the Ayrshire Local Biodiversity Action Plan
SEPA response to environmental report
SNH response to environmental report
Historic Scotland response to environmental report
SEA gateway environmental report cover letter

Post Adoption Statement

SEA post adoption statement

Monitoring

Paper copies of the Ayrshire BAP, and related SEA documents can be viewed at the following Council locations:

County Buildings, Wellington Square, Ayr (Mon - Thur 8.45am - 4.45pm; Fri 8.45am - 4pm except public holidays)
Burns House, Burns Statue Square, Ayr (Mon - Thur 8.45am - 4.45pm; ;Fri 8.45am - 4pm except public holidays)
Carnegie Library, Main Street Ayr (Mon, Tue, Thur & Fri 9am - 7pm; Wed & Sat 9am - 5pm except public holidays)

Core paths plan
Carbon Management Plan
Climate Change Action Plan
Local Transport Strategy

Planning and SEA

Specific queries relating to SEAs for developments should be addressed to The Planning Section of the Council.