Sustainability appraisal and green belt review to support planning for growth in North East England

Sunderland Core Strategy and Development Plan (CSDP)

Our client-centred approach to undertaking sustainability appraisals (SA) and strategic environmental assessments (SEA) focuses on providing strategy advice and maximising environmental and socio-economic benefits.

In 2016 we were appointed to undertake the SA of the emerging Sunderland Core Strategy & Development Plan, which will steer development in Sunderland up to 2033. Our work involved providing critical friend support, assessing proposed policies and site allocations, and preparing robust SA reports to accompany iterative versions of the emerging plan. Working closely with Sunderland City Council we adopted a collaborative methodology and focused on identifying and addressing likely significant environmental and wider sustainability effects at each stage of plan preparation.

Building upon our SA site assessments we also prepared exceptional circumstances and green belt review reports to support the sustainable release of specific sites from the Tyne & Wear Green Belt. As well as helping Sunderland City Council to meet identified housing needs, this will underpin a new growth-orientated spatial strategy for Sunderland.