Our team was initially instructed by Fareham Borough Council in September 2009 to carry out a combined Sustainability Appraisal / Strategic Environmental Assessment and Habitats Regulations Assessment of the borough’s Core Strategy.

The Core Strategy, which had been Submitted in February 2011, was found ‘sound’ by the Planning Inspectorate in July 2011.

We were subsequently reappointed to prepare SA/SEAs and HRAs for the Local Plan Parts 2 and 3 – the Development Sites and Policies Plan and the Welborne Plan.

Approach

The Development Sites and Policies Plan identified sites for development which could meet the overall housing and employment targets of the Core Strategy.  It also set a range of policy requirements that each development proposal should take into account.

Fareham borough enjoys a coastal location in south Hampshire and is close to several sites of international nature conservation importance, including Portsmouth, Langstone and Chichester Harbours, the Solent and New Forest. Ensuring that strategic development proposed by the Core Strategy could be delivered in a way that avoided impacts to these sites was a crucial consideration in undertaking the SA/SEA and HRA.

The Welborne Plan sought to establish a detailed planning framework for a significant aspect of the Core Strategy – the North of Fareham Strategic Development Area to the north of the M27. The SA/SEA and HRA processes had a key role in helping to ensure that the major greenfield development proposed for the new town of Welborne limited the likely environmental effects and maximised its potential sustainability value.

Outcome

The Development Sites and Policies Plan and Welborne Plan were both successfully adopted in June 2015.